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Curry anti-inflammatory could help runners recover

An ingredient in curry is being explored by researchers at the University of Prince Edward Island to see if it can help athletes recover faster from a run.

The study looks at curcumin, which is found in turmeric and yellow curry, and is being sponsored by OmniActive Health Technologies, a supplement company with offices on P.E.I.

"Marathon runners are people who are very motivated and always seeking to find new ways to heighten their performance,” said lead researcher Matthew Boulter.

“This is definitely of interest to them for finding ways of improving their ability to recover faster from intensive exercise."

Researchers are monitoring how people perform during a 40-minute downhill run on a treadmill before and after taking a supplement of curcumin.

Charlottetown runner Dianne Pye is very keen to hear the results of the study. Pye ran 15 marathons last year.

"Especially during the summer months, some of my marathons are a week apart,” she said.

“I need to recover quickly in order to make my following week a comfortable run."

Researchers are still looking for about 30 more people to take part in the study.