Introduction:
Around 30 million people worldwide experience pain are usually treated with NSAIDs. Providing complementary and therapeutic therapies as means of pain management would benefit those individual suffering with chronic pain. One such non-pharmacological natural compound reported to offer therapeutic application is curcumin.

Aim of the study:
This study aims to analyze the acute effect of curcumin on IL-6 levels and CRP levels after high-intensity physical exercise.

Material and methods:
This experimental research uses pre- and post-control group design. Research subjects were selected using random sampling technique. Next, the subjects were divided into two groups: K1, which was given a placebo, and K2, which received curcumin. A total of 20 healthy men, who were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, participated in this study. Blood samples were analyzed in a laboratory using the ELISA method.

Results:
The results of the study reported that there was no significant change in the serum IL-6 levels in the placebo group or in the group given curcumin at a dose of 400 mg (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the significant decrease in the serum CRP levels has been observed in the group given curcumin at the dose of 400 mg (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:
Curcumin given at the dose of 400 mg 24 hours after the high-intensity physical exercises had no effect on the IL-6 levels because it had already exceeded the maximum levels in blood. However, curcumin given at the dose of 400 mg after the high-intensity physical exercises was observed to reduce the CRP levels.