Abstract
Previous studies have indicated that curcumin supplementation may be beneficial for cardiometabolic health; however, current evidence regarding the effects of its nanorange formulations, popularly known as “nano-curcumin”, remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the impact of nano-curcumin supplementation on risk factors for cardiovascular disease. PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and ISI web of science were systematically searched up to May 2021 using relevant keywords. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of nano-curcumin supplementation on cardiovascular disease risk factors were included. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models, and subgroup analysis was performed to explore variations by dose and baseline risk profiles. According to the results of this study, nano-curcumin supplementation was associated with improvements in the glycemic profile by decreasing fasting blood glucose (FBG) (WMD: −18.14 mg/dL; 95% CI: −29.31 to −6.97; p = 0.001), insulin (WMD: −1.21 mg/dL; 95% CI: −1.43 to −1.00; p < 0.001), and HOMA-IR (WMD: −0.28 mg/dL; 95% CI: −0.33 to −0.23; p < 0.001). Interestingly, nano-curcumin supplementation resulted in increases in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (WMD: 5.77 mg/dL; 95% CI: 2.90 to 8.64; p < 0.001). In terms of other lipid profile markers (triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)), subgroup analyses showed that nano-curcumin supplementation had more favorable effects on lipid profiles in individuals with dyslipidemia at baseline. Nano-curcumin supplementation also showed favorable anti-inflammatory effects by decreasing C-reactive protein (CRP) (WMD: −1.29 mg/L; 95% CI: −2.15 to −0.44; p = 0.003) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (WMD: −2.78 mg/dL; 95% CI: −3.76 to −1.79; p < 0.001). Moreover, our results showed the hypotensive effect of nano-curcumin, evidenced by a decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP). In conclusion, our meta-analysis suggests that nano-curcumin supplementation may decline cardiovascular disease risk by improving glycemic and lipid profiles, inflammation, and SBP. Future large-scale investigations with longer durations are needed to expand on our findings.
Highlights
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, placing heavy economic and health burdens on society [1]
Four eligible RTCs with five treatment arms, including 203 participants, examined the effect of nano-curcumin supplementation on systolic blood pressure (SBP). Combining their findings based on the random-effects model, we found that SBP was significantly reduced after the intervention (WMD: −2.50 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval (CI): −11.58, 6.58; p = 0.590, I2 = 83.0%, p = 0.018); (Figure 3A)
Triglycerides; Total Cholesterol (TC), total cholesterol; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein; FBG, fasting blood glucose; Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), hemoglobin A1c; HOMA-IR, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; CRP, C-reactive protein, IL-6, interleukin 6; TNF-α; tumor necrosis factor α; BMI, body mass index; WC, waist circumference; FM, fat mass. In this meta-analysis, we evaluated the effects of nano-curcumin supplementation on risk factors for CVD, including lipid and glycemic profiles, BP, inflammatory markers, and body composition
Summary
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, placing heavy economic and health burdens on society [1]. It is well known that a wide range of pharmacotherapies may improve CVD and its risk factors, these are shown to produce side effects and complications in some individuals. Nutraceutical therapies such as dietary supplements could be considered alternative or adjunct treatments for CVD [4,5]. The therapeutic effects of curcumin have been investigated in the treatment of CVD [10] It seems that curcumin exerts its cardiovascular protective effects by its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative, antilipidemic, and antithrombotic properties [11]
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