Recently, a team from Osaka Metropolitan University, led by Associate Professor Akiko Kojima-Yuasa, studied Nigella sativa, commonly known as black cumin, to see whether its natural compounds can help improve cholesterol.
Earlier studies have shown that black cumin contains molecules that may affect how the body forms fat cells and stores fat.
In the recent study, the researchers used both lab experiments and a human study. In the human trial, adults took 5 grams of black cumin seed powder every day for eight weeks. This small change in their diet led to noticeable improvements in their cholesterol levels.
At the end of the study, participants had lower triglycerides, LDL or bad cholesterol, and total cholesterol, whereas their HDL or good cholesterol went up. These improvements pointed toward lower heart disease risk and better long-term health.
"This study strongly suggests that black cumin seeds are useful as a functional food for preventing obesity and lifestyle-related diseases," Kojima-Yuasa said. "It was so gratifying to see black cumin comprehensively demonstrate actual, demonstrable blood lipid-lowering effects in a human trial."
Meanwhile, the lab experiments helped explain why these benefits happen. Black cumin extract seemed to slow the growth of fat cells and reduce fat buildup. This matches earlier findings about its active ingredients, such as thymoquinone.
Further cell studies showed that black cumin extract blocked the formation and development of fat cells by preventing fat droplets from building up and stopping the cells from maturing.
"We hope to perform longer-term and larger-scale clinical trials to investigate the effects of black cumin on metabolism," Kojima-Yuasa concluded. "We are particularly interested in investigating its effects on insulin resistance in diabetes and inflammatory markers."
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