Written from the studies on PubMed, searched on 11 Nov 2026. Every number below comes from a study listed under Sources.
The claim
Posts online say that curcumin (turmeric) helps with chronic kidney disease.
Where research stands
We found 58 published papers on curcumin (turmeric) and chronic kidney disease. They were published between 2009 and 2026. 21 of them are studies in people. 20 of them compared people who got it with a group that did not. 22 were studies in animals, and 2 were only in cells in the lab. 8 papers are reviews that sum up other studies. 1 new study in people is running or will start soon, says the trial register ClinicalTrials.gov.
- 21In people20 with a comparison group
- 22In animals
- 2Only in the lab
What the studies found
We have not summed up these studies in words yet. The most important papers are listed under Sources.
Verdict
Curcumin (turmeric) has been tested in randomised trials in people with chronic kidney disease.
What this means for you: A study in people is not proof that it helps you. Do not stop or change your medicines because of it. Ask your doctor before you start taking it.
Sources
- Impact of Curcuma longa L. extract supplementation on the gut microbiota of hemodialysis patients.2026 · J Bras Nefrol · Randomised trial
- Effects of Curcuma longa L. and Green Propolis Extract-Loaded Microcapsules Supplementation on Inflammation in Hemodialysis Patients: Preliminary Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial.2025 · Life (Basel) · Randomised trial
- Effect of phospholipid curcumin Meriva on liver histology and kidney disease in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.2025 · Hepatology · Randomised trial
- Curcumin Supplementation and Vascular and Cognitive Function in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.2024 · Antioxidants (Basel) · Randomised trial
- The effectiveness of curcumin as a safe agent on hearing threshold improvement in patients with chronic kidney disease: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.2024 · Sci Rep · Randomised trial
- Can curcumin supplementation break the vicious cycle of inflammation, oxidative stress, and uremia in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis?2024 · Clin Nutr ESPEN · Randomised trial
- Effects of turmeric extract supplementation on the lipid and lipoprotein subfraction profile in hemodialysis patients: A randomised, double-blind, crossover and controlled trial.2023 · Phytother Res · Randomised trial
- Comparison between olfactory training and curcumin therapy in improving olfactory dysfunction in patients with chronic kidney disease.2023 · Heliyon · Randomised trial
- The effect of micro-particle curcumin on chronic kidney disease progression: the MPAC-CKD randomized clinical trial.2023 · Nephrol Dial Transplant · Study in people
- Turmeric supplementation with piperine is more effective than turmeric alone in attenuating oxidative stress and inflammation in hemodialysis patients: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial.2022 · Free Radic Biol Med · Study in people
- Effects of turmeric and curcumin in patients on dialysis or using immunosuppressive agents: a systematic review.2026 · Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol · Review
- Effect of Curcumin Consumption on Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Patients on Hemodialysis: A Literature Review.2023 · Nutrients · Review
- Anti-inflammatory response to curcumin supplementation in chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.2022 · Avicenna J Phytomed · Review
- Efficacy and Safety of Turmeric Dietary Supplementation on Proteinuria in CKD: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of RCT.2022 · Iran J Kidney Dis · Review
- The effects of curcumin-containing supplementations on inflammatory markers and lipid profiles in patients with chronic kidney diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.2022 · J Complement Integr Med · Review
- Effect of Curcumin on Diabetic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials.2021 · Evid Based Complement Alternat Med · Review
- Renoprotective effects of curcumin in cats with chronic kidney disease.2026 · J Vet Intern Med · In animals
- Curcumin/piperine modulates the butyrate levels and alleviates diabetic kidney disease via Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.2025 · Ren Fail · In animals
- Curcumin alleviates renal fibrosis in chronic kidney disease by targeting the circ_0008925-related pathway.2025 · Ren Fail · In animals
- Curcumin modulated gut microbiota and alleviated renal fibrosis in 5/6 nephrectomy-induced chronic kidney disease rats.2025 · PLoS One · In animals
- Curcumin and its combination with a reduced dose of rosuvastatin: A promising therapy for chronic kidney disease and associated dyslipidemia in rat animal models.2025 · Biomol Biomed · In animals
- Ultra-small curcumin-ruthenium coordination polymer nanodots prevent renal ischemia-reperfusion injury and the progression to chronic kidney disease.2024 · Front Bioeng Biotechnol · In animals
- Curcumin targets CXCL16-mediated podocyte injury and lipid accumulation in diabetic kidney disease treatment.2024 · Arch Pharm Res · In the lab
- Curcumin attenuates cyclosporine A‑induced renal fibrosis by inhibiting hypermethylation of the klotho promoter.2016 · Mol Med Rep · In the lab
- The Effects of Curcumin on Olfactory Dysfunction and Indoxyl Sulphate in Hemodialysis Patients.2026 · Iran J Otorhinolaryngol · Other paper
- Curcumin enhances p-cresyl sulfate-induced cytotoxic effects on renal tubular cells.2022 · Int J Med Sci · Other paper
- Inflamed fat and mitochondrial dysfunction in end-stage renal disease links to hypoxia-could curcumin be of benefit?2017 · Nephrol Dial Transplant · Other paper
- Inflamed fat and mitochondrial dysfunction in end-stage renal disease links to hypoxia-could curcumin be of benefit?2017 · Nephrol Dial Transplant · Other paper
