Abstract / Description
ContextInflammation and oxidative stress play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. The Mediterranean diet (MD) has shown promise in mitigating these factors, but results across studies have been inconsistent.ObjectiveGiven the lack of clear evidence regarding the effects of an MD on inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess its true impact.Data sourcesA systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effects of the MD on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress, and a comprehensive search across PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, and a hand-search up to July 2024 was performed.Data extractionAfter removing duplicates and screening titles and abstracts, eligible records were retrieved. For unavailable full texts, authors were contacted, and unresponsive cases were excluded. Data extracted included author, year, country, group sizes, mean age, health conditions, intervention details and duration, outcomes, and statistical measures (means, SDs, and changes).Data analysis33 RCTs involving 3476 participants were included. Significant reductions were observed for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-17 in the MD group in comparison to a control diet. However, no significant effects were noted for CRP, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, or total antioxidant capacity. Subgroup analyses revealed stronger effects for specific age groups and intervention durations. In participants aged