Turmeric supplementation complementary treatment managing disturbed glycemia

The results published in Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews indicate that turmeric/curcumin supplementation can be considered a complementary method for managing disturbed glycemia.

Turmeric is an herb used as a colouring agent in Iranian cuisine. Also, it has been used as a traditional remedy for several ailments; such as arthritis and injuries. Curcumin is believed to be the most potent bioactive compound of turmeric. Several studies have revealed that curcumin extracted from the herb is effective in reducing the symptoms of a variety of medical conditions.

Glycemic control is of critical importance both as a preventive measure in people at risk of diabetes and patients' management with disturbed glycemia. In this field, curcumin/turmeric has been extensively studied. In the systematic review and meta-analysis, Moein Askarpour, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, and colleagues aimed to investigate the impact of turmeric/curcumin supplementation on glycemic control.

For this purpose, the researchers systematically searched the major online databases from inception up to October 2022. The researchers included relevant RCTs meeting the eligibility criteria. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) were expressed using a random-effect model. To determine the sources of heterogeneities, they conducted subgroup analyses. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to detect the risk of bias in the included studies.

The authors reported the following findings:

• Out of 4182 articles retrieved from the initial search, 59 RCTs were included.
• The findings suggested that turmeric/curcumin supplementation was significantly effective in improving fasting blood sugar (WMD: 4.60 mg/dl), haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (WMD: 0.32%), fasting insulin levels (WMD: 0.87 μIU/ml), and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (WMD: 0.33).

"Our results indicate that supplementation with turmeric/curcumin can be considered a complementary method in managing disturbed glycemia," the researchers concluded.

Reference:

Dehzad, M. J., Ghalandari, H., Nouri, M., & Askarpour, M. (2023). Effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation on glycemic indices in adults: A grade-assessed systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, 17(10), 102855. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2023.102855