Curcumin has great benefits for your dog … but only if it’s the real thing!
There are well over 6,000 studies on the benefits of turmeric. And as more and more learned of its amazing benefits, the skyrocketing demand came at an unfortunate price.
In 2010, there was a shortage in curcumin supply and that shortage continues today. So curcumin suppliers adulterated their curcumin by adding synthetic curcumin … made with petrochemicals (petroleum waste). They also use fillers like cassava, talc and chalk powder. Adding insult to injury, the adulterated curcumin is dyed with colors like lead chromate … a heavy metal.
But you can usually tell pure turmeric and curcumin from the fakes as it’s much more expensive. Pure curcumin can cost up to $150/kg, while synthetic curcumin can be as little as $60/kg. And unless you’re aware of the fakes, you’re probably shopping by price alone.
PURITY TESTING ISSUES
Curcumin makers have become very good at hiding their synthetic ingredients. Even DNA testing can't determine whether curcumin is natural or synthetic. Active ingredients in pure curcumin have three curcuminoids that register as specific peaks when tested using liquid chromatography. But adulterated products can create the same three peaks!
Fortunately, carbon dating is a more reliable method of detecting adulterated curcumin. Natural curcumin contains carbon-14 (or radiocarbon), while synthetic curcumin doesn't. So testing for carbon-14 has become the gold standard for curcumin quality. It can even pick up a product that contains a mixture of both natural and synthetic curcumin, which is a common issue.
HOW COMMON IS FAKE CURCUMIN?
The Global Curcumin Association (GCA) found over 50% of batches in both 2018 and 2020 were found to contain synthetic curcumin.
As already noted, lead chromate is used to achieve the yellow color in synthetic products. And that caused curcumin products to test high in lead … fake curcumin products. So lead chromate is heavy. And that means manufacturers charge more for synthetic products since curcumin is purchased by the kg!
HOW WE FIND PURE CURCUMIN
Beware of low-priced products that come with the risk of adulteration.
The curcumin we use in all Four Leaf Rover products is carbon-14 tested to be genuine and unadulterated. It contains 95% curcuminoids, as all pure turmeric products do. And we also use 3rd party testing to ensure our curcumin is not high in lead, heavy metals and pesticides.
Because when it comes to his supplements your dog deserves nothing but the REAL DEAL.
