The surprising truth about gingerols and Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of risk factors that significantly increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It’s directly linked to obesity, which explains why the prevalence of MS continues to rise every year. The truth is that maintaining a healthy weight is not easy. It requires careful monitoring of your diet and lifestyle, along with regular exercise. Fortunately, research has shown that eating foods high in ginger can help reduce the onset of MS by increasing thermogenesis and fat burning. Read on to discover more about gingerols and MS — their relationship, benefits, risks, and recommendations for safe consumption.

Gingerols are the main active compounds found in ginger. They are responsible for the majority of the health benefits of ginger, including the therapeutic effect on MS. Gingerol is a phenolic compound that is commonly used in cooking and herbal medicine due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It’s also present in other spices, including cardamom, black pepper, and cloves. Gingerols have been associated with stronger anti-inflammatory effects, reduced risk of oxidative stress, better control of diabetes and MS, and lower blood pressure. The active compounds in ginger are metabolised into shogaols, which are even more potent than the gingerols. Gingerol and shogaol are the two main active compounds in ginger. This inspired several research groups to explore the biomedical value of these compounds and today around 160 natural, semisynthetic, or synthetic 6-gingerol derivatives have been prepared and being studied across the world for their reported bio-activities.

MS is a cluster of risk factors that significantly increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The main risk factors associated with MS are high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and excess abdominal fat. Because of the links between MS and heart disease, many experts refer to MS as “prediabetic”. That’s because the symptoms of MS are nearly identical to type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. People with MS have a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke. The risk of cancer is also increased. Unfortunately, MS is highly prevalent among the population, especially among those who are obese. The prevalence of MS continues to rise every year, especially in developing countries.

Studies have shown that gingerol and shogaol are potent anti-inflammatory compounds that can reduce the risk of MS in multiple ways. These mechanisms of action make gingerol an ideal dietary supplement for treating MS and related diseases.

Anti-obesity effects: Obesity is caused by either increased lipogenesis or increased lipolysis of lipids in the body. Antiobesity activity of gingerols is mainly due to their ability to inhibit adipogenesis and increase fatty acid catabolism, which leads to breakdown of fats in the body. Adipogenesis and lipolysis activity are inhibited by 6-gingerol, which may also contribute to weight loss by lowering cholesterol levels and inhibiting the absorption of dietary fat. Therefore, 6-gingerol has a therapeutic potential to manage obesity and blood fat.

Decrease in bad cholesterol and triglycerides: The cholesterol and triglycerides in the body are important for both good and bad. High levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides are associated with increased risk of contracting heart diseases. Ginger has been found to significantly reduce both bad cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. This, in turn, reduces the risk of heart diseases. Ginger also has anti-inflammatory properties which reduce the risk of heart diseases.

Prevents atherosclerosis: Atherosclerosis is a chronic, progressive inflammatory condition in which oxidative stress and inflammation lead to lipid accumulation and inflammation in the large blood vessels. Gingerol has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body by inhibiting the COX-2 enzyme and reducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. 6-gingerol may be used to treat arteriosclerosis by lowering inflammation and the production of important inflammatory mediators such as IL-1 β. The AMPK signalling pathway, which is strongly associated with cholesterol production and lipid storage, can be regulated using this compound. 6-gingerol also regulates autophagy, a cell survival mechanism that protects against apoptosis leading to atherosclerosis.

Lowers blood pressure: According to research, ginger has anti-oxidant properties that protect the heart from damage. Studies indicate that ginger may lower blood pressure by increasing the amount of nitric oxide in the blood vessels. One potential mechanism by which ginger may lower blood pressure is by increasing the flow of blood through the blood vessels, which is known as vasodilation. Blood flow is increased when nitric oxide is released, which in turn lowers blood pressure. Furthermore, 6-gingerol lowers blood pressure by reducing fat storage in fat cells. In addition, ginger has been shown to have anti-platelet activity, which may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Protects against type 2 diabetes: The gingerols in ginger have been found to decrease glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity in several studies. Another recent study has shown that 6-gingerol is a powerful anti- oxidant and anti-inflammatory compound, protecting the liver and inhibiting the key α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes. Consequently, inhibition of these enzymes prevents glucose absorption and diabetes. In this way, ginger protects against type 2 diabetes. Ginger has been shown to be beneficial for people with metabolic syndrome because it lowers the risk of contracting type 2 diabetes by improving lipid profile, increasing serum TOLAC level and reducing blood sugar levels.

Improves insulin sensitivity: A major risk factor for contracting type 2 diabetes is an impaired ability to metabolise glucose. High blood glucose levels are associated with metabolic syndrome. Ginger has been found to improve insulin sensitivity and lower the risk of contracting type 2 diabetes. The anti-oxidant properties of ginger help to combat oxidative stress and improve insulin sensitivity. The gingerols in ginger have been found to reduce oxidative stress and improve the ability of glucose to be metabolised.

Conclusion

Ginger can help reduce the risk of MS because it’s packed with compounds that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Ginger is also beneficial for boosting metabolism and promoting fat loss, which makes it a useful herb for anyone who wants to stay healthy and avoid weight gain. Gingerol and shogaol, the main active compounds in ginger, have been shown to reduce the risk of MS by improving the breakdown of fats in the body and increasing metabolic activity. Ginger is therefore a highly recommended dietary supplement for preventing MS and related diseases.

Additional reading

1. Ahmed SHH, Gonda T, Hunyadi A 2021 Medicinal chemistry inspired by ginger: exploring the chemical space around 6-gingerol. RSC Advances 11: 26687-26699.  doi:10.1039/D1RA04227K

2. Alipour A,  Baradaran Rahimi V,  Askari VR  2022 Promising influences of gingerols against metabolic syndrome: A mechanistic review. BioFactors  48( 5): 993–1004. doi.10.1002/biof.1892

3. Anh NH, Kim SJ, Long NP, Min JE, Yoon YC, Lee EG, Kim M, Kim TJ, Yang YY, Son EY, Yoon SJ, Diem NC, Kim HM, Kwon SW 2020 Ginger on human health: A comprehensive systematic review of 109 randomized controlled trials. Nutrients 12(1): 157. doi:10.3390/nu12010157

4. Mao QQ, Xu XY, Cao SY, Gan RY, Corke H, Beta T, Li HB 2019 Bioactive compounds and bioactivities of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe). Foods 8(6):185. doi:10.3390/foods8060185 

[Published in Spice India October 2022]