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 thalassaemia.
Where research stands
We found 8 published papers on curcumin (turmeric) and thalassaemia. They were published between 2007 and 2024. 7 of them are studies in people. 5 of them compared people who got it with a group that did not. None was a study in animals, and none was only in cells in the lab.
- 7In people5 with a comparison group
- 0In animals
- 0Only 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 thalassaemia.
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
- Suppression of Growth Differentiation Factor 15 Gene Expression by Curcumin in Patients with Beta-Thalassemia Intermedia.2024 · Clin Lab · Randomised trial
- The Effect of Curcumin on Iron Overload in Patients with Beta-Thalassemia Intermedia.2022 · Clin Lab · Randomised trial
- The effect of curcumin on serum copper, zinc, and zinc/copper ratio in patients with β-thalassemia intermedia: a randomized double-blind clinical trial.2021 · Ann Hematol · Randomised trial
- An investigation of the effects of curcumin on iron overload, hepcidin level, and liver function in β-thalassemia major patients: A double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial.2018 · Phytother Res · Randomised trial
- Benefits of Curcumin Supplementation on Antioxidant Status in β-Thalassemia Major Patients: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.2017 · Ann Nutr Metab · Randomised trial
- The effects of curcumin on hepatic T2*MRI and liver enzymes in patients with β-thalassemia major: a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial.2023 · Front Pharmacol · Study in people
- Consumption of a green tea extract-curcumin drink decreases blood urea nitrogen and redox iron in β-thalassemia patients.2020 · Food Funct · Study in people
- Curcumin contributes to in vitro removal of non-transferrin bound iron by deferiprone and desferrioxamine in thalassemic plasma.2007 · Med Chem · Other paper
