chia seed and Reduced Triglyceride Levels

Research synthesisModerate evidenceSmall effect4 studies · 3 beneficial · 1 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 4 studies, 3 reported beneficial small-to-large effects of chia seed supplementation on reduced triglyceride levels, with 1 neutral finding. Two meta-analyses (n=500 and n=835) found statistically significant small reductions (g = -0.200; WMD of -8.69 to -13.11 mg/dL), while one small RCT in patients with hypertriglyceridaemia showed a large beneficial effect with 30 g/day over 56 days. Effects typically observed at 8 weeks.

Effective dose range: 30 g/day
Studied populations: patients with hypertriglyceridaemia; general adult populations from clinical trials

Caveats: Available evidence is overwhelmingly positive — clinical literature in this area is subject to publication bias (null-result studies are less likely to be published or indexed). Evidence base is small (only 4 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. The neutral meta-analysis (2021) did not reach statistical significance, suggesting the true effect may be modest and inconsistent.

Generated Jun 12, 2026

Doses used in studies

g/day: 30 (median 30, IQR 30–30) — 1 study

Time to effect

Median: 8 weeks · IQR 8 weeks–8 weeks · Range 8 weeks–8 weeks — Reported in 1 of 4 studies

4 of 4 papersPopulation:

A Critical Review of the Health Benefits Associated with Chia Seeds (Salvia Hispanica L.).
- 2025-10-12
- Meta-Analysis · n = 500
- Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands) 80(4)
- - Zena Kadhim Al-Younis
  - Sarmad Ghazi Al-Shawi
  - A K Kareem
  - Safia Obaidur Rab
  - Renuka Jyothi S
  - Swati Mishra
  - Ashish Singh Chauhan
  - Udaybir Singh
  - Ahmad Hossen
  - Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed
- PubMed: 41076614
- DOI: 10.1007/s11130-025-01401-z
8 Insights on
- Reduced Triglyceride Levels
- High evidence
Chia supplementation resulted in significant reductions in triglycerides (g = -0.200)
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Significant
Yes
The impact of chia seeds on diabetes, blood pressure, lipid profile, and obesity indicators: Systematic review and meta-regression analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials.
- 2024-12
- Meta-Analysis · n = 835
- Prostaglandins & other lipid mediators 175
- - Hawal Lateef Fateh
  - Dyari H Ahmed
  - Maryam Sharifi Najafabadi
  - Jalal Moludi
- PubMed: 39299649
- DOI: 10.1016/j.prostaglandins.2024.106907
4 Insights on
- Reduced Triglyceride Levels
- High evidence
- Clinical
The findings revealed a notable decrease in triglyceride levels across both higher and lower doses of chia seeds, with weighted mean differences (WMD) of -8.69 mg/dL and -13.11 mg/dL, respectively.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Significant
Yes
Dose
lower doses
Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) consumption and lipid profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- 2021
- Meta-Analysis
- Food & function 12(19)
- - Luciana de Abreu Silva
  - Bárbara Júlia Fonseca Verneque
  - Ana Paula Lucas Mota
  - Camila Kümmel Duarte
- PubMed: 34378609
- DOI: 10.1039/d1fo01287h
4 Insights on
- Reduced Triglyceride Levels
- High evidence
- Rigorous Journal
- Adults
decreasing TG (MD = -14.09 mg dL-1, 95% CI = [-33.46; 5.28])
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Significant
No
Dose
not specified in abstract
Effect of chia seeds or concentrated fish oil on cardiometabolic risk markers in subjects with hypertriglyceridaemia: a parallel clinical trial.
- 2024-10-03
- RCT · n = 22
- Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association 37(6)
- - Mohammad Reza Shahparvari
  - Javad Nasrollahzadeh
- PubMed: 39360590
- DOI: 10.1111/jhn.13369
3 Insights on
- Reduced Triglyceride Levels
- High evidence
- Clinical
The plasma TG decreased in both the chia seed and fish oil groups in comparison to the control group (p = 0.001). However, no significant difference was observed between the chia seed and fish oil groups (change from baseline mean: 145.2 and 136.7 mg/dL for the chia seed and fish oil groups, respectively).
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Large
Significant
Yes
Dose
30 g/day

chia seed and Reduced Triglyceride Levels

A Critical Review of the Health Benefits Associated with Chia Seeds (Salvia Hispanica L.).

The impact of chia seeds on diabetes, blood pressure, lipid profile, and obesity indicators: Systematic review and meta-regression analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials.

Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) consumption and lipid profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Effect of chia seeds or concentrated fish oil on cardiometabolic risk markers in subjects with hypertriglyceridaemia: a parallel clinical trial.