Health Benefits of Curcumin and Curcumin Phytosome in Bone Density Disorders

Osteopenia, or low bone density, is a chronic condition characterized by decreased calcification, density, and mass of bones, it represents a major health issue. Nutrition plays a key role in the prevention and management of this condition. Among different nutritional supplementation, curcumin is characterized by a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities, also with potential reference to the management of osteopenia. This review discusses current evidence supporting the use of curcumin supplementation in osteopenia. In multiple experimental studies on osteopenia models, curcumin reduced osteoclasts activity and promoted the action of osteoblasts, thus contributing to restore the physiological balance between these two cell populations which underlies the onset of osteopenia. However, curcumin in its native form presents poor pharmacokinetic properties which greatly limit the effectiveness of this supplementation in daily practice. To address this limitation, our group has developed Meriva®, a phytosome-based technology which ensures optimal pharmacokinetic and allows curcumin to exert its multiple effects. On these bases, we studied Meriva® also in the management of osteopenia in otherwise healthy subjects, showing improved bone health parameters already after few weeks of administration and without any side effect. These clinical findings represented the first evidence supporting the use of curcumin in the phytosome-form for the management of bone loss. Although larger studies are needed to further explore the effectiveness of curcumin in this condition, we believe that Meriva®, in combination with an appropriate lifestyle, may play a key role in the prevention and management of osteopenia in otherwise healthy subjects.