Condition
Sarcopenia
Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass, strength, and function, driven by less activity, too little protein, and muscles that respond poorly to growth signals. Protein and creatine have the strongest evidence among supplements, and whey protein trials found body fat went down. That whey finding is limited, though: the studies were small, and HMB and nicotinamide mononucleotide showed no clear difference in body fat or muscle mass.
Sources: PMID 21798863; PMID 36235862
- Supplements studied
- 5
- Graded outcomes
- 4
- Trials
- 3
- People studied
- 5,152
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Fat Small Decrease | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 56 people | |||
| Muscle Mass | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 56 people | |||
| Strength | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 232 people | |||
Studies that measured strength | ||||||
| Walking Ability | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 168 people | |||
HMB
- Body Fat
- Fat-free mass (FFM): improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Fat No effect | NoneNo effect | 1 study | 638 people | |||
| Fat-free mass (FFM) | Improves (the measure goes up) | 273 people | ||||
Nicotinamide Mononucleotide
- Muscle Mass
- Walking Ability: improves
- Strength: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle Mass No effect | NoneNo effect | 1 study | 108 people | |||
Studies that measured muscle mass | ||||||
| Walking Ability | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 109 people | |||
| Strength | Improves (the measure goes up) | 146 people | ||||
Soy Protein
- Muscle Mass: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle Mass | Improves (the measure goes up) | 2 studies | 1,048 people | |||
Studies that measured muscle mass
| ||||||
Key findings
- Body FatImproves (the measure goes down)
- Muscle Mass
The Sarcopenia (Age-Related Muscle Loss) Support protocol
2 primary supplements · 7 supporting supplements
- Protein / Whey Protein1.0–1.5 g protein/kg body weight daily; 25–40 g per meal; whey preferred for leucine content
- Creatine Monohydrate3–5 g daily
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Studies cited
21 studies from PubMed
- Whey Protein Supplementation with or without Vitamin D on Sarcopenia-Related Measures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- Effect of Whey Protein Supplementation on Perioperative Outcomes in Patients with Cancer-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PROSPERO 2020: CRD42020188666).
- Effect of Whey Protein Supplementation in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- The effects of a higher protein intake during energy restriction on changes in body composition and physical function in older women
- A whey-protein supplement increases fat loss and spares lean muscle in obese subjects: a randomized human clinical study
- Efficacy and Safety of Whey Protein Supplements on Vital Sign and Physical Performance Among Athletes: A Network Meta-Analysis.
- Effects of Whey Protein Alone or as Part of a Multi-ingredient Formulation on Strength, Fat-Free Mass, or Lean Body Mass in Resistance-Trained Individuals: A Meta-analysis.
- Changes in antioxidant status and cardiovascular risk factors of overweight young men after six weeks supplementation of whey protein isolate and resistance training
- The effect of resistance training combined with timed ingestion of protein on muscle fiber size and muscle strength
- Whey Protein Before and During Resistance Exercise Has No Effect on Muscle Mass and Strength in Untrained Young Adults
- Effect of whey protein supplementation on weight and body composition indicators: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.
- Effect of protein-supplement timing on strength, power, and body-composition changes in resistance-trained men
- The effects of protein and amino acid supplementation on performance and training adaptations during ten weeks of resistance training
- Effect of Plant Versus Animal Protein on Muscle Mass, Strength, Physical Performance, and Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
- No Difference Between the Effects of Supplementing With Soy Protein Versus Animal Protein on Gains in Muscle Mass and Strength in Response to Resistance Exercise
- The Effect of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide and Riboside on Skeletal Muscle Mass and Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- The efficacy and safety of β-nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation in healthy middle-aged adults: a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, dose-dependent clinical trial.
- Medium-chain triglycerides (8:0 and 10:0) are promising nutrients for sarcopenia: a randomized controlled trial
- A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial Assessing If Medium-Chain Triglycerides in Combination with Moderate-Intensity Exercise Increase Muscle Strength in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Adults
- Medium-chain triglycerides (8:0 and 10:0) increase muscle mass and function in frail older adults: a combined data analysis of clinical trials
- The effects of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate or HMB-rich nutritional supplements on sarcopenia patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.