Turmeric is a golden, yellow spice with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help relieve symptoms of allergies, high cholesterol, and osteoarthritis. As a supplement, the time of day you take turmeric doesn’t really matter. The best time to take turmeric is when you can combine it with food, which helps increase effectiveness and reduce side effects.
Research shows there’s no significant difference in health benefits if you take turmeric in the morning, afternoon, or evening. It’s more important to take turmeric supplements with food, which helps improve the supplement’s absorption and potential effectiveness.
Some people find taking turmeric in the morning is a more convenient addition to their breakfast routine.
Combining turmeric with an evening meal that includes larger portions and fat may help your body absorb the supplement more easily. However, taking turmeric at night without food may cause you to wake up at night with an upset stomach or loose stools.
While the curcumin in turmeric may promote relaxation over time by reducing inflammation, it does not have an immediate relaxing effect. So, taking turmeric at night may not necessarily benefit sleep.
Some people may benefit from splitting their turmeric doses in the morning and afternoon. A research review found that taking two smaller doses this way can help minimize the side effects of turmeric.
When you take turmeric with food, it’s easier for your body to absorb the turmeric for maximum benefits. Turmeric needs a more acidic environment to be absorbed by the body. When you eat, acidic digestive enzymes help break down your food—creating the perfect environment for turmeric absorption.
Turmeric absorption is also higher when combined with fatty foods because it mixes more easily with fat than water. Taking turmeric with high-fat foods—such as vegetable oils, fatty cuts of meat like steak, fatty fish like salmon, cheese, whole milk, and butter—can help your body absorb the supplement more efficiently.
Adding black pepper to your meals may also improve the absorption of turmeric. Black pepper contains a compound called piperine that can increase the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients, including turmeric, and slow the breakdown of the key compound in turmeric called curcumin.
Research has shown adults can safely take 4,000-8,000 milligrams of turmeric daily. Taking too much turmeric—or consuming turmeric on an empty stomach—can increase your risk of side effects like nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, diarrhea, constipation, and acid reflux. High doses of turmeric can also cause dangerous health issues like increased risk of bleeding and liver damage.
Because large doses of turmeric can increase bleeding and damage the liver, you should avoid taking turmeric if you have a blood-clotting disorder, liver condition, or take blood thinners. You should also avoid turmeric supplements if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, since its safety is unknown.
If you have a health condition, talk to your healthcare provider before taking turmeric supplements to avoid potential interactions with medications.
