Meta-analysis of the effect of curcumin supplementation on skeletal muscle damage status

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#curcumin #humans #muscle-skeletal #dietary-supplements #myalgia

Meta-analysis of the effect of curcumin supplementation on skeletal muscle damage status

Liu et al., 2024 | PLoS One | Meta Analysis

Citation

Liu Xiaoyang, Lin Lihan, Hu Guopeng. Meta-analysis of the effect of curcumin supplementation on skeletal muscle damage status. PLoS One. 2024;19(7):e0299135. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0299135

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Meta-analysis was conducted to examine the effect of supplemental curcumin intake on skeletal muscle injury status and to propose an optimal intervention program. METHODS: In accordance with the procedures specified in the PRISMA statement for systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials, the Review Manager 5.3 was used to analyze the results of creatine kinase (CK), muscle soreness, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and range of motion (ROM) as outcome indicators in the 349 subjects included in the 14 articles. RESULTS: The effect size of curcumin supplementation on muscle soreness, mean difference (MD) = -0.61; the relationship between curcumin supplementation and muscle soreness for time of measurement (I2 = 83.6%)、the relationship between curcumin supplementation and muscle soreness for period of intervention (I2 = 26.2%)、the relationship between whether one had been trained (I2 = 0%) and supplementation dose (I2 = 0%) were not heterogeneous for the relationship between curcumin supplementation and muscle soreness; The effect size on CK, MD = -137.32; the relationship between curcumin supplementation and CK (I2 = 79.7%)、intervention period (I2 = 91.9%)、whether or not trained (I2 = 90.7%)、and no heterogeneity in the relationship between curcumin supplementation and CK for the time of measurement (I2 = 0%); The effect size MD = 4.10 for the effect on ROM; The effect size for IL-6 was MD = -0.33. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis highlights that curcumin supplementation significantly mitigates skeletal muscle damage, with notable improvements in CK levels, muscle soreness, IL-6 levels, and ROM. The results highlight the importance of curcumin dosage and timing, revealing that prolonged supplementation yields the best results, especially for untrained individuals or those less exposed to muscle-damaging exercise. For muscle soreness and ROM enhancement, a pre-emptive, low-dose regimen is beneficial, while immediate post-exercise supplementation is most effective at reducing CK and IL-6 levels.

Key Findings

The effect size of curcumin supplementation on muscle soreness, mean difference (MD) = -0.61; the relationship between curcumin supplementation and muscle soreness for time of measurement (I2 = 83.6%)、the relationship between curcumin supplementation and muscle soreness for period of intervention (I2 = 26.2%)、the relationship between whether one had been trained (I2 = 0%) and supplementation dose (I2 = 0%) were not heterogeneous for the relationship between curcumin supplementation and muscle so

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size 349
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Curcumin
  • Humans
  • Muscle, Skeletal
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Myalgia
  • Creatine Kinase
  • Interleukin-6
  • Range of Motion, Articular

Evidence Classification

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

Provenance

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