Odd question: does turmeric cause anyone to feel worse?

I put a dash of organic turmeric in my food this morning and since then, I’ve been getting more aching in my shoulders and arms and pounding headache, as well as grogginess and fatigue.

I take a supplement with curcumin without issue and thought I could try turmeric. I don’t think it’s the oxalates because I can handle berries, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, and black tea without a problem.

Any ideas why I would feel worse with turmeric?

First, check the supplier -did you get one that has more than turmeric in it? It's possible that it was contaminated with something you are sensitive to.

If that's not the case (supplier is well-trusted), then try a different brand.

If you are already taking curcumin, then you are taking the active ingredient that's found in turmeric, but do be sure to combine it with black pepper/pepperine in a 4:1 ratio (4 parts turmeric to 1 part black pepper/pepperine). The black pepper (or more accurately, the pepperine) makes the curcumin more biologically available - so it increases its effectiveness.

Word of warning - pepperine also affects other herbs and medications. So you may need to watch for possible issues if you increase the amount of black pepper/pepperine that you are consuming.

The last possibility is that you simply can't tolerate the turmeric right now, who knows why? But it happens. If that's the case, don't forget to try it again at a later date.