The effect of ginger supplementation on serum C-reactive protein, lipid profile and glycaemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Study answer

What this study found

Overall, ginger supplementation showed favorable effects on inflammation, glycemia, and lipid profile. Pooled effects favored ginger for CRP (WMD 0.84 mg/L, 95% CI 1.38 to 0.31; I2 56.3%), fasting blood glucose (WMD 1.35 mg/dl, 95% CI 2.04 to 0.58; I2 12.1%), and HbA1c (WMD 1.01, 95% CI 1.28 to 0.72; I2 9.4%), with additional improvements reported for HDL, triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol. Sensitivity analyses supported robustness, meta-regression suggested the CRP effect was independent of ginger dose, and no serious adverse events were reported.

Study & population

Systematic review and meta-analysis of 9 randomized controlled trials in adults with type 2 diabetes, overweight or obesity, dyslipidemia, or peritoneal dialysis.

Intervention

Oral ginger, most often as ginger powder, was given at 1 to 3 g per day for 8 weeks to 3 months, compared with placebo or control conditions across the included trials.

Key limitation

The evidence base was limited by small trials, short follow-up durations of 8 weeks to 3 months, and heterogeneity in the clinical populations studied.

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Original abstract