The Impact of Exercise and Protein Intake on Inflammaging: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Reyhaneh Nejati Bervanlou; Nataša Hlaváčová; Vandré C Figueiredo; Seyyed Reza Attarzadeh Hosseini; Morteza Motahari Rad

doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuae169

The Impact of Exercise and Protein Intake on Inflammaging: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Nutr Rev. 2024 Nov 25:nuae169. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuae169. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Reyhaneh Nejati Bervanlou¹, Nataša Hlaváčová^{1

2}, Vandré C Figueiredo³, Seyyed Reza Attarzadeh Hosseini⁴, Morteza Motahari Rad^{1

4}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
² Physiological Institute, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava 83303, Slovakia.
³ Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, United States.
⁴ Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

PMID: 39584460
DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuae169

Abstract

Context: Sarcopenia and cachexia lead to muscle wasting and increased health risks in older adults. Both sarcopenia and cachexia are associated with inflammaging, a chronic low-grade inflammatory state linked to aging. Strategies to preserve muscle mass and function are crucial for maintaining independence and quality of life among the elderly.

Objective: This meta-analysis and systematic review was conducted to comprehensively assess the individual and combined effects of exercise training and protein supplementation on circulatory markers of inflammation in older adults.

Data sources: A systematic search of the PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL, and SPORTDiscus databases was conducted to identify relevant studies published until January 2024.

Data extraction: The search focused on randomized controlled trials examining the impact of exercise training (Ex), protein consumption (Pro), or their combination (Ex-Pro) on inflammatory factors, including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) compared with a control (Con).

Data analysis: The meta-analysis revealed a significant decrease in CRP levels in the Ex vs Pro (P = .0003) and the Ex-Pro (P < .00001) group compared with the Ex group and in overall experimental (EXPL) subgroups (P = .0002) compared with the Con group. A similar reduction was found in IL-6 in the Ex group (P = .001), Ex-Pro group (P = .05), and EXPL (P = .0002) subgroup compared with the Pro group. However, for TNF-α levels, a significant reduction was noted only in the Ex-Pro group compared with the Ex group (P < .00001).

Conclusion: Exercise training and protein supplementation, particularly when combined, show greater benefits in mitigating inflammaging. These findings highlight the importance of combined interventions against muscle wasting. Future studies and meta-analyses should further address the effects of Ex and Pro and Ex-Pro on inflammatory markers of older adults, considering specific conditions and larger sample sizes to identify optimal strategies for the aging population.

Keywords: C-reactive protein; exercise training; inflammatory markers; interleukin-6; meta-analysis; protein supplementation; tumor necrosis factor-α.