This project was a systematic review and meta-analysis where we examined whether curcumin, the main active compound in turmeric, improves anxiety symptoms in adults. We searched major databases for human experimental studies that tested curcumin alone (not in combination products) and reported anxiety outcomes, then independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We identified 23 relevant studies, including 19 randomized controlled trials that could be pooled, and found that participants who received curcumin reported slightly lower anxiety symptoms than those in control groups. Overall, the evidence suggests that curcumin probably provides a small improvement in anxiety, with most trials judged to be at low risk of bias. This paper is currently under review for publication.
