Curcumin on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 103 Randomized Controlled Trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 39478418 · doi:10.1002/ptr.8340
What was done
Authors conducted a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) indexed in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception through September 2023. Studies comparing Curcuma longa L. (curcumin) against placebo for various health outcomes were included. Methodological quality was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and evidence certainty was graded using the GRADE framework.
What was found
Across 103 RCTs with 7,216 total participants evaluating 42 outcomes, 23 outcomes (55%) showed statistically significant effect sizes (no numerical effect estimates, point differences, or confidence intervals were reported in the abstract). Evidence certainty was rated high for 4 outcomes (fasting blood sugar, C-reactive protein, high-density lipoprotein, and body weight), moderate for 10 outcomes (waist circumference, hip circumference, body mass index, insulin, HOMA-IR, QUICKI, leptin, gamma-glutamyl transferase, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase), low for 14 outcomes, and very low for 14 outcomes.
Why it matters
This review synthesizes a large body of clinical trials and indicates that curcumin supplementation reliably influences specific glycemic, lipid, inflammatory, and oxidative biomarkers.
Limits
The abstract provides no effect sizes, baseline values, or confidence intervals. Specific participant health statuses, curcumin dosages, formulations, and intervention durations are not reported. Additionally, the authors note overall methodological limitations across the included trials, and two-thirds of outcomes had low or very low certainty of evidence.
Cited by
- supports Curcumin is the active compound in turmeric and acts as a systemic anti-inflammatory agent in both the brain and the body.