Abstract P350: Short-Term Ginger Consumption Does Not Affect Metabolic Profile and Inflammatory Markers in Overweight Men

Abstract

Introduction: Functional foods are foods that exhibit beneficial health effects beyond their inherent nutritional value. Spices, in particular, have been targeted for their apparent thermogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger has been used in ancient medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypercholesterolemia. However, while several studies have examined the effects of ginger in animal or in vitro models, few studies have verified the health effects of ginger consumption in humans. The purpose of this study was to determine the metabolic, inflammatory, and gut hormone effects of ginger consumption in overweight men. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that acute ginger consumption would improve metabolic profile and inflammatory markers compared to a no-ginger condition. Methods: Ten men completed this 2-arm randomized pilot crossover study in which they consumed a standard breakfast with either 2 g ginger powder dissolved in hot water (treatment phase) or hot water only (control phase). Blood samples were drawn before and at 0, 30, 45, 60, 120, 180 min after breakfast consumption and analyzed for glucose, insulin, leptin, adiponectin, triglycerides, inflammatory markers (interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and tumor necrosis factor alpha) and gut hormones (ghrelin, peptide YY, glucagon-like peptide 1). Regression analysis was done to test the effects of ginger intake on hormones and metabolites after adjusting for age, body weight, and race. Results: There was no significant ginger x time interaction on any of the hormones and metabolites assayed. Total ghrelin levels tended to be higher in the ginger compared to the control condition (P = 0.096), and removing the data from a diabetic subject led to a significant difference (P = 0.0416). Active ghrelin levels were not significantly different between test conditions (P = 0.15). Conclusions: This study provides preliminary information on the effects of ginger consumption on metabolic risk factors in humans. Future research should examine the long-term effects of regular ginger consumption as prolonged consumption may be necessary to observe changes in metabolic risk factors.