ArticleBMJ open2025
Effect of curcumin on fatigue and musculoskeletal health in postmenopausal women: a double-blind randomised controlled trial.
Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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5 authors.
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Abstract
objectivesConsidering the proven anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin, we aimed to investigate the effect of curcumin supplementation on fatigue and musculoskeletal health (primary outcomes) and depression and its side effects (secondary outcomes) in postmenopausal women.
designThis was a parallel-group, double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled superiority trial.
settingThe trial was conducted at two general clinics in Tabriz, Iran, in 2023.
participantsA total of 74 postmenopausal women were enrolled. The participants were women aged between 40 years and 60 years with normal menopause and at least 1 year after amenorrhoea.
interventionThey were randomly assigned (1:1 allocation ratio) using a block randomisation method to receive either 500 mg curcumin capsules (intervention group, n=37) or identical placebo capsules (control group, n=37) twice daily for 8 weeks. Both participants and researchers were blinded to the group assignments. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Data were collected using the questionnaires of demographic characteristics, short form of the perimenopausal fatigue scale, musculoskeletal health, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-13) and the side effects checklist. Independent t, ANCOVA and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare the results between the two groups.
resultsA total of 74 women were randomised, with 33 in the curcumin group and 31 in the placebo group completing the study and being included in the final analysis. After the 8-week intervention, ANCOVA adjusting for baseline values revealed that the curcumin group showed a statistically significant improvement in musculoskeletal health (mean difference (MD): 5.3; 95% CI: 3.3 to 7.4; p<0.001); the observed mean difference falls just short of the MCID (the minimum clinically important difference), yet it is remarkably close. A statistically significant decrease in fatigue scale (MD: -2.6; 95% CI: -3.8 to -1.4; p<0.001) was observed compared with the placebo group; there is no MCID validated for this scale. No significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of depression (p=0.245); there is no universally accepted MCID specifically validated for the BDI-II 13-item version. Some participants reported side effects including stomach ache and headache, leading to dropout.
conclusionIn this trial, an 8-week supplementation with curcumin was more effective than placebo at improving musculoskeletal health and reducing fatigue score in postmenopausal women. The study was not able to demonstrate a significant effect on depression. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT): IRCT20120718010324N72. Last updated version: 18 October 2022. Actual start of recruitment: 23 January 2023.
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