ProteinNEW2026-09

Combined effects of strength training, whey protein, and HMB on sarcopenia in older people: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Hernandez-Martinez Jordan, Cid-Calfucura Izham, Vásquez-Carrasco Edgar, Branco Braulio Henrique Magnani et al. — Medicine

Summary

この研究は、筋力トレーニングとホエイプロテインやHMBなどのサプリメントの組み合わせが、高齢者のサルコペニア（加齢による筋肉減少症）に効果があるかを既存の研究を分析して調べました。その結果、この組み合わせが筋肉量と身体能力を改善する可能性があり、特にホエイプロテインと運動の併用が有望であることが示唆されました。

AI-generated summary — read the original

Key points

Combining strength training with certain protein supplements can help older adults combat age-related muscle loss.
Whey protein, when taken with strength training, was particularly effective at improving muscle strength.
While HMB also showed some benefits, whey protein appeared more consistently impactful in this review.
These findings are promising for managing sarcopenia, but more research is still needed.

What the study looked at

This paper is a systematic review and meta-analysis, which means researchers gathered and analyzed findings from multiple existing studies. **What question did this study ask?** Researchers wanted to know if combining strength training with specific nutritional supplements—whey protein or HMB—could help older adults who have sarcopenia, a condition characterized by significant muscle loss and weakness. **How was the study conducted?** The researchers systematically reviewed seven high-quality randomized controlled trials that had already been published, involving a total of 472 participants. They combined the data from these studies to get a broader picture of the effects. **What did the study find?** The analysis indicated that combining strength training with either whey protein or HMB supplements generally led to improvements in lean muscle mass and various physical abilities, such as grip strength and walking performance. Specifically, whey protein combined with strength training showed a clear benefit for grip strength, though the effects of HMB were less consistent across the studies.

Dietary takeaway

For older adults looking to maintain or improve muscle health, this research suggests that pairing regular strength training with adequate protein intake, potentially including whey protein supplements, could be a beneficial strategy. While these findings are encouraging for managing sarcopenia, it's important to remember that this is a review of existing studies, and more research is always needed to provide definitive dietary recommendations.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although previous studies have reported the benefits of combining physical activity with supplementation on body composition and physical performance in older people with sarcopenia, previous meta-analysis often included heterogeneous interventions, combining multiple types of supplements. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyze the available body of published peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) studies on the effects of strength training (ST) combined with supplementation (S) (ST + S) using whey protein (WP) and beta-hidroxi-beta-metilbutirato (HMB) on body composition, physical performance, and biomarkers in older people with sarcopenia. METHODS: Using 6 databases PubMed, Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature Complete, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science a thorough literature search was carried out to March 2025. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation, Tool for the assEssment of Study qualiTy and reporting in EXercise, Rob 2, and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses tools were used to evaluate the methodological quality and certainty of evidence. Hedge g effect sizes were computed. Potential sources of heterogeneity, such as subgroup analyses (type of supplements or training vs supplementation), were chosen using a fixed- or random-effects model. The protocol (code CRD42025643858) was registered in International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews. RESULTS: Of 2322 records, 7 RCTs with 472 participants were included. These 7 studies showed a high methodological quality ≥10 points in Tool for the assEssment of Study qualiTy and reporting in EXercise. Four overall meta-analysis showed significant increases (P < .05) in fat-free mass (effect sizes [ES] = 0.39), maximal isometric handgrip strength (MIHS, ES = 1.38), chair stand test (ES = 0.33), and 6-minute walk test (ES = 0.33). In the subgroup meta-analysis, the ST + S subgroup showed a significant increase (P < .01) in MIHS compared to supplementation alone. Similarly, WP combined with ST was associated with a significant improvement in MIHS (ES = 0.49), whereas no significant improvement was observed with HMB combined with ST. In contrast, in fat mass and knee extension strength, no significant differences were reported between ST + S and ST or S. CONCLUSION: ST combined with WP or HMB supplementation may contribute to improvements in fat-free mass and selected physical performance outcomes in older people with sarcopenia. However, the limited number of RCTs, relatively small sample sizes, moderate-to-high risk of bias, and inconsistent subgroup findings indicate that the current evidence should be interpreted cautiously and considered promising rather than definitive.

View on PubMed →DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000050477