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Objectives: To assess the effects of turmeric (Curcuma longa) extract on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptomology in otherwise healthy adults.Design: Partially blinded, randomized, two-dose, pilot study. Subjects: Five hundred (500) volunteers were screened for IBS using the Rome II criteria. Two hundred and seven (207) suitable volunteers were randomized.Interventions: One or two tablets of a standardized turmeric extract taken daily for 8 weeks.Outcomes measures: IBS prevalence, symptom-related quality of life (IBSQOL) and self-reported effectiveness.Results: IBS prevalence decreased significantly in both groups between screening and baseline (41% and 57%), with a further significant drop of 53% and 60% between baseline and after treatment, in the one-and two-tablet groups respectively (p Ͻ 0.001). A post-study analysis revealed abdominal pain/discomfort score reduced significantly by 22% and 25% in the one-and two-tablet group respectively, the difference tending toward significance (p ϭ 0.071). There were significant improvements in all bar one of the IBSQOL scales of between 5% and 36% in both groups, approximately two thirds of all subjects reported an improvement in symptoms after treatment, and there was a favorable shift in self-reported bowel pattern. There were no significant differences between groups.Conclusions: Turmeric may help reduce IBS symptomology. Placebo controlled trials are now warranted to confirm these findings. 1015

Background In Mediterranean countries, adherence to a traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern (MedDiet) is associated with better cognitive function and reduced dementia risk. It is unclear if similar benefits exist in non-Mediterranean regions. Objectives The aims of this study were to examine associations between MedDiet adherence and cognitive function in an older UK population and to investigate whether associations differed between individuals with high compared with low cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Methods We conducted an analysis in 8009 older individuals with dietary data at Health Check 1 (1993–1997) and cognitive function data at Health Check 3 (2006–2011) of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition–Norfolk (EPIC-Norfolk). Associations were explored between MedDiet adherence and global and domain-specific cognitive test scores and risk of poor cognitive performance in the entire cohort, and when stratified according to CVD risk status. Results Higher MedDiet adherence defined by the Pyramid MedDiet score was associated with better global cognition (β ± SE = −0.012 ± 0.002; P < 0.001), verbal episodic memory (β ± SE = −0.009 ± 0.002; P < 0.001), and simple processing speed (β ± SE = −0.002 ± 0.001; P = 0.013). Lower risk of poor verbal episodic memory (OR: 0.784; 95% CI: 0.641, 0.959; P = 0.018), complex processing speed (OR: 0.739; 95% CI: 0.601, 0.907; P = 0.004), and prospective memory (OR: 0.841; 95% CI: 0.724, 0.977; P = 0.023) was also observed for the highest compared with the lowest Pyramid MedDiet tertiles. The effect of a 1-point increase in Pyramid score on global cognitive function was equivalent to 1.7 fewer years of cognitive aging. MedDiet adherence defined by the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) score (mapped through the use of both binary and continuous scoring) showed similar, albeit less consistent, associations. In stratified analyses, associations were evident in individuals at higher CVD risk only (P < 0.05). Conclusions Higher adherence to the MedDiet is associated with better cognitive function and lower risk of poor cognition in older UK adults. This evidence underpins the development of interventions to enhance MedDiet adherence, particularly in individuals at higher CVD risk, aiming to reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline in non-Mediterranean populations.

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This study suggests that bromelain is not efficacious as an adjunctive treatment of moderate to severe OA, but its limitations support the need for a follow-up study.