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Nutritional Supplementation Combined with Exercise for Musculoskeletal Health in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Evaluating Proteins, Amino Acids, and Creatine across Reproductive Stages

Kee-Hsin Chen, Tzu-Pei Yeh, Shu-Cheng Lin, Pi-Ju Liu, Dorothy Bai, I-Hui Chen
Int J Med Sci 2026 23(6):1933-1951

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 42158825
PubMed Central
PMC13181379
DOI
10.7150/ijms.130435
Funding
No explicit funding statement was located in the accessible PubMed or publisher records during Biohack Blueprint's 2026-10-02 audit. This is an audit-status statement, not confirmation that the study received no funding.
Competing interests
The authors declared that no competing interests existed.

Study snapshot

DesignSystematic review and random-effects meta-analysis
ModelHuman
Sample14 trials; 763 women overall; 3 creatine trials
InterventionProtein, amino-acid/derivative or creatine supplementation combined with structured exercise
DurationVaried by included trial
EndpointsMuscle mass; Strength; Bone mineral density; Bone mineral content; Body composition; Adverse events

What the study showed, in plain terms

Women's musculoskeletal meta-analysis covering several supplement classes with exercise; creatine contributed only three of the 14 included trials, so the pooled estimates are not creatine-specific.

Key findings

Across mixed supplement classes, there was no robust pooled improvement in muscle mass or bone outcomes. Bench-press and handgrip strength improved modestly; the authors noted that selected upper-body strength signals were particularly associated with creatine studies.

What this study can and cannot tell us

The pooled analysis mixes proteins, amino acids and creatine, with only three creatine trials; it therefore cannot be read as a creatine-only meta-analysis. Reproductive stages, interventions and exercise programs were heterogeneous.

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction