How Turmeric Can Support Neuroplasticity, According To Experts

As health and science journalist and New York Times bestselling author Max Lugavere explained on a recent episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, turmeric boasts neuroprotective properties and contains something called aromatic turmerone, a compound that’s been shown in preclinical evidence to support the production of neural stem cells.* “So [it’s] good for supporting neuroplasticity, which is important for anybody concerned with brain health,”* he said.

Board-certified nutrition specialist and gut health expert Brooke Scheller, DCN, CNS, adds that “Turmeric can help to build, restore, and reestablish new pathways, new habits, and really the learning and adaptation of our brain.”* She notes that turmeric also helps to combat free radicals in the body, which is good news for your brain.* Plus, one of its key bioactives, curcumin, has been shown in animal studies to help normalize the activity of neurotransmitters involved in the production of feel-good hormones, like serotonin and dopamine.*

“So turmeric is potentially supporting neurotransmitter production as well, and again, reducing these overall stress markers that make our brains have more difficulty in functioning or processing,”* Scheller explains.