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Limited evidenceLongevity & antioxidants

Tetrahydrocurcumin

A colourless metabolite of curcumin, produced in the gut and sold as a supposedly more bioavailable and more antioxidant alternative. Human evidence amounts to one tiny pilot trial.

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What the science says

  • Depression as an add-on Limited evidence

    A randomised open-label pilot trial in 19 patients with major depressive disorder compared escitalopram alone with escitalopram plus 200 mg/day tetrahydrocurcumin. With 19 participants and no blinding of treatment, this is a preliminary signal rather than a result.

  • Metabolic and antioxidant effects Limited evidence

    Reviews of curcumin metabolites describe effects on glucose and lipid regulation and stronger antioxidant activity than curcumin itself in laboratory assays. Essentially all of this work is in cells and rodents.

  • Bioavailability advantage Limited evidence

    The claim that supplemental tetrahydrocurcumin achieves better exposure than curcumin has not been demonstrated in a head-to-head human pharmacokinetic trial. Most published bioavailability comparisons involve formulated curcumin products, not tetrahydrocurcumin.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseNo established dose. The single clinical study used 200 mg/day; commercial products typically supply 250-500 mg/day as a label dose without trial support.
SafetyLittle human safety data beyond the very small trial, where no serious events were reported. By analogy with curcumin, expect possible gastrointestinal upset, and note that curcuminoids inhibit platelet aggregation and several CYP enzymes, so caution with anticoagulants and with drugs having a narrow therapeutic window. Turmeric and curcumin products have been associated with rare cases of liver injury. Avoid in pregnancy and with bile duct obstruction.

How to take it

TimingTiming does not matter on the available evidence.
With food?With a meal containing fat, as with any curcuminoid.
Worth knowingUnlike curcumin, tetrahydrocurcumin is already the main metabolite, so added piperine buys you much less than the marketing implies.

Interactions

With medications

  • warfarin and other anticoagulants or antiplatelets

    Curcuminoids inhibit platelet aggregation, adding to bleeding risk. avoid combining, and stop before surgery

  • tacrolimus and other narrow-window drugs

    Curcuminoids inhibit several CYP enzymes and can raise drug blood levels. do not combine without medical supervision

With other supplements

  • iron supplements

    Curcuminoids chelate iron and have been implicated in reduced iron status with prolonged high intake. separate by at least 2 hours

Well-established interactions only — this is not a complete list. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist what you take.

Frequently asked questions

Is tetrahydrocurcumin better than curcumin?

The claim that tetrahydrocurcumin is more bioavailable than curcumin has not been shown in a head-to-head human pharmacokinetic trial, and its stronger antioxidant activity comes from laboratory assays. The evidence is limited.

Does tetrahydrocurcumin help depression?

Tetrahydrocurcumin's only human trial was an open-label pilot in 19 patients with major depression, adding 200 mg/day to escitalopram. With 19 participants and no blinding, this is a preliminary signal, not a result, so the evidence is limited.

How much tetrahydrocurcumin should I take?

Tetrahydrocurcumin has no established dose; the single clinical study used 200 mg/day, while products typically supply 250–500 mg/day without trial support. Take it with a meal containing fat.

Is tetrahydrocurcumin safe with blood thinners?

Curcuminoids including tetrahydrocurcumin inhibit platelet aggregation and several CYP enzymes, so avoid combining it with anticoagulants or antiplatelets and use caution with narrow-window drugs such as tacrolimus. Turmeric products have been linked to rare liver injury; avoid tetrahydrocurcumin in pregnancy and bile duct obstruction.

Scientific references

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