The Effect of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) on Improving Blood Lipids and Body Weight; A Systematic Review and Multivariate Meta-analysis of Clinical Trials

Background: Beneficial effects of ginger consumption on metabolic biomarkers has been reported previously. The current research aimed to investigate the effects of ginger supplementation on lipid profile and body weight using a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials. Methods: Online databases PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Science Direct were searched until December 2021 to identify eligible articles. Twenty-six trials were included. Results: The results showed that ginger consumption could significantly improve lipid profile including total triglyceride (-12.54 (-20.01 to -5.08)), cholesterol (-6.53 (-10.76 to -2.31)), LDL (-5.14 (-8.79 to -1.50)), and HDL (1.13 (0.35 to 1.91)). Moreover, ginger supplementation could significantly decrease body mass index (BMI) (-0.49 (-0.79 to -0.18)). However, the small number of sample studies that investigated reductions in body weight (-0.52 (-1.48 to 0.43)) were not statistically significant. Sub-group analysis of treatment dose and duration showed that in most of the analyzed lipid profiles, both ≤1500 and >1500 mg/d for both of ≤8 and >8 weeks could be effective; however, in the case of weight control dose of >1500 mg/d for more than 8 weeks was more effective. Besides, the results of multivariate meta-analysis revealed the effect of the intervention on all lipid profiles simultaneously. Conclusion: The present meta-analysis and review revealed that ginger supplementation can improve lipid profile and body weight if used at the appropriate dose and duration. More studies are needed to fully evaluate the effect of ginger supplements' different doses and duration on lipid profile and BMI.