Could a New Tool for Diabetes Treatment Be Hiding in Your Spice Cabinet?

Compound in turmeric found to protect blood vessels from diabetes-related damage

Minneapolis—Curcumin, the compound that gives turmeric its striking yellow hue, is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. A new study conducted in rats suggests it could also help ward off the cardiovascular damage caused by diabetes. Researchers will present their work this week at the 2026 American Physiology Summit in Minneapolis. The Summit is the flagship annual meeting of the American Physiological Society (APS). 

“Curcumin acts as more than a simple compound found in a spice or an antioxidant. It not only helps to improve blood sugar levels but also reduces inflammation, restores cellular responses, and preserves both structure and function of the aorta in Type 1 diabetes,” said the study’s first author, Swasti Rastogi, a PhD candidate at Florida Institute of Technology.

The study focuses on Type 1 diabetes, a lifelong autoimmune condition that affects about 2 million people living in the U.S. Even with insulin therapy, people with Type 1 diabetes often develop heart disease early due to the damage high blood sugar causes to blood vessels. 

Researchers used a rat model of Type 1 diabetes and compared diabetic rats that received curcumin treatment with those that did not. After one month of treatment, diabetic rats given curcumin showed improved vascular health, like that in nondiabetic rats.

Specifically, curcumin treatment appears to have reduced inflammation, normalized calcium dynamics in blood vessels, and restored the balance of heat shock protein 70, a key protein disrupted in diabetes. Together, these improvements suggest that curcumin can help prevent diabetes-related structural and functional changes that degrade blood vessel strength and elasticity over time, helping preserve healthy vascular function and ward off heart disease.

Translating the findings into a new treatment for people with Type 1 diabetes would require more than just eating more turmeric or taking supplements, researchers note. Since the study was conducted in rats, more research and clinical trials would be needed to determine the optimal dosing strategy to enable people to benefit from curcumin safely while avoiding adverse interactions with other medicines they may be taking.

It is important to consult your doctor before taking any supplements. 

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: The American Physiology Summit will be held April 23–26, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. To schedule an interview with the researchers, conference organizers or presenters, or to request the abstract “Curcumin Rescues HSP70 Profile in Type 1 Diabetes and Mitigates Aortic Vascular Dysfunction,” contact APS Media Relations or call 301.634.7314. Find more highlights from the meeting in our Newsroom. 

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