Efficacy of Aloe Vera Supplementation on Prediabetes and Early Non-Treated Diabetic Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Yiyi Zhang,Haoming Tian,Wen Liu,Tieyun Zhao,Dan Liu

doi:10.3390/nu8070388

Yiyi Zhang, Haoming Tian + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8070388

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate evidence for the efficacy of aloe vera on managing prediabetes and early non-treated diabetes mellitus. We performed a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials until 28 January 2016. A total of five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 415 participants were included. Compared with the controls, aloe vera supplementation significantly reduced the concentrations of fasting blood glucose (FBG) (p = 0.02; weighed mean difference [WMD]: −30.05 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −54.87 to −5.23 mg/dL), glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (p < 0.00001; WMD: −0.41%; 95% CI: −0.55% to −0.27%), triglyceride (p = 0.0001), total cholesterol (TC) (p < 0.00001), and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) (p < 0.00001). Aloe vera was superior to placebo in increasing serum high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (p = 0.04). Only one adverse event was reported. The evidence from RCTs showed that aloe vera might effectively reduce the levels of FBG, HbA1c, triglyceride, TC and LDL-C, and increase the levels of HDL-C on prediabetes and early non-treated diabetic patients. Limited evidence exists about the safety of aloe vera. Given the small number and poor quality of RCTs included in the meta-analysis, these results are inconclusive. A large-scale, well-designed RCT is needed to further address this issue.

Highlights

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders that is one of the major global health threats to humans due to its increasing prevalence, disabling complications, and chronic course [1]
Both impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose are called “prediabetes”, which does not reach the diagnostic cutoff values that would precipitate a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) [2]
We identified 282 records on aloe vera after searching the three databases mentioned above

Summary

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders that is one of the major global health threats to humans due to its increasing prevalence, disabling complications, and chronic course [1]. Both impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose are called “prediabetes”, which does not reach the diagnostic cutoff values that would precipitate a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) [2]. It is not surprising that complementary medicines and natural products, such as oats, are gaining increasing popularity among patients with hyperglycemia, due to affordability and fewer side effects [5].

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