Effects of Supplementation with Curcumin on Serum Adipokine Concentrations: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Background Previous experimental studies have suggested curcumin as a safe phytochemical that can improve insulin resistance through effects on adiponectin and leptin. This study aimed to investigate the effect of curcumin on circulating adiponectin and leptin concentrations in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods In this pilot randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, subjects who met the criteria of MetS according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) criteria were randomly assigned to curcumin (n=59; 1000 mg/day) or placebo (n=58) for 8 weeks. Serum adiponectin and leptin concentrations were determined before and after intervention. The pooled effect size for the impact of curcumin supplementation on serum adiponectin and leptin levels was also estimated using random-effects meta-analysis. Results Eight-week supplementation with curcumin was associated with a significant increase in serum adiponectin levels (p