Circumin is a component of the spice turmeric that is derived from the Curcuma longa plant. Curcumin has been researched for its various healthy effects that may stem from the ability of the compound to act as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. However, a number of other physiological effects are known for curcumin. For example, in animals, curcumin is able to decrease serum testosterone levels in male animals and studies show that long-term administration can reduce the size of the testis. The mechanism for this has been investigated and studies suggest that curcumin may downregulate steroidogenesis in the leydig cells of animals. The relevance of this is not fully understood as many of the experiments have been performed in animals or in isolated cell cultures. There may, for example, be other explanations for the lowering of testosterone in animals fed curcumin, and steroidogenesis inhibition might not be physiologically relevant.
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