A recent study was performed to examine the bioavailability of curcumin (NovaSOL curcumin by Frutarom) across three different oral delivery systems (Mol Nutr Food Res. 2014 Jan 9. doi:10.1002/mnfr.201300724). Curcumin has shown to have various health benefits, however, its bioavailability is low due to its poor solubility in the aqueous phase of the digestive tract and its rapid metabolism and excretion from the body. The goal of the study was to develop novel curcumin formulations with improved oral bioavailability and to study its safety as well as potential sex differences.

In this study, healthy participants, 13 women and 10 men, took in random order, a single oral dose of 500 mg of native curcumin, curcumin micronisate and curcumin micelle (NovaSOL curcumin). Blood and urine samples were collected for 24 hours. Based on the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), the curcumin micelle performed better than the curcumin micronisate and native powder in all subjects. Women did absorb curcumin more efficiently than men and observed sex differences in curcumin absorptions warrant further studies. The study showed that using a small single does of NovaSOL curcumin is the bioavailable equivalent to high, multiple gram dosages of a standard extract.

Frutarom is a flavor and fine ingredients company, providing solutions for the food and beverage, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.