No effect of the turmeric root phenol curcumin on prednisolone-induced glucometabolic perturbations in men with overweight or obesity

Abstract

Objectives: Preclinically, curcumin has been shown to protect against glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance. We evaluated the effect of curcumin administered with prednisolone in healthy overweight or obese men. Methods: In a double-blind, parallel-group trial, 24 overweight/obese non-diabetic men were randomised to one of three intervention groups A) prednisolone placebo+curcumin placebo, B) prednisolone (50 mg/day)+curcumin placebo or C) prednisolone and curcumin (400 mg/day). Curcumin or curcumin placebo treatment started one day prior to 10-day prednisolone or prednisolone placebo treatment. The primary endpoint was change in prednisolone-induced insulin resistance assessed by homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR). Other endpoints included anthropometric measurements, magnetic resonance spectroscopy-assessed hepatic fat content, blood pressure, circulating metabolic markers and continuous glucose monitoring measures. Results: Baseline characteristics (mean ± SD): age 44.2 ± 13.7 years, body mass index 30.1 ± 3.5 kg/m2, glycated haemoglobin A1c 33.3 ± 3.2 mmol/mol, HOMA2-IR 1.10 ± 0.45 and fasting plasma glucose 5.2 ± 0.4 mmol/L. Prednisolone significantly increased HOMA2-IR (estimated treatment difference 0.36 [95% CI 0.16; 0.57]). Co-treatment with curcumin had no effect on HOMA2-IR (estimated treatment difference 0.08 [95% CI −0.13; 0.39]). Prednisolone increased glycated haemoglobin A1c, insulin, C-peptide, glucagon, blood pressure, mean interstitial glucose, time spent in hyperglycaemia and glucose variability, but no protective effect of curcumin on any of these measures was observed. Conclusions: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group study involving 24 overweight or obese men randomised to one of three treatment arms, curcumin treatment had no protective effect on prednisolone-induced insulin resistance or other gluco-metabolic perturbations.

Effect of 10-Day Treatment with 50 mg Prednisolone Once-Daily on Haemostasis in Healthy Men—A Randomised Placebo-Controlled Trial

“…The current study is a sub-study of the CURPRED ("The effect of curcumin on the development of prednisolone-induced hepatic insulin resistance in overweight and obese participants") trial was a randomised, controlled, double-blind trial investigating the effect of curcumin on prednisolone-induced glucometabolic side effects [28]. After an interim analysis, evaluation of the curcumin intervention was halted for futility, since it was judged that curcumin did not affect the glucometabolic side effects, and the trial was completed using two arms (prednisolone/placebo).…”