Ginger vs Turmeric for pain & inflammation
Short answer: For pain & inflammation, more users report improvement with Ginger — 95% of 19 reports, versus 86% of 70 for Turmeric.
Ginger has 184 meta-analyses and 255 randomized trials on PubMed; Turmeric has 538 and 553.
Based on 157 reports about Ginger and 332 about Turmeric. Not medical advice.
| Ginger Supplement | Turmeric Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 72%helped57 reports · medium confidence | 51%helped123 reports · high confidence |
| Verdict | Mostly positive | Mixed |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | AResearch: Strong |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 184 / 255 | 538 / 553 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Pain & inflammation % reporting improvement | 95% (19) | 86% (70) |
| Mood % reporting improvement | 100% (4) | 100% (22) |
| Digestion % reporting improvement | 100% (13) | 50% (2) |
| Focus % reporting improvement | 100% (5) | 78% (9) |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 100% (5) | 75% (8) |
| Common side effects | stomach issues, dizziness, feverish feeling, hypoglycemia | fatigue, lead contamination, anxiety, heavy metal |
| Typical dose reported | 1/2 teaspoon dried | 1.5 tsp / daily for 18 months |
While most food, herbs and supplements can be safely taken in moderation, healthcare professionals should be aware of the increased risk of bleeding when taking several food and herbs. These include Chinese wolfberry, chamomile tea, cannabis, cranberry, chitosan, green tea, Ginkgo biloba, ginger, spinach, St. John's Wort, sushi and smoking tobacco. Patients should be counselled to continue to seek advice from their healthcare professionals when starting any new herbs, food or supplement.
Br J Clin Pharmacol, 2021 ↗“Ginger changed my life when it comes to hay fever. My wife as well. We normally stick some in some water (1/2 teaspoon dried)”
Curcumin and Curcuma longa Extract may improve symptoms and inflammation levels in people with arthritis. However, due to the low quality and small quantity of RCTs, the conclusions need to be interpreted carefully.
Front Immunol, 2022 ↗“I have an autoimmune condition that causes chronic pain and while it doesn’t eliminate the pain, I noticed an overall reduction in the intensity day to day.”
Related comparisons
Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate