Pilot Study on Curcumin Supplementation for Retinal Amyloid Beta in Adults Aged 40 to 89

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how two weeks of curcumin supplementation affects amyloid beta protein deposits in the retina and its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. This pilot study aims to assess the safety, bioavailability, and gut microbiome changes related to curcumin in participants aged 40 to 89 with existing amyloid beta deposits in the retina. The study is sponsored by Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and focuses on early Alzheimers disease markers in the eye. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups a low-dose curcumin group taking 250 mg capsules three times daily after meals, or a high-dose group taking 500 mg capsules with the same frequency and duration of two weeks. The study will compare the retinal amyloid beta deposits and curcumin levels in the blood before and after the supplementation period. During the study, participants will undergo retinal imaging to measure amyloid beta fluorescence intensity, number, and location at baseline and after two weeks. Blood samples will be collected to evaluate curcumin bioavailability and liver and kidney function tests. Stool samples will be analyzed to explore gut microbiome abundance and composition. The study includes safety monitoring and statistical analysis of all collected data, with a total participation time of about two weeks.

Curcumin and Retinal Study