Effects of Garlic on Glucose Parameters and Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Randomized Controlled Trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 38892625 · doi:10.3390/nu16111692
What was done
A systematic review and meta-analysis searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library up to February 2024 for randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of garlic and garlic supplements on glycemic parameters and lipid profiles. Pooled effect sizes for fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) were analyzed using random-effects models.
What was found
Garlic supplementation significantly reduced FBG (mean difference = -7.01; 95% CI: -8.53, -5.49, p < 0.001), HbA1c (mean deviation = -0.66; 95% CI: -0.76, -0.55, p < 0.001, I2 = 62.9%), TC (mean difference = -14.17; 95% CI: -19.31, -9.03, p < 0.001), and LDL-C (mean difference = -8.20; 95% CI: -15.58, -0.81, p = 0.03). It also increased HDL-C (mean difference = 2.06; 95% CI: 1.54, 2.59, p < 0.001). The abstract reported no substantial impact on TG levels but provided no numeric data or effect size for TG.
Why it matters
This review synthesizes randomized controlled trial evidence indicating that garlic supplementation can improve multiple cardiometabolic parameters, particularly glycemic control and non-triglyceride lipid fractions.
Limits
The abstract does not report the total number of included studies, total participant sample size, garlic formulations, dosages, treatment durations, or participant baseline health status. Units of measurement for laboratory values are omitted in the abstract, and substantial heterogeneity was noted for HbA1c (I2 = 62.9%).
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