Effects of Moringa oleifera Lam. Supplementation on Cardiometabolic Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials with GRADE Assessment

This comprehensive meta-analysis examined the effects of Moringa oleifera leaf supplementation on heart and metabolic health outcomes by analyzing data from randomized controlled trials involving 847 participants. Research suggests that moringa supplementation showed mixed results for cardiovascular and metabolic parameters. The analysis found no significant effects on fasting blood glucose levels or systolic blood pressure (the top number in blood pressure readings). There was a modest reduction in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number), but this effect was not consistent when researchers performed additional sensitivity analyses. The studies included in this analysis used various forms of moringa leaf powder with dosages ranging widely from 500mg to 8000mg daily. However, the results showed extremely high heterogeneity (over 90%), meaning the individual studies had very different findings, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions. The researchers used GRADE assessment methodology to evaluate the quality of evidence and found it to be low to very low certainty. This suggests that while moringa supplementation may have some potential benefits for blood pressure management, the current evidence is not strong enough to make definitive recommendations. The high variability between studies indicates that factors such as dosage, duration, population characteristics, and moringa preparation methods may significantly influence outcomes.