The Golden Paste, a combination of turmeric, oil – usually coconut oil – and black pepper, has taken fans of natural health by storm, and with good merit. Hailed as a “trendy superfood” by some, the fact of the matter is that turmeric (Curcuma longa) has been used for thousands of years not just as a spice, but for its many medicinal qualities. Modern medicine has begun to recognize its long list of healing properties, with over 3,000 publications or studies examining turmeric published over the past 25 years.
Turmeric is the spice. Most supplements - even many of those labeled "Turmeric" - are actually standardized curcumin.
Curcumin, the phytochemical agent in the spice turmeric responsible for its deep yellow color, is what science considers to be the only medically active compound in turmeric (though technically "curcumin" is composed of over 100-and-counting bioactive compounds).
Turmeric is the spice. Most supplements - even many of those labeled "Turmeric" - are actually standardized curcumin.
Curcumin, the phytochemical agent in the spice turmeric responsible for its deep yellow color, is what science considers to be the only medically active compound in turmeric (though technically "curcumin" is composed of over 100-and-counting bioactive compounds).
Curcumin is proving in vitro to have antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, antimutagenic, anticancer, and very powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Studies are still early, but so far curcumin holds promise in treating cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, cystic fibrosis; recent research indicates it provides pancreatic and liver protection, and it may be nearly as effective as Prozac for relieving symptoms of depression. Of course we want to access these health benefits for our pets, too!
The problem with turmeric? Bioavailability
Whether one uses turmeric or curcumin, the issue with its use is getting enough of the active compound circulating in the bloodstream. It is not water soluble, and it is metabolized and excreted very, very rapidly. It is characterized by poor absorption and low bioavailability, which is why early in vivo studies conflict with in vitro studies and more recent in vivo research. Most participants in early studies were not getting the benefit of curcumin’s healing properties into the bloodstream. When this was realized, the focus of research became how to make it available to the body for use. In India, where the spice is extensively used in food, it is used in combination with other spices (notably black pepper) and oils in the curry. Turns out, black pepper extract (piperine) increases the bioavailability of turmeric or curcumin. So do fats. Processing that alters its structure also increases bioavailability.
With these discoveries, a slew of “standardized curcumin” products hit the supplement market. There are currently four basic types of standardized curcumin supplements (vs turmeric the spice) that have been designed to increase bioavailability when consumed.
1) those combined with BioPerine (a very small amount of black pepper extract);
2) those combined with a fat (phosphatidylcholine), trademarked Meriva;
3) those combined other essential oils in the spice, trademarked BCM 95;
4) those processed a certain way, trademarked Longvida.
Analysis of the trials run by each of the companies indicates Longvida type puts the most free-circulating curcumin in the blood stream. Of people. (In the link, please be sure to read the comment of November 7, 2013, with analysis correcting information presented in the original article).
Holistic vets have worked with turmeric and curcumin in our pets for years. Veterinary formulations of turmeric / curcumin supplements have been on the market for our pets for years. And as it is with most holistic treatments, some people prefer to use and recommend the “whole food” format.
In the case of turmeric, the whole food approach that increases bioavailability to make the medicinal components available to the body is called “The Golden Paste.” There are several iterations and oil substitutions, but the basic concept is the same: combine turmeric, oil, and black pepper. Science agrees: very simply, this will slow down metabolism to put the curcumin in the turmeric into the bloodstream.
At Food Fur Life, we usually prefer “whole” over more refined. And in this article, we do not question whether or not The Golden Paste has medicinal benefits. There is every reason to believe it does. No, the question is – is it appropriate for cats?
The problem with turmeric? Bioavailability
Whether one uses turmeric or curcumin, the issue with its use is getting enough of the active compound circulating in the bloodstream. It is not water soluble, and it is metabolized and excreted very, very rapidly. It is characterized by poor absorption and low bioavailability, which is why early in vivo studies conflict with in vitro studies and more recent in vivo research. Most participants in early studies were not getting the benefit of curcumin’s healing properties into the bloodstream. When this was realized, the focus of research became how to make it available to the body for use. In India, where the spice is extensively used in food, it is used in combination with other spices (notably black pepper) and oils in the curry. Turns out, black pepper extract (piperine) increases the bioavailability of turmeric or curcumin. So do fats. Processing that alters its structure also increases bioavailability.
With these discoveries, a slew of “standardized curcumin” products hit the supplement market. There are currently four basic types of standardized curcumin supplements (vs turmeric the spice) that have been designed to increase bioavailability when consumed.
1) those combined with BioPerine (a very small amount of black pepper extract);
2) those combined with a fat (phosphatidylcholine), trademarked Meriva;
3) those combined other essential oils in the spice, trademarked BCM 95;
4) those processed a certain way, trademarked Longvida.
Analysis of the trials run by each of the companies indicates Longvida type puts the most free-circulating curcumin in the blood stream. Of people. (In the link, please be sure to read the comment of November 7, 2013, with analysis correcting information presented in the original article).
Holistic vets have worked with turmeric and curcumin in our pets for years. Veterinary formulations of turmeric / curcumin supplements have been on the market for our pets for years. And as it is with most holistic treatments, some people prefer to use and recommend the “whole food” format.
In the case of turmeric, the whole food approach that increases bioavailability to make the medicinal components available to the body is called “The Golden Paste.” There are several iterations and oil substitutions, but the basic concept is the same: combine turmeric, oil, and black pepper. Science agrees: very simply, this will slow down metabolism to put the curcumin in the turmeric into the bloodstream.
At Food Fur Life, we usually prefer “whole” over more refined. And in this article, we do not question whether or not The Golden Paste has medicinal benefits. There is every reason to believe it does. No, the question is – is it appropriate for cats?
Problem 1: Turmeric is one of the most contaminated spices in the world
Turmeric, the spice, is one of the most contaminated spices there is. Google it. 12% of US spice imports are contaminated with something, according to a 2013 report. That "something" is most often bugs, bug body parts, rodent hairs, and bug and rodent feces. And salmonella. The worst offenders are spices imported from India and Mexico - and our turmeric in the US is usually imported from India, not surprising as 80%-90% of world turmeric production is based in India. The amount of curcumin in turmeric (which is what gives the spice its deep orange color) varies widely, and turmeric often has coloring added to it to make it appear a deeper yellow/orange: meaning if trying to gauge curcumin content by color, you can't.
The real kicker is it is often contaminated with lead, cadmium and other heavy metals. But lead is the most common problem. The latest recall was October 2013 for excessive amounts of lead in turmeric. But even if the amount is below acceptable for human consumption – are those trace amounts OK for our cats?
Turmeric, the spice, is one of the most contaminated spices there is. Google it. 12% of US spice imports are contaminated with something, according to a 2013 report. That "something" is most often bugs, bug body parts, rodent hairs, and bug and rodent feces. And salmonella. The worst offenders are spices imported from India and Mexico - and our turmeric in the US is usually imported from India, not surprising as 80%-90% of world turmeric production is based in India. The amount of curcumin in turmeric (which is what gives the spice its deep orange color) varies widely, and turmeric often has coloring added to it to make it appear a deeper yellow/orange: meaning if trying to gauge curcumin content by color, you can't.
The real kicker is it is often contaminated with lead, cadmium and other heavy metals. But lead is the most common problem. The latest recall was October 2013 for excessive amounts of lead in turmeric. But even if the amount is below acceptable for human consumption – are those trace amounts OK for our cats?
Finally, a number of articles note that being labeled "organic" does not protect you from contamination due to storage or from heavy metals:
- organic status relates to how the spice is grown, not how it is processed or stored, which is where much contamination occurs;
- organic turmeric isn't necessarily organic due to violation of US labeling laws by importers, especially as labeling a food “organic” enables higher pricing;
- it isn't necessarily contamination of the product after harvesting that results in heavy metals in the turmeric, it can be due to the soil in which it is grown, farming methods aside.
Unlike turmeric, the standardized curcumin supplements based on patented formulation are purified, tested, and many are made by reputable manufacturers. To be trademarked "Meriva" or "Longvida," they must meet the same specifications as the clinically researched product.
Problem 2. The Oil
Instructions for using turmeric (the unprocessed spice) in animals are typically one of two forms: mix the spice with dried flax seed and black pepper (dry form) or cook it into the golden paste. The oils typically recommended for the wet paste are raw virgin, cold pressed coconut oil, olive oil, or flaxseed oil. As it is with feeding raw food, many using the golden paste point to how shiny silky soft their dog or cat’s coat has become as proof the paste is working. …except fatty acids benefit skin and coat, so one could simply feed the oil to see that benefit.
No, our concern is related to the most common form of the golden paste, made with coconut oil. A number of holistic vets recommend coconut oil for our pets based on the health benefit claims of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). Yet the use of coconut oil in cats remains a controversial topic as there are conflicting studies of its safety in cats when ingested.
Coconut oil, a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) is metabolized differently than other fats. What is not known is if this is related to why studies of cats fed MCTs show conflicting outcomes: some say it's safe, in others cats developed fatty liver. MCTs are absorbed directly into the portal system without requiring bile salts; what this means is that the liver becomes primarily responsible for metabolizing MCTs. Cats, unlike dogs, are not "designed" for feast-or-famine metabolism, and fats can quickly and easily overwhelm a cat's liver, causing hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver) (prolonged use in humans can do this, too. Of course, the relationship is likely dose dependent - and there are no long term studies in cats done to determine safety, just the potential for food aversion). This is why we are typically advised not to let our cats go longer than 24 - 48 hours without eating at least 50% of their caloric need. The other issue is that MCTs / coconut oil provide very little in the way of essential fatty acids. According to a Harvard Q&A, "Coconut oil is about 90% saturated fat, which is a higher percentage than butter (about 64% saturated fat), beef fat (40%), or even lard (also 40%)." Now, saturated fats are not a risk factor for heart disease in dogs or cats. But this is to say, coconut oil adds calories without needed nutritional benefit, and unabsorbed MCTs can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea, so coconut oil would be contraindicated in animals with fat maldigestion/ malabsorption. (Could it be the unabsorbed lipids contribute to the development of fatty liver?)
Bottom line? The fact of the matter is that coconut oil has been associated with liver problems in cats, and this is one of the reasons there is a camp of holistic vets that do not recommend its use in cats.
Problem 3. Safety
There are no safety studies for the use of turmeric OR curcumin OR black pepper extract in cats. (And the studies of the safety of coconut oil in cats is conflicting).
- Black pepper extract is known to impact metabolism of many medicines (both decreasing or increasing metabolism, which can either lower a medicine to ineffective levels or push absorption past toxicity levels). If using the golden paste, please time administration of medications and feeding of the paste with this in mind.
- Black pepper may well be toxic to cats over time given it contains both terpenes and essential oils (3% essential oils), which are known to be toxic to cats, especially when directly ingested (over time, causing damage to the kidneys).
If you want to use a standardized curcumin extract, it would be best to use the Longvida or Meriva types and avoid those with black pepper extract (“Piperine,” or “BioPerine”).
Problem 4. Dose
The curcumin content of turmeric varies widely, but is usually indicated to be around 2%. A tablespoon of turmeric (which weighs 6.8 grams), would contain approximately 136mg of curcumin.
The recommended daily dose of standardized curcumin for a cat ranges from about 10mg to 20mg per pound of cat. This daily dose should be split into at least two doses given AM and PM to maximize and maintain circulating levels in the bloodstream. This means a 10 pound cat would take between 100mg and 200mg daily. With its mild taste, most eat it when mixed into their food. As most capsules are 500mg, for the sake of ease, targeting 1/4 capsule total (125mg) means kitty gets 62.5mg twice a day. If your cat will not eat it mixed with food and the curumin needs to be pilled, 62.5mg of standardized curcumin leaves quite a bit of room in an empty #3 gel cap. If using the golden paste, the recommended maximum dose is two tablespoons. We know from the calculations above that one tablespoon of pure turmuric extract at 2% curcumin requires one tablespoon of powder to get to 136mg of curcumin, so it doesn't seem unreasonable the oil and pepper add another tablespoon. Whether pure powder or paste, whether one tablespoon or two, that is a challenging amount of volume to get into a cat if the cat doesn't want to eat it. And it is an apparently unpalatable mixture for a cat, as this spoof on getting it into one’s cat illustrates.
Claims that standardized curcumin is “too strong.” Those that support the use of the golden paste in people and pets claim that "curcumin is too strong" and can be toxic if used in animals. I have since learned that what they mean by that is that there is a mouse study of toxicity of turmeric oleoresin (a turmeric component that contains curcumin and is used as food coloring – this is not the same as standardized curcumin). This 1993 study indicates mice fed turmeric oleoresin at 0.2% of body weight daily had higher incidence of intestinal lesions and carcinomas.
Based on that study, a 10 pound cat would need to eat 9,072mg (9 grams) of standardized curcumin daily to ingest a toxic dose of curcumin. The recommended dose of the standardized curcumin for a 10 pound cat is 10mg - 20mg per pound, so 100mg to 200mg per day. At 100mg, the dose is 1.1% of the amount indicated to be unsafe in mice; at 200mg, the daily dose is 2.2% of the amount indicated to be toxic in mice. Clearly the claim "standardized curcumin is too strong" is simply a dose-dependent statement.
It would be a different issue if the claim were "by using only the extracted curcuminoids, your pet is missing out on other healing properties of the spice." Of course the question remains - how to get that effective dose of one to two tablespoons in a cat??? Ultimately, using the golden paste in cats simply doesn't seem practical, any potential health concerns aside.
What Should I Use if I Want My Cat to Benefit From Turmeric?
Work with your vet to determine what's best for you and your cat. There are pet products that contain turmeric or standardized curcumin. As we've outlined here, it is also possible to properly dose standardized curcumin products developed for human consumption - we recommend using either the Meriva or Longvida types for the reasons outlined. Whatever you choose, read the label to understand how much of what you would be giving your pet at the dose guidelines your vet suggests.
And knowing that fats slow down the metabolism of turmeric and put more curcumin circulating in the blood stream, even if using a product developed for or "optimized" for pets, using an omega 3 oil at the same time is likely a very good idea. Of course, a species-appropriate form of oil for a cat seems ... more appropriate. Animal-based omega 3 oils recommended are a high quality fish oil, salmon oil, krill oil, or green lipped mussel oil. Many use one of these products for their kitty with an inflammatory disease already. Feeding one of these omega 3 oils alongside the curcumin will likely increase the bioavailability of whatever curcumin product you choose to use.
Bottom Line?
Yes, there is a rapidly growing body of science that indicates curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory, that it addresses acute and chronic inflammation among many other conditions and medical benefits. It has shown benefit in osteoarthritis, asthma, IBD, colitis, diabetes, pancreatitis, and colon cancer among other things. But these studies are in people, typically done with a standardized curcumin. The potential benefits in cats are only anecdotal, and there are no safety or toxicity studies in cats. (Cats were used to study safety in humans, but those toxicity studies were not published). If you want to use turmeric or standardized curcumin, as with anything - especially unproven herbs - it is best to do so under the supervision of a vet. But please note that curcumin has been associated with thinning of the blood. It also stimulates bile flow, and thus may be contraindicated in cats with bile duct blockages. This is not a side-effect-free or "completely safe" herb. There IS no such thing.