The Effect of Ginger on Blood Glucose, Lipid and Lipoproteins in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Controlled Trial

Nowadays there is an uprising trend toward new approaches in type 2 diabetes management. In this study the effect of ginger supplementation on blood glucose، lipid and lipoproteins was examined in diabetic patients. 81 patients with type 2 diabetes participated in this randomized clinical trial study within two-month interval. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: Placebo (PG) and supplemented (SG). SG group were supplemented with 3 capsules (1g ginger powder in each capsule) and PG group received 3 microcrystalline cellulose capsules each day. Fasting blood glucose (FBS)، fructose-amine، HbA1c، total cholesterol، triglycerides، LDL-c، HDL-c and Apolipoproteins (Apo) A1 and B100 were measured before and eight weeks after intervention. Mean of LDL-c in SG before and after supplementation were 112. 52 ± 22. 09 and 106. 10±20. 78mg/dl (P=0. 03)، respectively. Also the results showed significant difference in levels of Apo A1 in SG and PG in the beginning and end of trial (P‹0. 005). However no significant differences between groups were observed. Moreover no significant disparities were observed in level of Apo B100، total cholesterol، triglycerides and HDL-c at the same period in studied groups. Mean FBS level after intervention in SG showed a 10. 5% decrease (P=0. 003)، meanwhile a 21% increase in PG (P=0. 01) was reported. Changes in mean HbA1c had a similar trend with mean FBS. This study indicates that ginger supplementation for type 2 diabetic patients would improve LDL-c، APO A1، fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c parameters