Effect of resveratrol supplementation on metabolic risk markers and anthropometric parameters in individuals with obesity or overweight: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background

Obesity, a progressively widespread disease with a multifaceted etiology, affects nearly 800 million people worldwide. Recent trials suggest that resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound, can be effective for metabolic risk markers and anthropometric parameters in Individuals with Obesity or Overweight. However, a comprehensive analysis is necessary to consolidate these results.

Objectives

To evaluate the impact of 4-week resveratrol supplementation on metabolic risk markers and anthropometric parameters in individuals with obesity or overweight.

Methods

A comprehensive search was executed across PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Google Scholar, and clinicaltrials.gov, yielding 43 studies after the omission of 20 duplicates. RevMan 5.4 software was used to statistically analyze randomized controlled studies to gauge the impact of resveratrol on the said outcomes in Individuals with Obesity or Overweight. Quality of bias and potential publication bias were measured using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and CMA4 software, respectively. Certainty of the evidence was appraised using GRADEpro software. Data was quantified as the standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI).

Results

The meta-analysis included 5 trials with 419 participants, evaluating the effect of intervention. Resveratrol showed no significant impact on triglycerides (SMD = 0.11, 95%CI [-0.14, 0.35], P = 0.39, I² = 0 %), total cholesterol (SMD = 0.04, 95%CI [-0.26, 0.33], P = 0.82, I² = 0 %), or HbA1c (SMD = 0.00, 95%CI [-0.99, 1.00], P = 0.99, I² = 80 %). Similarly, no significant effect was observed for insulin levels (SMD = −0.00, 95%CI [-0.25, 0.24], P = 0.97, I² = 0 %), AST (SMD = 0.15, 95%CI [-0.35, 0.65], P = 0.55, I² = 0 %), or ALT (SMD = −0.03, 95%CI [-0.46, 0.39], P = 0.98, I² = 0 %). Additionally, resveratrol had no significant effect on BMI (MD = 0.21, 95%CI [-0.970, 1.39], P = 0.70, I² = 0 %).

Conclusions

Our results tagged with p-value>0.05 are an evidence-based indication that resveratrol supplementation does not lead to significant improvements in metabolic or anthropometric parameters. This suggests that resveratrol may not be an effective standalone intervention for managing obesity-related outcomes. Therefore, future research should be redirected to evaluating its potential effects on other health metrics to elucidate its efficacy and therapeutic potential better.