Effects of Ginger supplementation on lipid profile: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Background and Aim: Scientific experiments and clinical studies have revealed the lipid lowering properties of ginger and its efficacy as an adjuvant in hypercholesterolemic conditions. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the effect of ginger supplementation on human serum lipids. Materials and Methods: A systematic search of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) written in English was conducted up to April 2016 by searching online databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar. A total of seven RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The pooled weighted Mean Difference (MD) and its 95% Confidence Interval (CI) were calculated and pooled using a random-effects model. Results: Compared to the controls, ginger intake significantly reduced the concentrations of total cholesterol (-13.31 mg/dL, 95% CI, -20.29 to -6.33 mg/dL, P=0.000), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (-11.22 mg/dL; 95% CI, -18.37 to -4.06 mg/dL, p = 0.002) and triglycerides (-14.96 mg/dL; 95% CI, -22.13 to -7.79 mg/dL, P=0.000). But the rise in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level was not statistically significant (WMD = 0.12 mg/dL; 95% CI, -1.01 to 1.24 mg/dL, p =0.839). Conclusion: Ginger supplementation (tablet, capsules, powder or rhizomes) significantly reduces LDL, TG, and TC, but not HDL. This property enables ginger to manage lipid profile. However, high-quality RCTs are required to identify the effects of ginger supplementations on HDL levels.