Effect of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seed powder on lipid profile: A single blind placebo controlled study

Background: Dyslipidemia is one of the most prevalent risk factors contributing to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Clinical trials have demonstrated that treatment of dyslipidemia reduces cardiovascular events. Fenugreek seed powder supplementation has lipid-lowering activity, but has not been studied extensively. In light of this, we undertook the present study at tertiary care hospital in Amravati, Maharashtra, with the aim of studying the effect of fenugreek seed powder on serum lipid profile in patients with dyslipidemia & to determine the adverse effects of it. Methods: The study was a single blind placebo controlled study conducted on 60 patients with dyslipidemia from June 2022 to November 2022, after meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: It was found significant decrease in serum total cholesterol (237.32 to 204.51mg/dl) p value <0.001, serum LDL cholesterol (154.69 to 133.88 mg/dl) p value < 0.001 & serum triglycerides (196.95 to 165.09 mg/dl) p <0.01 with no effect on serum HDL cholesterol (41.11 to 38.92mg/dl) p >0.05, without any major side effects. Conclusion: Fenugreek seed powder significantly lowers serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels in dyslipidemia patients, with no effect on serum HDL cholesterol levels. fenugreek seed powder supplementation considerably improves lipid Profile. Hence it could be well-thought-out as an effective lipid lowering nutritional supplement. Further high quality & large scale studies are needed to decisively establish the clinical efficacy of fenugreek seed powder. Keywords: fenugreek seed powder; dyslipidemia; lipid profile; cholesterol; LDL; triglycerides; HDL