According to the findings of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, curcumin intervention for three menstrual cycles elicited remarkable improvements in vitamin D levels, liver function enzyme test in young females with premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea. However, it did not influence levels of blood glucose. Investigators explored the efficacy and safety of curcumin (a bioactive polyphenol constituent of turmeric) on vitamin D levels in females with menstrual problems.

In this three-month triple-blind trial, 76 participants were randomly segregated into experimental and control groups (38 in each group) to get 1 capsule (500 mg of curcuminoid+ 5 mg piperine, or placebo) daily, from about seven days before until three days following menstruation for 3 consecutive menstrual cycles. Estimation of serum vitamin D levels, kidney function, and liver enzymes was also done prior to and after the intervention.

Compared with placebo, curcumin supplementation substantially elevated the serum levels of vitamin D, as shown in Table 1:

In curcumin group, the serum levels of direct bilirubin and aspartate aminotransferase profoundly dropped by the end of the study. However, it did not alter considerably in the control group. Regarding the levels of fasting blood glucose, no notable inter-group differences were reported. Thus, curcumin supplementation is beneficial for women with menstrual problems.