Black cumin powder and blood fats in Hashimoto's thyroiditis
What it found
In 40 people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, taking 2 g of powdered black cumin daily for 8 weeks reduced body weight, BMI, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and raised HDL cholesterol.
The placebo group saw none of these changes.
What they found
Studies in people
Weight and BMI
People taking black cumin powder lost weight and had a lower BMI after 8 weeks. The placebo group showed no such changes.
LDL and triglycerides
LDL cholesterol and triglycerides fell in the black cumin group after 8 weeks. These changes were not seen in the placebo group.
HDL cholesterol
HDL cholesterol rose in the black cumin group after 8 weeks. The placebo group saw no rise.
Blood sugar and insulin
Fasting blood sugar dropped slightly but not significantly in the black cumin group. Insulin rose in both groups, with no meaningful difference between them.
Nesfatin-1 and triglycerides
Nesfatin-1 levels did not change with black cumin. Higher nesfatin-1 at the start was linked to lower triglycerides.
Thyroid markers
In the black cumin group, TSH and anti-TPO levels fell and T3 rose after 8 weeks.
What the authors conclude
“We have demonstrated beneficial effects of powdered black cumin in improving serum lipids and reducing body weight in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say powdered black cumin seeds improved serum lipids and reduced body weight in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
- They suggest it "could be considered as a beneficial herbal supplement alongside with the disease- specific medications including Levothyroxine in management of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis- related metabolic abnormalities."
How it was done
Hashimoto's thyroiditis is linked to serious changes in blood fats and glucose, and the authors wanted to test whether powdered Nigella sativa could help. They noted that no study had yet looked at this herb in people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
Forty patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, aged 22 to 50, were randomly split into two groups. One group took 2 g of powdered Nigella sativa daily and the other took 2 g of starch as a placebo, for 8 weeks. Blood fats, glucose, and body measurements were checked at the start and end.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a small trial of 40 people over 8 weeks, so longer-term effects are unknown.
- The results apply only to people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, not to everyone.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- ETHICS APPROVAL AND CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE: All participants signed a written informed consent approved by the Institutional Review Board of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. The study design and protocol was approved by the ethical committee of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (Project number: 93173). The study has also been registered in Iranian registry of clinical trials (registration number IRCT2014090819082N2- Registered 2014-09-29). CONSENT FOR PUBLICATION: Not applicable. COMPETING INTERESTS: The authors declare that there is no competing of interest. PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
- Authors work at
- Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran
The paper
- Title
- Powdered black cumin seeds strongly improves serum lipids, atherogenic index of plasma and modulates anthropometric features in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Farhangi MA, Dehghan P, Tajmiri S (2018). Powdered black cumin seeds strongly improves serum lipids, atherogenic index of plasma and modulates anthropometric features in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Lipids in health and disease. doi:10.1186/s12944-018-0704-xFree full textPubMed 29587770DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error