Influence of curcumin on glycemic profile, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress in HIV-infected individuals: A randomized controlled trial.

To evaluate the influence of curcumin supplementation on the glycemic profile, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress in HIV-infected individuals under antiretroviral therapy. This double-blind, crossover, randomized clinical trial was composed of 20 subjects arranged initially into experimental group (n = 10) and placebo group (n = 10) groups, receiving 1,000 mg curcumin/day or microcrystalline cellulose/day, respectively, during a 30-day period and 12-day washout. Subsequently, the groups were switched to follow the crossover design. Fasting glucose and insulin, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor alpha, malonialdehyde, and reduced glutathione were measured. Food consumption was evaluated as a control variable. Descriptive statistics are presented as mean and standard deviation, and inferential analyses were performed from two-way analysis of variance and the magnitude of the effect. No significant improvements were observed in the glycemic, inflammatory, or oxidative stress profiles. Although the mean serum fasting glucose levels and the homeostatic model assessment index presented qualitative improvement in the CG, this result should be interpreted with caution since the observed variation may represent acceptable fluctuation, in addition to the small difference between the means, added to the large variation observed in the standard deviation. Supplementation with curcumin in HIV-infected individuals undergoing antiretroviral therapy and training did not improve the glycemic, inflammatory, or oxidative stress profiles.