. 2022 Aug 11;24(11):2192–2202. doi: 10.1111/dom.14804

TABLE 2.

Baseline‐adjusted effects of curcumin and placebo on anthropometric measurements, hepatic variables, metabolic variables and inflammation markers

	Baseline outcome (95% CI) ^†	Δ placebo (95% CI) ^‡	Δ curcumin (95% CI) ^‡	ETD curcumin versus placebo (95% CI) ^‡	P (unadjusted/adjusted)
Anthropometric measurements
BMI (kg/m²)	38.31 (36.45; 40.28)	0.61 (2.22; 10.00)%	0.30 (−0.09; 0.70)%	−0.31 (−0.84; 0.23)%	0.262/ 0.550
Waist circumference (cm)	125.8 (121.7; 129.9)	−0.1 (−1.5; 1.3)	−1.4 (−2.8; 0.0)	−1.3 (−3.3; 0.6)	0.184/ 0.483
Waist−hip ratio	1.1 (1.0; 1.1)	−0.0 (−0.0; 0.0)	−0.0 (−0.0; −0.0)	−0.0 (−0.0; 0.0)	0.409 / 0.872
SAT (cm³)	499.2 (436.0; 562.4)	−2.0 (−11.1; 7.15)	0.5 (−8.9; 9.9)	2.5 (−10.5; 15.4)	0.702 / 0.920
VAT (cm³)	261.7 (224.9; 298.6)	−1.7 (−10.9; 7.60)	−4.8 (−14.1; 4.5)	−3.1 (−15.6; 9.3)	0.616 / 0.872
Hepatic biomarkers
CAP (dB)	335.7 (321.2; 350.2)	4.5 (−13.8; 22.7)	8.0 (−11.0; 26.9)	3.5 (−21.9; 28.9)	0.784 / 0.920
Liver stiffness (kPa)	5.81 (5.07; 6.66)	4.84 (−10.14; 22.32)%	−11.28 (−24.49; 4.24)%	−15.37 (−31.78; 4.98)%	0.127 / 0.438
FIB4 score	0.7 (0.6; 0.8)	−1.7 (−13.4; 11.5)%	9.0 (−3.6; 23.1)%	10.9 (−6.9; 32.0)%	0.243 / 0.550
Alanine transaminase ^§ (U/L)	43.11 (36.56; 49.66)	−2.67 (−8.20; 2.85)	−0.07 (−5.74; 5.61)	2.61 (−5.16; 10.38)	0.505 / 0.663
Aspartate transaminase ^§ (U/L)	27.11 (24.22; 29.99)	−0.26 (−3.19; 2.67)	0.22 (−2.79; 3.22)	0.46 (−3.56; 4.51)	0.815 / 0.856
Lactate dehydrogenase ^§ (U/L)	184 (175; 193)	13 (3; 22)	3 (−6;13)	−9 (−21; 3)	0.146 / 0.438
Alkalic phosphatase ^§ (U/L)	83.8 (72.9; 94.7)	−1.0 (−4.0; 2.1)	−2.4 (−5.6; 0.7)	−1.5 (−5.5; 2.5)	0.463 / 0.648
GGT ^§ (U/L)	28.33 (23.84; 33.66)	13.31 (6.02; 21.10)%	−4.48 (−10.78; 2.27)%	−15.70 (−23.32; −7.32)%	<0.001 / 0.013
Bilirubin ^§ (μmol/L)	9.87 (8.19; 11.56)	−0.29 (−1.48; 0.89)	0.40 (−0.78; 1.59)	0.69 (−0.85; 2.23)	0.371 / 0.872
Ferritin ^§ (μg/L)	128.0 (104.3; 151.7)	−11.5 (−23.9; 0.9)	−14.5 (−27.2; −1.8)	−3.0 (20.8; 14.8)	0.739 / 0.920
Albumin ^§ (g/L)	39.29 (38.54; 40.04)	−0.02 (−0.84; 0.80)	−0.30 (−1.17; 0.57)	−0.28 (−1.40; 0.83)	0.613 / 0.872
Platelets ^§ (number of platelets × 10⁹/L)	258.8 (239.4; 278.2)	7.3 (−8.3; 22.8)	−8.6 (−23.6; 6.5)	−15.8 (−37.3; 5.8)	0.148 / 0.840
Estimated urea production (mmol/min)	0.30 (0.27;0.33)	0.02 (−0.02; 0.05)	0.01 (−0.03; 0.05)	−0.01 (−0.05;0.04)	0.822 / 0.939
FGF21 ^§ (pg/ml)	154 (117; 203)	3 (−20; 32) %	−13 (−32; 13) %	−15 (−40; 20) %	0.352 / 0.872
Metabolic variables
HOMA2‐IR ^§	2.54 (2.10; 2.97)	0.24 (−0.09; 0.56)	−0.15 (−0.48; 0.19)	−0.38 (−0.84; 0.07)	0.098/ 0.438
HbA1c ^§ (mmol/mol)	35.03 (33.78; 36.26)	0.20 (−0.52; 0.92)	−0.66 (−1.38; 0.07)	−0.86 (−1.82; 0.11)	0.080 / 0.438
Glucose
Fasted state (mmol/L)	5.55 (5.38; 5.72)	0.11 (−0.04; 0.26)	−0.13 (−0.28; 0.02)	−0.24 (−0.45; −0.03)	0.027 / 0.284
AUC (0‐240 min) (mmol/L × h)	29.2 (28.0; 30.5)	0.1 (‐0.9; 1.1)	‐0.2 (‐1.2; 0.9)	‐0.3 (‐1.7; 1.2)	0.700 / 0.817
Insulin
Fasted state (pmol/L)	136.9 (111.5; 162.2)	11.9 (−7.0; 30.8)	−8.6 (−28; 10.7)	−20.5 (−46.3; 5.2)	0.116/ 0.438
AUC (0‐240 min) (pmol/L × h)	2312 (1808; 2816)	125 (‐150; 399)	−42 (‐323; 240)	‐166 (‐537; 205)	0.375/ 0.648
C‐peptide
Fasted state (pmol/L)	781.5 (693.8; 869.1)	20.8 (−34.2; 75.8)	−8.5 (−64.8; 47.9)	−29.2 (106.1; 47.6)	0.450/ 0.648
AUC (0‐240 min) (pmol/L × h)	8312 (7502; 9120)	‐326 (‐774; 123)	‐368 (‐828; 92)	‐42 (‐669; 585)	0.894/ 0.894
Glucagon
Fasted state (mmol/L)	10.4 (8.2; 12.2)	22.4 (−7.2; 61.5)%	1.5 (−23.6; 34.8)%	−17.1 (−42.9; 20.4)%	0.320 / 0.611
AUC (0‐240 min) (mmol/L × h)	28.1 (22.3; 33.9)	‐0.5 (‐6.3; 5.3)	‐1.8 (‐7.7; 4.2)	‐1.3 (‐9.6; 7.0)	0.759 / 0.839
GLP‐1
Fasted state (mmol/L)	7.3 (5.7; 8.8)	0.4 (−1.7; 2.5)	−0.7 (−2.9; 1.4)	−1.1 (−4.0; 1.8)	0.440 / 0.648
AUC (0‐240 min) (mmol/L × h)	36.5 (30.2; 42.9)	−5.1 (−11.3; 1.2)	−3.0 (−9.4; 3.3)	2.2 (−6.2; 10.6)	0.604 / 0.746
High‐density lipoprotein ^§ (mmol/L)	0.99 (0.93; 1.06)	3.03 (−1.23; 7.48)%	−0.59 (−2.26; 9.91)%	−3.52 (−9.02; 2.31)%	0.228 / 0.840
Total cholesterol ^§ (mmol/L)	4.57 (4.35; 4.79)	0.04 (−0.13; 0.21)	−0.09 (−0.27; 0.08)	−0.13 (−0.37; 0.11)	0.284 / 0.840
Triglyceride ^§ (mmol/L)	1.46 (1.30; 1.63)	10.82 (−1.90; 25.19)%	−12.14 (−22.48; −0.04)%	−20.22 (−33.21; −6.03)%	0.008 / 0.275
Resting energy expenditure (estimated kcal per day)	2108 (1959; 2257)	23 (−65; 112)	5 (−87; 96)	−19 (−145; 108)	0.769 / 0.917
Inflammation markers
TNF‐alpha ^§ (pg/ml)	1.20 (1.10; 1.30)	−3.78 (−9.02;1.75)%	−1.24 (−6.75; 4.59)%	2.6 (−4.98; 10.86)%	0.502 / 0.872
IL‐6 ^§ (pg/ml)	1.31 (1.01; 1.07)	−0.19 (−11.32; 12.34)%	8.47 (−3.62; 22.09)%	8.67 (−7.31; 27.43)%	0.300 / 0.840
IL‐8 ^§ (pg/ml)	4.52 (4.05; 5.03)	−3.20 (−12.70; 7.34)%	−7.53 (−16.84; 2.81)%	−4.48 (−17.29; 10.32)%	0.528 / 0.872
IL‐10 ^§ (pg/ml)	0.30 (0.26; 0.34)	−6.41 (−15.61; 3.80)%	−1.72 (−11.37; 8.97)%	5.00 (−7.37; 19.03)%	0.440 / 0.872
IFN‐gamma ^§ (pg/ml)	6.01 (5.11;7.06)	−5.06 (−18.61; 10.74)%	−2.94 (−17.10; 13.65)%	2.24 (−17.09; 26.07)%	0.834 / 0.948
Hs‐CRP ^§ (mg/l)	2.27 (1.69; 3.04)	8.47 (−13.36; 35.80)%	8.84 (−13.10; 36.33)%	0.34 (−25.57; 35.27)%	0.982 / 0.989
YKL‐40 ^§ (ug/L)	51.60 (41.79; 61.40)	−0.20 (−8.45; 8.04)	−5.79 (−14.2; 2.66)	−5.58 (−16.76; 5.60)	0.232 / 0.840
Adiponectin ^§ (pg × 10⁵/ml)	166.90 (147.65; 186.15)	8.00 (−4.04; 20.03)	−1.50 (−14.24; 11.29)	‐9.50 (–26.67; 7.66)	0.273 / 0.840

Baseline outcome (95% CI) ^†

Δ placebo (95% CI) ^‡

Δ curcumin (95% CI) ^‡

ETD curcumin versus placebo (95% CI) ^‡

P (unadjusted/adjusted)

Anthropometric measurements

BMI

(kg/m²)

38.31

(36.45; 40.28)

0.61

(2.22; 10.00)%

0.30

(−0.09; 0.70)%

−0.31

(−0.84; 0.23)%

0.262/ 0.550

Waist circumference

(cm)

125.8

(121.7; 129.9)

−0.1

(−1.5; 1.3)

−1.4

(−2.8; 0.0)

−1.3

(−3.3; 0.6)

0.184/ 0.483

Waist−hip ratio

1.1

(1.0; 1.1)

−0.0

(−0.0; 0.0)

−0.0

(−0.0; −0.0)

−0.0

(−0.0; 0.0)

0.409 / 0.872

SAT

(cm³)

499.2

(436.0; 562.4)

−2.0

(−11.1; 7.15)

0.5

(−8.9; 9.9)

2.5

(−10.5; 15.4)

0.702 / 0.920

VAT

(cm³)

261.7

(224.9; 298.6)

−1.7

(−10.9; 7.60)

−4.8

(−14.1; 4.5)

−3.1

(−15.6; 9.3)

0.616 / 0.872

Hepatic biomarkers

CAP

(dB)

335.7

(321.2; 350.2)

4.5

(−13.8; 22.7)

8.0

(−11.0; 26.9)

3.5

(−21.9; 28.9)

0.784 / 0.920

Liver stiffness

(kPa)

5.81

(5.07; 6.66)

4.84

(−10.14; 22.32)%

−11.28

(−24.49; 4.24)%

−15.37

(−31.78; 4.98)%

0.127 / 0.438

FIB4 score

0.7

(0.6; 0.8)

−1.7

(−13.4; 11.5)%

9.0

(−3.6; 23.1)%

10.9

(−6.9; 32.0)%

0.243 / 0.550

Alanine transaminase ^§

(U/L)

43.11

(36.56; 49.66)

−2.67

(−8.20; 2.85)

−0.07

(−5.74; 5.61)

2.61

(−5.16; 10.38)

0.505 / 0.663

Aspartate transaminase ^§

(U/L)

27.11

(24.22; 29.99)

−0.26

(−3.19; 2.67)

0.22

(−2.79; 3.22)

0.46

(−3.56; 4.51)

0.815 / 0.856

Lactate dehydrogenase ^§

(U/L)

184

(175; 193)

(3; 22)

(−6;13)

−9

(−21; 3)

0.146 / 0.438

Alkalic phosphatase ^§

(U/L)

83.8

(72.9; 94.7)

−1.0

(−4.0; 2.1)

−2.4

(−5.6; 0.7)

−1.5

(−5.5; 2.5)

0.463 / 0.648

GGT ^§

(U/L)

28.33

(23.84; 33.66)

13.31

(6.02; 21.10)%

−4.48

(−10.78; 2.27)%

−15.70

(−23.32; −7.32)%

<0.001 / 0.013

Bilirubin ^§

(μmol/L)

9.87

(8.19; 11.56)

−0.29

(−1.48; 0.89)

0.40

(−0.78; 1.59)

0.69

(−0.85; 2.23)

0.371 / 0.872

Ferritin ^§

(μg/L)

128.0

(104.3; 151.7)

−11.5

(−23.9; 0.9)

−14.5

(−27.2; −1.8)

−3.0

(20.8; 14.8)

0.739 / 0.920

Albumin ^§

(g/L)

39.29

(38.54; 40.04)

−0.02

(−0.84; 0.80)

−0.30

(−1.17; 0.57)

−0.28

(−1.40; 0.83)

0.613 / 0.872

Platelets ^§

(number of platelets × 10⁹/L)

258.8

(239.4; 278.2)

7.3

(−8.3; 22.8)

−8.6

(−23.6; 6.5)

−15.8

(−37.3; 5.8)

0.148 / 0.840

Estimated urea production

(mmol/min)

0.30

(0.27;0.33)

0.02

(−0.02; 0.05)

0.01

(−0.03; 0.05)

−0.01

(−0.05;0.04)

0.822 / 0.939

FGF21 ^§

(pg/ml)

154

(117; 203)

(−20; 32) %

−13

(−32; 13) %

−15

(−40; 20) %

0.352 / 0.872

Metabolic variables

HOMA2‐IR ^§

2.54 (2.10; 2.97)

0.24 (−0.09; 0.56)

−0.15 (−0.48; 0.19)

−0.38 (−0.84; 0.07)

0.098/ 0.438

HbA1c ^§

(mmol/mol)

35.03

(33.78; 36.26)

0.20

(−0.52; 0.92)

−0.66

(−1.38; 0.07)

−0.86

(−1.82; 0.11)

0.080 / 0.438

Glucose

Fasted state

(mmol/L)

5.55

(5.38; 5.72)

0.11

(−0.04; 0.26)

−0.13

(−0.28; 0.02)

−0.24

(−0.45; −0.03)

0.027 / 0.284

AUC (0‐240 min)

(mmol/L × h)

29.2

(28.0; 30.5)

0.1

(‐0.9; 1.1)

‐0.2

(‐1.2; 0.9)

‐0.3

(‐1.7; 1.2)

0.700 / 0.817

Insulin

Fasted state

(pmol/L)

136.9

(111.5; 162.2)

11.9

(−7.0; 30.8)

−8.6

(−28; 10.7)

−20.5

(−46.3; 5.2)

0.116/ 0.438

AUC (0‐240 min)

(pmol/L × h)

2312

(1808; 2816)

125

(‐150; 399)

−42

(‐323; 240)

‐166

(‐537; 205)

0.375/ 0.648

C‐peptide

Fasted state

(pmol/L)

781.5

(693.8; 869.1)

20.8

(−34.2; 75.8)

−8.5

(−64.8; 47.9)

−29.2

(106.1; 47.6)

0.450/ 0.648

AUC (0‐240 min)

(pmol/L × h)

8312

(7502; 9120)

‐326

(‐774; 123)

‐368

(‐828; 92)

‐42

(‐669; 585)

0.894/ 0.894

Glucagon

Fasted state

(mmol/L)

10.4

(8.2; 12.2)

22.4

(−7.2; 61.5)%

1.5

(−23.6; 34.8)%

−17.1

(−42.9; 20.4)%

0.320 / 0.611

AUC (0‐240 min)

(mmol/L × h)

28.1

(22.3; 33.9)

‐0.5

(‐6.3; 5.3)

‐1.8

(‐7.7; 4.2)

‐1.3

(‐9.6; 7.0)

0.759 / 0.839

GLP‐1

Fasted state

(mmol/L)

7.3

(5.7; 8.8)

0.4

(−1.7; 2.5)

−0.7

(−2.9; 1.4)

−1.1

(−4.0; 1.8)

0.440 / 0.648

AUC (0‐240 min)

(mmol/L × h)

36.5

(30.2; 42.9)

−5.1

(−11.3; 1.2)

−3.0

(−9.4; 3.3)

2.2

(−6.2; 10.6)

0.604 / 0.746

High‐density lipoprotein ^§

(mmol/L)

0.99

(0.93; 1.06)

3.03

(−1.23; 7.48)%

−0.59

(−2.26; 9.91)%

−3.52

(−9.02; 2.31)%

0.228 / 0.840

Total cholesterol ^§

(mmol/L)

4.57

(4.35; 4.79)

0.04

(−0.13; 0.21)

−0.09

(−0.27; 0.08)

−0.13

(−0.37; 0.11)

0.284 / 0.840

Triglyceride ^§

(mmol/L)

1.46

(1.30; 1.63)

10.82

(−1.90; 25.19)%

−12.14

(−22.48; −0.04)%

−20.22

(−33.21; −6.03)%

0.008 / 0.275

Resting energy expenditure

(estimated kcal per day)

2108

(1959; 2257)

(−65; 112)

(−87; 96)

−19

(−145; 108)

0.769 / 0.917

Inflammation markers

TNF‐alpha ^§

(pg/ml)

1.20

(1.10; 1.30)

−3.78

(−9.02;1.75)%

−1.24

(−6.75; 4.59)%

2.6

(−4.98; 10.86)%

0.502 / 0.872

IL‐6 ^§

(pg/ml)

1.31

(1.01; 1.07)

−0.19

(−11.32; 12.34)%

8.47

(−3.62; 22.09)%

8.67

(−7.31; 27.43)%

0.300 / 0.840

IL‐8 ^§

(pg/ml)

4.52

(4.05; 5.03)

−3.20

(−12.70; 7.34)%

−7.53

(−16.84; 2.81)%

−4.48

(−17.29; 10.32)%

0.528 / 0.872

IL‐10 ^§

(pg/ml)

0.30

(0.26; 0.34)

−6.41

(−15.61; 3.80)%

−1.72

(−11.37; 8.97)%

5.00

(−7.37; 19.03)%

0.440 / 0.872

IFN‐gamma ^§

(pg/ml)

6.01

(5.11;7.06)

−5.06

(−18.61; 10.74)%

−2.94

(−17.10; 13.65)%

2.24

(−17.09; 26.07)%

0.834 / 0.948

Hs‐CRP ^§

(mg/l)

2.27

(1.69; 3.04)

8.47

(−13.36; 35.80)%

8.84

(−13.10; 36.33)%

0.34

(−25.57; 35.27)%

0.982 / 0.989

YKL‐40 ^§

(ug/L)

51.60

(41.79; 61.40)

−0.20

(−8.45; 8.04)

−5.79

(−14.2; 2.66)

−5.58

(−16.76; 5.60)

0.232 / 0.840

Adiponectin ^§

(pg × 10⁵/ml)

166.90

(147.65; 186.15)

8.00

(−4.04; 20.03)

−1.50

(−14.24; 11.29)

‐9.50

(–26.67; 7.66)

0.273 / 0.840

Note: In the last coloumn, the adjusted P value is written in italic.

Abbreviations: AUC, area under the curve; BMI, body mass index; CAP, controlled attenuation parameter; ETD, estimated treatment difference; FGF21, fibroblast growth factor 21; GGT, gamma glutamyltransferase; GLP‐1, glucagon‐like peptide‐1; HOMA2‐IR, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance; hs‐CRP, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein; IL, interleukin; INF‐gamma, interferon gamma; SAT, subcutaneous adipose tissue volume; TNF‐alpha, tumour necrosis factor alpha; VAT, visceral adipose tissue volume.

^†

Baseline values are mean (95% CI) for normally distributed data and geometric mean (95% CI) for skewed data.

^‡

Delta values and ETD are differences in mean (95% CI) for normally distributed data and percentage difference in geometric mean for skewed data.

^§

Concentrations in the fasted state.