Propolis supplementation improves cardiometabolic health in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: findings from a GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Diabetes is a common metabolic disorder associated with cardiometabolic complications. Propolis, a natural resinous compound, has shown potential benefits in improving metabolism. However, existing evidence remains inconsistent and fragmented. This study aims to systematically review and meta-analyze to evaluate the impact of propolis supplementation on cardiometabolic indices in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHOD: A comprehensive search was performed in online major databases up to April 2025 to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were systematically reviewed and analyzed for relevant outcomes. A random-effects model was used to calculate pooled weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), taking into account study heterogeneity. RESULTS: The pooled analysis of 13 RCTs revealed that propolis supplementation in individuals with T2DM led to a significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose (WMD: -15.29 mg/dL), 2-hour postprandial glucose (WMD: -35.41 mg/dL), HbA1c (WMD= -0.58%), fasting insulin (WMD: -1.93 µU/mL), and Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) (WMD: -0.99), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (WMD: -11.47 mg/dL), interleukin 6 (IL-6) (WMD: 1.52 pg/mL), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (WMD: 2.28 pg/mL), and body weight (WMD: 2.09 kg). In contrast, the meta-analysis revealed no significant changes in triglycerides (TG) (p = 0.055), total cholesterol (TC) (p = 0.248), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (p = 0.068), and body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.204). CONCLUSION: Propolis supplementation may serve as a beneficial adjunct therapy for patients with T2DM, showing significant improvements in blood glycemic markers, serum lipid profile, inflammation, and body weight. The overall findings support the use of propolis as a promising complementary approach to enhance cardiometabolic health in T2DM. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-025-01682-w.