Meta-analysis of the effects of ginger supplementation on glycemic control, blood pressure and lipid profile in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Abstract

Background: Ginger has shown promising effects on metabolism in preclinical and clinical studies. This updated and comprehensive meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of ginger on the cardiometabolic profile of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Scopus, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched from the inception to July 2, 2025, to find randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of ginger with placebo on glycemic indexes, blood pressure, and lipid profile among those with type 2 diabetes. A random-effects model (DerSimonian-Laird) was employed to pool data because of high heterogeneity.

Results: In total, 13 articles were included in this meta-analysis. Ginger supplementation was associated with a statistically significant reduction in fasting blood sugar (FBS) (MD -16.27 mg/dl, 95% CI (-25.75, -6.80), I² = 86.39%), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (MD -0.41%, 95% CI (-0.63, -0.20), I² = 92.09%) systolic blood pressure (MD -1.62, 95% CI (-3.01, -0.24), I² = 6.09%), and triglyceride level (MD -17.10 mg/dL, 95% CI (-31.13, -3.07), I² = 81.61%); however, the magnitude of these effects was of limited clinical importance. A statistically significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level (MD 2.13 mg/dL, 95% CI (0.44, 3.82), I² = 85.72%) was also observed. However, treatment with ginger did not significantly change homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMAIR), diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and body mass index (BMI).

Conclusion: This meta-analysis indicated that ginger may probably improve the metabolic indices of patients with type 2 diabetes.