Turmeric and Liver Health: Understanding the Latest Safety Evidence

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Health Canada have highlighted rare but potentially serious liver injury associated with oral turmeric and curcuminoid products. TGA’s August 2023 advisory notes that higher doses or enhanced absorption may increase the risk. Health Canada’s January 2026 safety bulletin reported updated monographs addressing possible liver injury. TGA · Health Canada

On 6 October 2026, Malaysia’s National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency issued a safety alert following international reviews. It notes that these liver reactions can be unpredictable and are not consistently related to dose or duration. At publication, NPRA had received no reports specifically described as hepatotoxicity, which should not be interpreted as proof of no risk. NPRA

The concern also has a longer history in Japan. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare discussed turmeric-associated liver injury in its drug-induced liver injury manual, revised in September 2019. This is historical guidance, not a new Japanese warning in 2026. MHLW

What the 2026 USP review adds

A comprehensive safety review by researchers affiliated with the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), published online in Pharmaceutical Biology on 27 June 2026, brings clinical studies and adverse-event reports together. Turmeric and curcuminoid supplements were generally well tolerated in numerous clinical trials, without reported organ toxicity or serious adverse events in those trials. This is reassuring evidence about the studied preparations and conditions, not proof that all products are risk-free. Review

The review also acknowledges very rare liver-injury reports, sometimes serious, and recommends precautionary labeling. Its purpose is safety assessment, not efficacy evaluation or USP endorsement of individual products. Clinical-trial findings and real-world safety reports therefore need to be considered together. Review

Food use and supplement use are different

TGA distinguishes typical amounts of turmeric used in food from medicinal-dose products. It does not associate the same liver-injury risk with normal dietary use. Concentrated or absorption-enhanced preparations require their own assessment; available information does not conclusively establish which products carry greater risk. TGA

What about research on liver benefits?

Curcumin has also been investigated in fatty liver disease. An eight-week randomized trial published in 2016 reported improvements in liver fat and liver enzymes with the formulation studied. Such findings do not cancel out rare liver-injury reports or establish safety for every user. Rahmani et al.

Follow the product’s recommended dose rather than assuming more is better. When evaluating a supplement, look for human safety data for its specific formulation, dose and duration.

Overall, clinical-trial findings are reassuring, but supplements are not risk-free or suitable for everyone.

For readers, the practical priority is informed use. People with current or previous liver problems should avoid these supplements; those taking medicines should consult a doctor or pharmacist. Anyone developing warning signs such as yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, persistent nausea or vomiting, unusual fatigue, abdominal pain or loss of appetite should stop use and seek medical advice promptly. TGA

This article provides general educational information and does not replace advice from a qualified healthcare professional.