Ibuprofen vs Turmeric for pain & inflammation
Short answer: For pain & inflammation, more users report improvement with Ibuprofen — 96% of 25 reports, versus 86% of 70 for Turmeric.
Ibuprofen has 511 meta-analyses and 1,743 randomized trials on PubMed; Turmeric has 538 and 553.
Based on 83 reports about Ibuprofen and 332 about Turmeric. Not medical advice.
| Ibuprofen Medication | Turmeric Supplement | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 62%helped50 reports · medium confidence | 51%helped123 reports · high confidence |
| Verdict | Mostly positive | Mixed |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | AResearch: Strong |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 511 / 1,743 | 538 / 553 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Pain & inflammation % reporting improvement | 96% (25) | 86% (70) |
| Mood % reporting improvement | 90% (10) | 100% (22) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 100% (5) | 69% (13) |
| Focus % reporting improvement | 100% (6) | 78% (9) |
| Memory % reporting improvement | 86% (7) | 100% (4) |
| Common side effects | stomach issues, headache, stomach ulcers, liver toxicity | fatigue, lead contamination, anxiety, heavy metal |
| Typical dose reported | Not listed | 1.5 tsp / daily for 18 months |
In this study, use of ibuprofen vs acetaminophen for the treatment of fever or pain in children younger than 2 years was associated with reduced temperature and less pain within the first 24 hours of treatment, with equivalent safety.
JAMA Netw Open, 2020 ↗“I've always had a positive response to ibuprofen and would take it morning and night if it wasn't for the side effects and agmatine provides the same anti-depressant effects of ibuprofen.”
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