Turmeric can have side effects if consumed in excess. What are the side effects of turmeric? Not only is it a cooking spice, turmeric is also a herbal ingredient that is often used as herbal medicine because of its health benefits.
Some of the benefits of turmeric for the body are believed to reduce pain, improve liver function, reduce the risk of cancer, maintain digestive tract health, and reduce various symptoms of inflammation. If you feel you have consumed a lot of turmeric and feel the effects below, you can immediately ask a doctor for further treatment.
However, behind the various healthy benefits of turmeric, there are several side effects of turmeric that you need to know if you consume too much.
Here are some of the dangers of excessive consumption of turmeric:
1. Headache
In appropriate doses, the curcumin in turmeric is said to help relieve headaches. However, if the dose of curcumin is exceeded, aka too much, you can actually experience headaches.
Even though it seems trivial, headaches can interfere with daily activities. In fact, ongoing headaches can reduce overall quality of life.
2. Nausea and Vomiting
Not much different from the previous point, the curcumin in turmeric consumed at the right dose can help reduce nausea and vomiting.
On the other hand, the downside of drinking turmeric water every day can make you nauseous and then vomit due to too much curcumin in the body.
Don’t underestimate the side effects of drinking turmeric water. If it occurs continuously, nausea and vomiting can cause dehydration. In severe or untreated cases, dehydration can result in decreased consciousness and even death.
3. Diarrhea
Don’t think about consuming excessive portions of turmeric to treat diarrhea. Instead of healing, consuming too much turmeric can actually make complaints worse.
Diarrhea is also closely related to loss of body fluids, aka dehydration. If not treated immediately, one of the risks that may be faced is death.
4. Allergic reactions
For some sensitive people, exposure to turmeric or curcumin can cause allergic reactions. This complaint can even appear even if you are only exposed to small amounts.
Turmeric allergies can cause vomiting, numb or swollen tongue and lips, stomach cramps, and bloody stools.
5. Kidney Stones
The downside of drinking turmeric water every day that can also occur is kidney stones.
Apart from curcumin, turmeric also contains oxalate. Excessive oxalate consumption can cause stone formation in the urinary tract. This condition is known as kidney stones.
Symptoms of kidney stones include lower back pain that doesn’t go away, nausea, anxiety, side stomach pain, and painful urination.
6 . Hypoglycemia
The effect of turmeric on health is to reduce blood sugar levels in the body. This happens because of the curcumin content in turmeric. For people with high blood sugar problems, this function of turmeric can be beneficial.
However, if consumed in excess, the side effect of turmeric is that it increases the risk of hypoglycemia or below-normal blood sugar levels. This condition can trigger various adverse symptoms.
7. Lack of Iron
The danger of turmeric is that it can interfere with the body’s absorption of iron. Therefore, avoid consuming too much turmeric because it can increase the risk of anemia due to a lack of iron in the blood.
8. Increase Gastric Acid Production
Apart from inhibiting iron, the side effects of turmeric can also trigger increased stomach acid production. This condition can cause a recurrence of symptoms in ulcer and GERD sufferers.
9. Trigger Pregnancy Contractions
If you are pregnant, be careful when consuming all types of herbs, including turmeric. Make sure the herbs do not pose a risk of pregnancy.
Consuming turmeric for pregnant women without a doctor’s supervision can be dangerous, because it can trigger contractions, thereby increasing the risk of premature contractions.
10. Skin Rash
Based on research in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, one of the side effects of turmeric that can occur is a reddish rash on the skin.
Although rare, these side effects of turmeric have been reported after consuming more than 8,000 mg of curcumin. Basically, consuming turmeric for health is still beneficial. However, avoid excessive consumption so that you can still get healthy benefits and not harm your body.