A lot of people may say they love turmeric or curcumin but still believe the only way to get curcumin to be effective is to combine it with black pepper or piperine. But black pepper is not a consistent and reliable absorption enhancer and piperine—the compound extracted from black pepper that actually increases absorption when concentrated—is potentially problematic.

There is a curcumin that enhances absorption safely and effectively. It pairs high-quality curcumin with turmeric essential oil—a source of beneficial turmerones, including ar-turmerone—to boost absorption and blood retention up to 500 times that of turmeric. And curcumin combined with turmeric essential oil for enhanced absorption proves its worth in multiple ways:

• Reduces symptoms of depression
• Stops pain and boosts mobility
• Inhibits cancer and tumor formation and growth
• Prevents damage from radiation therapy
• Protects the liver and improves detoxification
• Poses no risk to digestive health, unlike forms with black pepper or piperine
• Doesn’t interact with medications or drug metabolism like black pepper or piperine
• Has over 90 published studies— and counting—to back it up

Curcumin Can be Difficult to Absorb

Curcumin’s positive effects are limited without something to boost absorption. One of the first ideas to improve curcumin’s absorption was by using piperine, a concentrated extract of a compound found in black pepper. While piperine can increase absorption, there are also significant concerns regarding long-term safety and interactions with other supplements and medications.

Black Pepper and Piperine: Absorption with Consequences

A sprinkle of black pepper, like the kind you have at the dinner table, does not help your body absorb curcumin better. It is a specific compound in black pepper called piperine that, when extracted and concentrated, actually increases curcumin’s absorption. The piperine content of black pepper varies considerably, and can be as little as 2%. That is why black pepper can’t be reliably used to increase curcumin absorption.

Unlike using black pepper on food, extracting and concentrating piperine to very high levels can lead to adverse effects on liver enzymes and change the absorption of a variety of substances, including prescription drugs. In fact, researchers have urged caution around piperine, limiting how often and for how long it is used, and have advocated for careful monitoring of drug interactions. Some countries have also set limits on the daily maximum amount of piperine that should be ingested because of the potential for interactions with prescription drugs.

For example, piperine can make metformin lower glucose levels significantly more than it would otherwise, pushing blood sugar levels unexpectedly low. It has also been shown to sharply increase the absorption of prescription drugs like the antihistamine fexofenadine (Allegra) and statin drugs like atorvastatin, pushing levels in your bloodstream higher than would normally occur, which also increases the odds of unwanted side effects.

There are plenty of other reasons to avoid black pepper and piperine. Piperine can reduce male fertility, interfere with digestion, and even lead to an increased risk of leaky gut (gaps in the intestines that allow food particles and pathogens to enter the bloodstream). Other research shows that piperine reduces the positive effects of the adaptogen rhodiola, so you may want to think twice before adding a piperine combined supplement to your existing regimen if other botanicals are part of it, too.

Curcumin + Turmeric Essential Oil: The Winning Absorption Combination

Turmeric essential oil, by contrast, has none of the drawbacks of piperine.

As researchers looked for alternatives to piperine, they discovered that curcumin is a fat-soluble nutrient, so fats helped it absorb better in the intestines. Turmeric essential oil (oil is a fat) was a logical choice to increase absorption. In addition, turmeric essential oil provides powerful compounds called turmerones, including aromatic turmerone (ar-turmerone), that fight inflammation and protect the body from the ravages of oxidative stress. So it has incredible benefits all on its own.

In fact, studies have found that turmerones fight tumor growth and inhibit cancer cells, prevent carcinogenic damage, regenerate brain cells, and increase superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels—natural “fountain of youth” antioxidants produced by the body.

That’s why curcumin with turmeric essential oil is the choice of researchers for leading edge scientific and clinical studies on cancer treatment, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression, just to name a few. This particular curcumin has 90 published studies—and counting—to back it up.

This article is intended to provide you with information to maintain health.