Effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation on the liver enzymes, lipid profiles, glycemic index, and anthropometric indices in non-alcoholic fatty liver patients: An umbrella meta-analysis

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#humans #non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease #curcumin #curcuma #glycemic-index

Effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation on the liver enzymes, lipid profiles, glycemic index, and anthropometric indices in non-alcoholic fatty liver patients: An umbrella meta-analysis

Molani-Gol et al., 2024 | Phytother Res | Meta Analysis

Citation

Molani-Gol Roghayeh, Dehghani Azadeh, Rafraf Maryam. Effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation on the liver enzymes, lipid profiles, glycemic index, and anthropometric indices in non-alcoholic fatty liver patients: An umbrella meta-analysis. Phytother Res. 2024-Feb;38(2):539-555. doi:10.1002/ptr.8051

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. The evidence for curcumin's effects on patients with NAFLD is accumulating; however, meta-analyses have reported mixed results. The current umbrella meta-analysis aimed to assess the present evidence and provide an accurate estimate of the overall effects of curcumin/turmeric on NAFLD patients. The Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases were searched till March 2023 using MeSH terms and related keywords based on the PICO criteria. Meta-analysis studies evaluating the effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation on NAFLD patients that reported the effect sizes (ES) and corresponding confidence intervals (CI) were eligible for inclusion in this study. All articles were screened by considering the eligibility criteria by two independent reviewers and required data were extracted from the included meta-analyses. The meta-analysis was performed utilizing a random-effects model by STATA software. Findings of 11 meta-analyses of 99 randomized controlled trials comprising 5546 participants revealed that curcumin/turmeric supplementation reduced AST (ES = -1.072, 95% CI (-1.656, -0.488), p = 0.000), ALT (ES = -0.625, 95% CI (-1.170, -0.134), p = 0.014), and TG (ES = -0.469, 95% CI (-1.057, 0.119), p = 0.128) levels, and HOMA-IR (ES = -0.291, 95% CI (-0.368, -0.214), p = 0.000), BMI (ES = -0.205, 95% CI (-0.304, -0.107), p = 0.000), and WC (ES = -1.290, 95% CI (-2.038, -0.541), p = 0.001) in comparison to the control group. However, the effects of curcumin on GGT, ALP, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, FBS, and HbA1C levels and body weight were not significant. The findings suggest the beneficial effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation in patients with NAFLD, such as improving liver function, decreasing serum TG levels, ameliorating insulin resistance, and reducing general and central obesity. Nevertheless, high-quality research is further required to prove these achievements.

Key Findings

Nevertheless, high-quality research is further required to prove these achievements.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population nafld is accumulating
Sample Size 5546
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
  • Curcumin
  • Curcuma
  • Glycemic Index
  • Lipids
  • Dietary Supplements

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Meta-Analysis, Journal Article, Review
  • Vertical: curcumin

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09