… This is going to be hard to say … TOO-MER-IC? TER-MER-IC? TURM-AIR-IC? Who knows!
Get My FREE “Rapid Muscle” Course
For 10 years I’ve helped beginners build muscle fast.
Follow this plan to unleash quick, noticeable muscle gains.
Turmeric is a yellow curry spice loaded with the anti-inflammatory chemical curcumin, which scientists link to reduced anxiety, relieving arthritis and less fat development.
(*Millennials in the crowd erupted into applause*)
Turmeric Black is Sculpt Nation’s spin on this so-called “miracle vitamin” — a proprietary blend (turmeric root powder and extract) mixed with black turmeric and black pepper fruit extract.
Read on to learn whether Sculpt Nation Turmeric Black is the pain-reducing, fat-busting, muscle-recovering, mood-boosting answer to our quarter-life crisis prayers.
About the Brand – Sculpt Nation
All we have to say is, thank god for Vince Sant and Sculpt Nation (TGFVS&SN). Years ago, absolutely desperate V Shred users begged Sant and his posse for the “secret” supplements to help them get jacked, shed pounds, or look drop-dead “sexy.”
Being the selfless hero he is, Sant delivered. (Sarcasm. That was all sarcasm.)
Long story short: Sculpt Nation brands itself as a “cutting edge worldwide sports nutrition brand” that’s:
- All available in one place
- Full of top-notch ingredients to guarantee results
- Fully researched and third-party tested
- Home to the safest and most effective supplements on the market
The supplement line now sells over a dozen products, including the “Burn” series (fat-burners), protein, creatine, pre-workout, and greens.
You can check out our extended review of the entire V Shred brand here covering all products from V Shred’s Ripped in 90 Days program to Burn Evolved 2.0.
What is Sculpt Nation Turmeric Black?
Sculpt Nation describes Turmeric Black (actually, turmeric, in general) as “about as close to a miracle vitamin as it gets.” That alone explains why the supplement brand piled on a ridiculous number of potential benefits of its Turmeric Black capsules, swearing it can:
- Burn fat
- Improve joint flexibility (while reducing stiffness)
- Enhance energy levels
- Optimize digestion
- Reduce all-around inflammation
- Improve post-workout recovery
- Turn white adipose tissue (WAT) into the calorie-shredding brown tissue (BAT)
If Sculpt Nation’s spin on the “golden spice” really does all that, Turmeric Black could quite literally transform your health, physique, and outlook on life. But that’s huge if — especially since in the process of hyping this supplement, Sant outright s**t on his competitors.
How Does it Work?
The Sculpt Nation website is unusually vague about how Turmeric Black works inside the body. But here’s what we gathered — it lessens inflammation (that’s it).
Turmeric contains curcumin, which is a curcuminoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Supplements with turmeric as an ingredient destroy free radicals that cause aging and many chronic diseases (like cancer) while also reducing inflammation across the body.
Now, here’s where things get a little iffy.
Sculpt Nation insists there’s a link between inflammation and weight gain and obesity, and we’re not disputing that. But we are casting doubt on how they’re connected.
The Turmeric Black sales page asserts that inflammation causes weight gain. Yet, a 2019 study of over 3,000 adults found that — while the link between inflammatory markers and obesity exists — it’s more likely that weight gain causes inflammation (not the other way around).
Additional research from 2017 makes a somewhat different case: a diet high in pro-inflammatory foods can trigger weight gain. Although, it’s also worth mentioning that these foods are stereotypically unhealthy foods, such as white bread, sodas, and fast food.
Regardless, reducing inflammation in the body can snowball into plenty of other perks, such as reduced joint swelling, less pain, lower risk of obesity, and optimized muscle recovery.
We should also mention that Kyle (the founder of Noob Gains) took one for the team and tried Turmeric Black for 30 days. (Spoiler Alert: Kyle lived to tell the tale.)
Turmeric Black Ingredients
Take one look at the Turmeric Black label, and you’ll notice a turmeric overload. So let’s dig a little deeper (accidental Shaun T reference) and discuss what each ingredient actually does.
Proprietary Blend (1g)
Proprietary blends always make us cringe, but that’s only because manufacturers remain tight-lipped about how much of each ingredient is in them.
Turmeric Black’s top-secret proprietary blend contains two ingredients: Turmeric root powder and turmeric root extract.
The main difference between the two is their concentration of curcumin — the compound attributed to turmeric’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Turmeric root powders are roughly 3% curcumin, while the extracts are a much-higher 95%.
So the fact that it’s a proprietary blend suddenly becomes a red flag. But regardless of how much curcumin is actually in Turmeric Black, research suggests that turmeric and curcumin offer plenty of health benefits.
For one, a 2019 meta-analysis of 21 studies discovered that curcumin could significantly decrease BMI, body fat, and weight in adults with obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Other positives of turmeric and curcumin include:
Increased (or Improved)
- Weight loss
- Memory functions
- Digestion
Decreased
- Inflammation and joint stiffness
- Pain
- Cholesterol
- Triglycerides
- Blood pressure
- Risk of heart disease and cancers
Keep in mind the benefits of turmeric and curcumin depend on your daily dosage. Since it’s not entirely clear how much turmeric and curcumin are actually in Turmeric Black, the effects likely won’t be as groundbreaking as the science suggests.
Kaempferia Parviflora Rhizome Extract (Sirtmax Black Turmeric) (100mg)
Sculpt Nation doesn’t really explain what kaempferia parviflora rhizome extract is or how it found its way into the Turmeric Black recipe. But kaempferia parviflora is an herb popular in folk medicine for years.
According to a review article from 2018, the benefits of this rhizome include dialed-down allergies, inflammation, and osteoarthritis.
Black Pepper Fruit Extract (BioPerine) (5mg)
The third and final ingredient in Turmeric Black isn’t turmeric at all, but it does amplify the effects of turmeric greatly.
Black pepper fruit extract — more specifically, BioPerine — is rich (95%) in an alkaloid called piperine. By blending piperine with turmeric, Turmeric Black allows the body to better absorb the curcumin in turmeric by some 2,000% (source).
But the curcumin and piperine duo isn’t the only “winner” in Sculpt Nation’s Turmeric Black. In fact, black pepper has quite a few noteworthy benefits of its own, including:
- Better-controlled blood sugar
- Enhanced cancer resistance
- Improved digestion
- Boosted metabolism
- Less inflammation
- Decreased pain
- Improved memory and cognitive functioning
The overlap between curcumin and piperine’s positive effects brings a wave of confidence to Sculpt Nation’s turmeric supplement.
Other Ingredients
- Gelatin
- Rice flour
- Magnesium stearate
- Silicon dioxide
How to Use Sculpt Nation’s Turmeric Black
Every bottle of Sculpt Nation’s Turmeric Black contains 60 capsules — 30 two-capsule servings — best taken with a meal or snack.
Turmeric Black Side Effects
As with any fitness supplement, the ingredients in Turmeric Black could cause a few mild side effects like nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, sweating, and discomfort. But, generally speaking, turmeric and black pepper fruit extract are typically well-tolerated.
However, there is one side effect that Kyle and plenty of other reviewers noted: disappointment.
Where Can You Buy Sculpt Nation’s, Turmeric Black?
Turmeric Black is exclusively available from the Sculpt Nation online store. Yet, despite the moderately edgy name (Turmeric Black), Vince Sant’s supplement brand hardly invented what he dubs the “miracle vitamin.”
Turmeric complexes, turmeric & ginger, and turmeric curcumin are widely available online and at health food stores — at a fraction of Sculpt Nation’s cost.
6 Turmeric Black Pros
- Turmeric Black is backed by a 100% money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied.
- If nothing else, turmeric has been one of the most well-respected ingredients on earth for thousands of years and is both safe and effective.
- Combining turmeric with black pepper fruit extract greatly improves your body’s ability to absorb the turmeric and maximize the potential health benefits. It’s still far from the perfect turmeric supplement, however.
- Turmeric Black can marginally improve several areas of your health, from digestion and memory to body weight and joint health.
- If you do experience negative side effects, more likely than not, they’ll be mild.
- Some weight loss is definitely possible for those who use Turmeric Black long-term — combined with diet and exercise!
8 Turmeric Black Cons
- If it’s always listed at a 31% discount, is it really ever on sale? The current price is arguably much better than the one slashed out — but it’s still tough on the wallet.
- Given it’s a proprietary blend of powder and extract, we can’t know for certain how much turmeric and curcumin are in each two-capsule serving, which could blunt the effects.
- The dig at other brands using “floor-sweepings” in their turmeric capsules is a weird flex coming from the creators of the constantly roasted, half-assed V Shred.
- Turmeric may very well be backed by science. Yet, not including the links to the actual research supporting the ingredient choice and effects requires a lot of blind trusts.
- Sculpt Nation has a somewhat warped understanding of inflammation and weight gain.
- Kyle has a weak tendon and joint disease called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), which triggers flare-ups in his knees a few times per month. Spoiler alert: Turmeric Black didn’t lessen the frequency or intensity of this inflammation despite Sculpt Nation zeroing in on its pain-reducing powers.
- The price-per-serving is wildly high, considering the combination of turmeric and black pepper fruit extract isn’t some recent scientific breakthrough.
- Which ingredient is supposed to increase energy levels, again?
What Other Reviews are Saying
The oddest thing about Sculpt Nation is that it has over three million Facebook likes and another near-300,000 Instagram followers … but legit customer reviews are far and few between.
(It probably doesn’t help that the only place you can buy Turmeric Black is the Sculpt Nation site.)
Anyway, here’s what other reviewers are saying about Turmeric Black:
“Overall, it can be said that Sculpt Nation Turmeric failed to convince us that it was the best option to boost our fat-burning potential.” – Supplement Devil
“The formula lacks some ingredients for cartilage health and connective tissue healing such as glucosamine or MSM, which would make it far more effective. When it comes to losing weight, yes, turmeric can help to some extent, but nothing drastic.” – Smoke In My Dreams
“Overall, we aren’t totally convinced by this product. It’s a good general health supplement that can help with inflammation. But for fat burning? We expected a bit more … We did notice a reduction in inflammation.” – Ookles
… as we were saying. (Just kidding.) All Turmeric Black reviews appear to come to the same few conclusions — the anti-inflammatory effects are mild, the fat-burning potential is even milder, and the supplement doesn’t have all that much to offer to justify its high price tag.
Is Sculpt Nation Turmeric Black Worth it?
Sculpt Nation Turmeric Black isn’t quite the miracle vitamin Vince Sant and the Sculpt Nation team were peddling. Sure, turmeric (and its curcumin) and black pepper fruit extract (and its piperine) pre-date modern medicine and are scientifically proven to benefit health.
Yet, the fact that Turmeric Black is a proprietary blend, goes light on the turmeric, promises a whole hell of a lot (and faceplants), and costs a lot, settles the debate.
So, Sculpt Nation Turmeric Black is simply not worth it. Honestly, you’re better off buying pure turmeric curcumin capsules at one-third of the price.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
