Propolis review found lower fasting blood sugar and triglycerides
Pooled trials showed improvements in selected blood measures among people with diabetes or metabolic syndrome, while several cholesterol measures had no statistically significant change.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Propolis supplementation was linked to lower fasting blood sugar and triglycerides in the pooled trials. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol did not change significantly. These blood-test findings do not establish fewer diabetes complications, cardiovascular events or deaths, and they do not show a benefit for people outside these clinical groups.
The authors highlight few available studies and relatively small samples. The abstract does not identify comparison treatments, supplementation doses or trial durations, making the pooled findings harder to apply.
What researchers found
Weighted mean difference in fasting blood sugar
Propolis versus trial comparators, which are not specified; 95% CI -19.13 to -5.04. Assessment timing is not reported.
The signal was selective
Fasting blood sugar and triglycerides moved in a favorable direction, but the results were not consistently positive across blood lipids. Nonsignificant cholesterol findings leave uncertainty about effects on those measures.
Pooling does not fill every gap
The review combined randomized trials using a random-effects model. Its summary estimates describe the studies included, but the abstract provides too little detail to identify a particular supplement regimen or explain differences between trials.
The original publication
Effects of propolis supplementation on blood glucose and lipid profiles in individuals with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Moghadam EF, Afshari E, Khaghani L et al.
Clin Nutr Res · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41837402
- Record checked
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