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Meta-Analysis
. 2025 May 17;25(1):182.
doi: 10.1186/s12906-025-04911-0.

The effects of policosanol supplementation on creatinine: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Mohammad Reza Amini  1   2 , Sara Sadeghi Majd  3 , Marieh Salavatizadeh  4 , Farhang Djafari  5 , Gholamreza Askari  2 , Azita Hekmatdoost  6   7
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

The effects of policosanol supplementation on creatinine: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Mohammad Reza Amini et al. BMC Complement Med Ther. .

Abstract

Objective: Policosanol, a compound generated from sugar cane, consists of alcohols such as octacosanol, hexacosanol, and triacontanol, which possess antioxidant properties. Evaluating the impact of this antioxidant on serum creatinine in clinical settings is essential because of the contradictory findings. This comprehensive review and dose-response meta-analysis attempts to evaluate the impact of policosanol supplementation on creatinine levels.

Methods: A comprehensive search was performed in bibliographic databases such as Cochrane, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science, covering the period from inception to November 2023. The necessary data was retrieved, and pertinent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that satisfied the inclusion criteria were included. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) were the reported measure of the pooled effects. To find between-study heterogeneities, the I-squared test was employed.

Results: A total of 2427 participants were involved in the twenty-one RCTs that were included. A meta-analysis showed that policosanol had no significant change in creatinine levels in participants consuming policosanol compared to placebo consumers (WMD = 0.21 µmol/l; 95% CI = - 0.85 to 1.26; P = 0.70). Policosanol consumption for durations ≥ 24 weeks significantly decreased creatinine, according to subgroup studies. There was a non-linear correlation between changes in creatinine levels and the dosage of prescription policosanol (P non_linearity = 0.002). However, the treatment time did not have a significant impact on creatinine levels in a non-linear manner (P non_linearity = 0.24).

Conclusion: Policosanol supplementation has no significant effect on creatinine levels.

Keywords: Creatinine; Meta-analysis; Policosanol; Randomized controlled trials.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
PRISMA 2020 flow diagram for new systematic reviews which included searches of databases and registers only. From: Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 2021;372:n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Forest plot detailing weighted mean difference and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the effect of policosanol on creatinine
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Non-linear dose–response relations between policosanol dosage (mg/d) and unstandardized mean difference in creatinine. The 95% CI is revealed in the shaded regions
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Non-linear dose–response relations between duration of treatment (weeks) and unstandardized mean difference in creatinine. The 95% CI is revealed in the shaded regions
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Funnel plot demonstrating publication bias in the studies reporting the effect of policosanol on creatinine
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Funnel plot displaying publication bias in the studies reporting the impact of policosanol on creatinine
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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