--- title: Does curcumin reduce inflammation in women with PMS and painful periods? description: Curcumin slightly reduced a marker of inflammation (hsCRP) compared to placebo, but the reduction was small and didn't affect most other inflammation measures url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effect-of-curcumin-on-inflammatory-biomarkers-and-iron-profile-in-patients-with-2023/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does curcumin reduce inflammation in women with PMS and painful periods? Randomised trial, 2023 # Does curcumin reduce inflammation in women with PMS and painful periods? Curcumin slightly reduced a marker of inflammation (hsCRP) compared to placebo, but the reduction was small and didn't affect most other inflammation measures or iron levels. Strong study design 76 young women with PMS and dysmenorrhea ## What they did Researchers randomly assigned 76 women with PMS and dysmenorrhea to either 500 mg of curcumin plus piperine or placebo daily. Treatment started 7 days before menstruation and continued until 3 days after for three consecutive menstrual cycles. Multiple markers of inflammation and iron levels were measured. ## What they found Curcumin reduced the inflammation marker hsCRP from 0.30 mg/L to 0.20 mg/L compared to placebo (p = 0.041). However, it did not change other inflammation markers (neutrophil, RDW, MPV, NLR, PLR, RPR) or markers of iron metabolism. ## What it means for you Curcumin may have a small effect on one type of inflammation in PMS, but the clinical importance is unclear and it doesn't affect most other inflammatory markers or iron balance. This is a well-designed trial but with a specific and limited effect. 76 Women studied (38 per group) 500 mg Daily curcumin dose p = 0.041 hsCRP reduction significance ## About the study Original title Effect of curcumin on inflammatory biomarkers and iron profile in patients with premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea: A randomized controlled trial Authors Talebpour A, Mohammadifard M, Zare Feyzabadi R et al. Journal Physiological reports Year 2023 Study design Randomised trial Participants 38 What was tested 500 mg curcumin plus piperine daily from 7 days before until 3 days after menstruation for three cycles Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.14814/phy2.15763](https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.15763) Original abstract Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and primary dysmenorrhea are common gynecological problems and inflammation may have a role in their etiology. Curcumin is a polyphenolic natural product for which there is increasing evidence of anti-inflammatory and iron chelation effects. This study assessed the effects of curcumin on inflammatory biomarkers and iron profile in young women with PMS and dysmenorrhea. A sample of 76 patients was included in this triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Participants were randomly allocated to curcumin (n = 38) and control groups (n = 38). Each participant received one capsule (500 mg of curcuminoid+ piperine, or placebo) daily, from 7 days before until 3 days after menstruation for three consecutive menstrual cycles. Serum iron, ferritin, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), as well as white blood cell, lymphocyte, neutrophil, platelet counts, mean platelet volume (MPV) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW), were quantified. Neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet: lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and RDW: platelet ratio (RPR) were also calculated. Curcumin significantly decreased the median (interquartile range) serum levels of hsCRP [from 0.30 mg/L (0.0-1.10) to 0.20 mg/L (0.0-1.3); p = 0.041] compared with placebo, but did not show any difference for neutrophil, RDW, MPV, NLR, PLR and RPR values (p > 0.05). The treatment schedule was well-tolerated, and none of markers of iron metabolism statistically changed after the intervention in the curcumin group (p > 0.05). Curcumin supplementation may have positive effects on serum hsCRP, a marker of inflammation, with no any changes on iron homeostasis in healthy women with PMS and dysmenorrhea. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Curcumin and turmeric](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-curcumin/)[Zinc and iron](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-zinc-iron/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Systematic review, 2025 Does curcumin supplement help reduce PMS and period pain symptoms? Randomised trial, 2024 Does curcumin reduce depression, anxiety, and stress in women with PMS and dysmenorrhea? Randomised trial, 2024 Does curcumin-piperine combination improve antioxidant activity in women with PMS and period pain? Randomised trial, 2022 Does curcumin with piperine reduce PMS symptoms by lowering inflammation? Randomised trial, 2025 Does curcumin reduce PMS and period pain symptoms? Systematic review, 2024 How do turmeric and curcumin help with PMS and dysmenorrhea? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗