Clinical Evidence on the Health Effects of Aristotelia chilensis (Maqui Berry) Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Human Trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review of clinical trials
PubMed 42351960 · doi:10.3390/antiox15060654
What was done
This systematic review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and a registered PROSPERO protocol to evaluate human trials of oral maqui berry (*Aristotelia chilensis*) supplementation in adults. Five electronic databases were searched for trials published between 2014 and 2023. Risk of bias and certainty of evidence were appraised using RoB 2, ROBINS-I, and GRADE. A total of 12 clinical trials were included.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values or statistical effect sizes. Acute studies consistently reported reductions in postprandial glucose and modulation of insulin response. Chronic interventions showed modest and inconsistent effects on HbA1c, lipid profiles, and other cardiometabolic markers. Improvements were noted for surrogate markers of oxidative stress and autonomic parameters. The most consistent evidence was found for ocular health, where maqui supplementation improved tear production, dry eye symptoms, and tear inflammatory markers.
Why it matters
This review synthesizes the human trial evidence on maqui berry, showing that while acute glycemic modulation and dry eye relief have supportive trial data, evidence for broader chronic cardiometabolic benefits remains weak.
Limits
The abstract provides no quantitative data or total participant count. Across the included studies, overall certainty of evidence ranged from moderate to very low due to small sample sizes, short study durations, methodological heterogeneity, and reliance on surrogate endpoints.
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