CuraMed Supplement Review, Benefits, Side Effects and Price

CuraMed is a dietary supplement manufactured and marketed by Terry Naturally Vitamins. It contains a patented form of curcumin, which is one of the active constituents found in the turmeric plant (Cucurma longa).

Terry Naturally’s CuraMed supplement is made with BCM-95 Curcumin, which is a form of this herbal extract that is said to be better absorbed by the body. It combines curcumin with turmeric essential oils and delivers up to 10 times more curcumin into the blood than standard supplements.

BCM-95 Curcumin extract has been the subject of 22 published studies and is well-researched for its effects on free radicals, inflammation and immune health.

According to its manufacturer, CuraMed suports a healthy inflammation response, helps protect the brain from oxidative stress, maintains joint comfort, promotes detoxification, enhances mood and contributes to long-term cardiovascular health.

CuraMed is marketed as a more effective form of curcumin, which is the primary active constituent in Turmeric.

Turmeric is a plant that is indigenous to India. More specifically, turmeric is a herbaceous perennial that belongs to the same botanical family as ginger: Zingiberaceae.

Both ginger and turmeric are rhizomatous plants; meaning they produce rhizomes instead of roots. Roots grow vertically; rhizomes grow horizontally beneath soil, and produce root “shoots” that penetrate the surface to produce interlinked above-ground plants.

While ginger contains bioactive phytonutrients (plant chemicals) called ginsenosides, turmeric contains curcuminoids.

According to Integrative Therapeutics, “Curcuminoids are a family of active compounds within turmeric. Curcuminoids are polyphenolic pigments and include curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin.”

Typically, a turmeric plant contains between 2% and 5% curcumin. Also, it has been demonstrated that standard curcumin extracts are not well absorbed into the bloodstream, meaning they have low oral bioavailability.

That means that it would take a very large amount of whole or powdered turmeric rhizome to provide therapeutic doses of curcumin.

For this reason, numerous curcumin extract supplements are available, each claiming to provide enhanced bioavailability and absorption. There are currently more than 1700 dietary supplement products that contain turmeric extract.

In summary, turmeric is a plant that contains natural chemicals called curcuminoids – and curcumin is the curcuminoid that has been most studied clinically. CuraMed is one brand of curcumin supplement that is purported to be more effective than plain curcumin, because of how it is formulated.

According to the product website, CuraMed contains a patented curcuminoid complex called BCM-95. This extract of turemric rhizome contains curcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin and demetoxycurcumin – and is enhanced with essential oils of turmeric.

While some other dietary supplements also use BCM-95 in their unique formulations, CuraMed is purported to offer superior absorption into the bloodstream. According to the manufacturer:

    BCM-95 provides as much as 50 times more curcuminoids than an equal amount of turmeric rhizome.
    CuraMed is made with a patented technology that enhances cellular absorption and sustains retention in the body.
    As a result, CuraMed delivers up to 10 times the amount of BCM-95 to the bloodstream.

According to Terry Naturals, “Therefore, when compared gram per gram, CuraMed delivers up to 10 times more curcumin than plain curcumin 95% and up to 500 times more curcumin than found in an equal amount of turmeric.”

CuraMed Health Benefits

The CuraMed website states that its benefits are based on 30 separate clinical studies involving BCM-95. Following are the health benefits of curcumin in CuraMed as they are listed on the product website:

    Supports bile secretion, bowel motility, gut mucosal lining and fermentation processes;
    Promotes healthy levels of antioxidants like glutathione and superoxide dismutase;
    Supports healthy inflammation response through multiple biological pathways;
    Supports healthy brain chemical levels to enhance mood and well-being;
    Supports vascular integrity, heart function and cholesterol balance;
    Supports cartilage structure and maintains flexibility in joints;
    Protects RNA/DNA and supports multiple cellular processes;
    Relieves occasional muscle pain due to exercise or overuse;
    Helps maintain concentration and focus;

The CuraMed manufacturer also states that curcumin has a very high ORAC value; meaning it is a potent antioxidant which can help to limit damage from radical agents. Some of these agents include food additives, pesticides, smog, smoke and pharmaceutical drugs.

The CuraMed website states that independent analyses have reported curcmin’s ORAC score to be greater than 1,500,000. In comparison, raw blueberries – well-respected for their anti-oxidant effects – have an ORAC value of less than 5000.
CuraMed Dosage

There is no standardized dosage recommendation for turmeric, curcumin or CuraMed. No Daily Value (DV) has been established for these dietary supplements.

CuraMed is available in 200 mg, 375 mg and 750 mg formulations. This product is available as either 30, 60 or 120-count containers of softgel capsules.

The manufacturer states that CuraMed is available in different dosages because it offers customers more choice. 750 mg softgels are for those who desire high doses of curcumin, while the 375 mg option is good for maintenance dosing.

There is also a 200 mg hard capsule available for those who prefer this form – and an effervescent formulation for those who cannot swallow pills.

Always follow manufacturer’s recommendations for dosage on all dietary supplement labels, unless otherwise instructed by your doctor.

According to the product website, 30 CuraMed 750 mg softgels cost $33.95. 60-count containers cost $60.95 and 120-count containers cost $109.95.

Sixty CuraMed 375 mg softgels cost $34.95 and 120 cost $62.95. Sixty 200 mg hard capsules cost $29.95. Thirty 350 mg CuraMed Effervescent Tablets cost $29.95.

Other members of the CuraMed product line include CuraMed + DIM Complex, CuraMed Breast, CuraMed Brain, CuraMed Prostate and CuraMed + OPC.

Terry Naturally also sells a curcumin supplement known as Curamin, which is also made with BCM95 Curcumin as well as Boswellia extract, DLPA and Nattokinase.

CuraMed Side Effects

There are no serious or permanent side effects associated with curcumin. According to Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, curcumin and turmeric are generally well-tolerated in most healthy people.

However, in rare cases, some users might experience diarrhea, heartburn, nausea, vomiting and/or other gastrointestinal side effects.
CuraMed Interactions

CuraMed contains curcumin which can interact with various drugs and supplements. Be careful using CuraMed with anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs, cytochrome P450 substrates, estrogen, talinolol, paclitaxil and/or P-glycoprotein substrates. Other interactions are also possible.

If you have any serious health condition, or use prescription medications of any kind, it is best to discuss using CuraMed, or other dietary supplements, with your doctor before beginning.

What is a Statement of Purpose and Why is the College Asking for It?

The Statement of Purpose, or SOP, is typically a required element of graduate school applications. It is also called an application letter, autobiographical essay, or letter of intent, the overall purpose is the same. The school wants to know why you are applying, what your experience is in your chosen field, why you want to attend that particular skill, and how you will use your degree once finished.

The guidelines for a SOP vary by school, and you need to follow them closely. Not adhering to the guidelines could be a reason for your not being accepted into the school.

The Parts of the Letter

Why are you applying? Graduate schools want to know why students are interested in obtaining a graduate degree, and typically look for an in-depth answer, not because “I can’t find a job so I might as well go to grad school.” A carefully thought-out statement of purpose is essential.

What is your experience? If you have an undergraduate degree in a similar field, you may be interested in continuing this part of your education. Conversely, someone with an unrelated undergraduate degree may be interested in expanding his or her knowledge. Others have been in the workforce for some time and are now ready to pursue a graduate degree.

Why this school? This is also an important aspect of the letter. Conduct thorough research on your school of choice so you can give a substantial reason for that particular institution. Again, stating that you were not accepted elsewhere is not a good reason, even if this is true.

What will you do with your degree? Why should a school use their time and resources to educate you? What you will do with the degree is of interest to any school, because as a graduate, you are a representative of that institution. Further, a school needs to know that your goals and aspirations are in line with those of the school.

Allow Plenty of Time

Just as the college admissions letter is important for undergraduate work, so too is the statement of purpose letter important for graduate work. It is a key element of your admissions application.

Be prepared to spend a significant amount of time on the statement of purpose letter. As much as you are able, begin as far ahead as possible. A couple of months or more is ideal.

Once you have drafted and reworked your SOP, consider having someone else review it. Someone who is skilled in writing statement of purpose letters, or has a degree or experience in English or journalism is useful, as these people are trained in writing.

Keep your reader engaged by focusing on the questions asked rather than including extraneous information (which uses valuable space). Demonstrate to the admissions personnel your genuine interest in your field and their school, and provide examples of how you will use your degree. These simple steps will help you compose an effective statement of purpose letter and increase your acceptance rate.

What is a University of Phoenix Online degree actually worth?

Any online degree probably cannot compete with a traditional university degree. Concentrated time spent on the campus in a face-to-face discussion setting is perhaps the best way of knowledge transfer, in spite of the advent of technology that can make physical presence of a classroom redundant!

Being able to attend a regular class is, however, not possible for every student. You might not have the resources in the initial stages of life, and at a later point in life time might become a constraint. Hence, to complete your education, you need the flexibility of time and place and the convenience of doing it from anywhere in the world. The University of Phoenix is perhaps one of the best options available to you today. The University has earned repute for excellence and success. In fact, according to a student survey, there is 95 percent satisfaction level amidst students who earn their online degree from the University of Phoenix.

The alumnae from the University of Phoenix have seen a marked increase in their marketability. They have been able to secure jobs that they desired, or have received promotions in their present jobs. Many full-time homemakers have been able to complete their education, which has helped them not only with their self esteem but has also prepared them for job markets once they decide to move out.

The flexibility offered by the University of Phoenix is a major advantage. Each course can be taken over a period of five to six weeks and students can take a break between courses. They do not have to be present for any classes and can review the downloaded learning material offline at their convenience. Additionally, the University of Phoenix Online education is recognized for most employer reimbursement plans. For these reasons among many others, the University of Phoenix is perhaps the best place to start looking for the means to fulfill your career goals.

What is Business School All About Anyway?

The ultimate goal for those who enroll in an MBA program is career advancement. What form this advancement will take depends completely on each individual’s personal agenda. One student may plan to return to work for a former employer in a more sophisticated context, while another may seek to change careers entirely, transferring to a field that is more challenging or fulfilling. Other more entrepreneurial students may attempt to launch an independent business. Whatever the case may be, MBA programs are designed to guide the student toward the path of their choosing while providing the skills that will be required when they reach their destination.

How do they do this you ask? Well, the most successful MBA programs strive to gather groups of students with diverse backgrounds and goals and then facilitate the sharing of their experiences in the context of the study of theoretical business applications. Before we get in to the academic elements of the MBA program, let’s first take a look at some of the different techniques schools are currently using to cultivate leadership qualities in their students (besides the standard lectures, papers, exams, etc?).

1) Problem-Based Learning (a.k.a Case Studies)

Rather than simply conveying material to the students through lectures, business schools are now using the problem-based learning format to force students to think for themselves rather than regurgitate material that they’ve memorized.

Classes are subdivided into small groups and each group is presented with a particular management issue or problem.

As a team, the students must research the case they’ve been presented with and apply what they’ve learned from their studies to come up with a solution to the particular problem.

This type of exercise forces students to become “horizontal thinkers” who must consider ALL factors related to a particular decision rather than simply looking at an issue from on particular perspective (ie. accounting vs. marketing vs. finance).

2) Studies in the Field

Many schools are now supplementing class lectures and individuals study time with studies in the field

Although most students coming into MBA programs already have significant work experience, schools continue to stress the importance of “learning from doing”

The interpersonal skills that are crucial to strong leadership cannot be taught in the classroom setting but rather must be observed first hand in the field.

3) Team-Based Learning

While many of the projects assigned in business school require students to work in groups, team-based learning focuses specifically on how to work as team.

The goal isn’t so much to complete a particular assignment or project on some managerial issue, but rather the to learn how to work closely with others.

Setting goals, assigning responsibilities, and learning to rely on others are some of the skills involved.

Because team project and work groups have become so common in the business world, the schools are stressing teamwork abilities now more than ever..

The Curriculum

Now of course, underlying all of these different teaching techniques, is the curriculum itself. The first year courses of most MBA programs make up what is known as the core curriculum. While each school tries to present the material in what they believe is a unique or progressive manner, there remains minimal variation in these courses from school to school because every MBA student must ultimately have a fairly extensive level of knowledge in the following areas:

• Business Strategy Analysis
• Financial and Managerial Accounting
• Management Statistics and Data Analysis
• Managerial Economics
• Marketing Management
• Managerial Finance
• Managing Organizations
• Operations Management

For a detailed description of any or all of these courses, please browse through the course calendar or website of the particular business schools you are considering.

Once this core curriculum has been completed, most business schools allow their students to spend the remainder of their course time on electives. Many schools are recognized for particular programs that they offer and this recognition tends to revolve around these second year elective courses. Often business schools will have faculty who are eminent leaders in their field lecturing for these courses, providing the class with cutting edge research and the latest advancements in the area. Some of the areas that a second-year MBA student can specialize in include:

• Accounting
• Arts Management
• Educational Administration
• Entrepreneurial Ventures Finance
• Government
• Health Care Administration
• Human Resource
• Management
• Management Consultants
• Management Information
• Technology
• Manufacturing Management
• Marketing
• Not-for-Profit Organizations
• Operations Management
• Small Business Management

So as you can see, it’s no longer possible to pigeonhole business schools as gathering places for society’s elite, who put in a couple of years before taking over the family empire. A degree from a reputable business school can now place you on the fast track for a leadership position in any one of an incredibly diverse number of career paths. The MBA has become just as important in public service domains such as education, government, and healthcare administration as it is in the more traditional corporate sectors.

What to Expect for the Costs you have Sunk In?

Having established that going to business school represents a pretty serious financial burden, let’s see what you’re actually getting for all those dollars your laying out. What are the “frills” schools are using to attract students, and the impact that the program can have on your ability to attract employment and your earning potential once you’ve found the job you’ve been seeking.

Facilities:

Talk about plush. Be prepared to work extremely hard when you get to business school, but if your at one of the better ones, take solace in the fact that you’ll be doing it in style. The fact is that many of the schools (and not just the powerhouses) are investing heavily in infrastructure to woo you. Remember, there’s a definite element of reciprocity in the relationship between schools and applicants. To put it simply, they want you to like them just as much as you want them to like you. As a result a significant proportion of a business school’s dean’s time is spent fundraising. Many schools are building brand new buildings, with brand new classrooms, libraries, conference rooms, cafeterias and students lounges all supplied and state-of-the-art technology. Just as one example, Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management has built a simulated trading floor with the exact same technology being used by real analysts.

Connections:

The business world is ALL about connections. We’re not going to feed you the line that “it’s who you know not what you know” but rather that it’s “who you know AND what you know”. For that reason, an MBA program has become incredibly important for young people trying to get their foot in the door. At business school you’re going to educated in the “what” and immersed in the “who.” Without even realizing it, you’re going to be spending two full years networking. Whether it’s faculty who have pivotal roles in major corporations, corporations who’ve formed alliances with the school, or fellow students, over the course of the program you’re going to be in close contact with individuals who are currently, or will be in the future, extremely influential in the business community. Imagine your new best friend happens to be the next Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, David Filo, or Jerry Yang just waiting to surface. Well that’s the kind of relationship that fortunes are built on.

Jobs:

The following excerpts come directly from the Business Week Guide to the Best Business Schools (6 th ed.). It summarizes the relationship between MBAs and corporate hiring so well that felt we should pass it straight on to you completely unadulterated. We further recommend that you find the complete article from which this excerpt was taken (available on the web) for supplementary reading and that you use the guide as one of your resources for choosing the right business school for you (in our opinions it’s one of the most informative).

As we approach the millennium, the MBA is unquestionably the hottest degree you can hold, particularly from an elite school. The stats prove it: At virtually all of the best schools, GMAT scores and starting pay packages are setting records. Applications are too, although a large part of the boom is coming from overseas…The 61 schools surveyed by business week for its 1998 rankings waded through 116,912 applications for the Class of 2000, and the average GMAT score was 667 for those attending the Top 25 schools, up from 649 just two years earlier.

Today, the MBA is on its way to becoming a requirement for anyone who hopes to build a career in Corporate America, and, indeed, much of the world… Certainly, it’s true that corporate recruiters can’t seem to hire enough MBAs these days. The 259 recruiters who participated in business week’s 1998 survey of the best business schools hired 10,348 MBAs in total, a 28 percent rise from 1996. And they would have hired even more if they could have: Grads of the Top 25 business schools averaged 3.2 job offers each, up from 2.3 in 1992, and compensation exploded. The median pay package (salary, bonus, and extras such as stock options or moving expenses) at the Top 25 hit $111,420, up 19 percent from just two years ago. Another telling figure: Median pay topped $100,000 at 18 of our Top 25-versus 5 two years ago.

What Is School Accreditation?

In general terms, accreditation is the means by which a school is officially recognized as a provider of a satisfactory education that public institutions (i.e. employers) can trust. It is a voluntary process that requires the school to meet minimum requirements that are established by various regional accrediting agencies.

The lack of one official accrediting agency creates an opportunity for sub par online schools that are trying to obtain students through any means possible. In other words, just about any organization can say that they are an accrediting agency, so potential online school enrollers should do their research before signing up for classes at a particular online school.

Sadly, a number of online schools create false accrediting agencies in order to make candidates think that they are trustworthy and established. To avoid this conflict, be sure to check whether or not an online school is accredited by one of the six major regional accrediting agencies. These include the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA), Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA), Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU).

If your online school is accredited by one of the above agencies, your degree will be seen as legitimate by most employers. However, if your online school is not accredited by one of the above agencies but by a false accrediting agency, your degree may not be acceptable to most employers.