Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38641937›Full record

Trial reportJournal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle2024

Protein-enriched soup and weekly exercise improve muscle health: A randomized trial in mid-to-old age with inadequate protein intake.

Li-Ning Peng, Ming-Hsien Lin, Sung-Hua Tseng, Ko-Han Yen, Huei-Fang Lee, Fei-Yuan Hsiao, Liang-Kung Chen

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.9field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Trial
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Understanding the Metabolic Fingerprint of Muscle Aging.The journal of nutrition, health & aging · 2025
    Article
  8. What Is 'Muscle Health'? A Narrative Review and Conceptual Framework.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2025
    Review
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Li-Ning PengCenter for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Ming-Hsien LinCenter for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Sung-Hua TsengCenter for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Ko-Han YenCenter for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Huei-Fang LeeCenter for Healthy Longevity and Aging Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Fei-Yuan HsiaoGraduate Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Liang-Kung ChenCenter for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.ORCID 0000-0002-2387-8508
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University · TWNational Taiwan University · TW

Funding

Interdisciplinary Research Center for Healthy Longevity of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityMinistry of Science and Technology, Taiwan NSTC 112-2321-B-075-004Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan NSTC 112-2321-B-A49-006National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and the Laurel Corporation 107J034
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrior research has highlighted the synergistic impact of protein supplementation on muscle function post-exercise in adults; however, evidence supporting the combined effects were less robust and inconsistent on those with protein insufficiency. This investigation aims to explore efficacy of protein-enriched soup coupled with exercise on muscle health and metabolism in middle-aged and older adults with suboptimal protein intake.

methodsAn open-label, 12-week, randomized controlled trial involving participants with insufficient protein intake (<1.0 g/kg/day) was done. The intervention group consumed protein-enriched soup (24-30 g protein daily) and 1-h weekly exercise, while controls received health education. Assessments included laboratory tests, functional assessments, and body composition.

resultsIn this trial, 97 out of 100 randomized participants (mean age: 64.65 ± 4.84 years, 81.8% female) completed the study (47 in intervention group and 50 in control group). Compared results of baselines, at 1 and 3 months of intervention, significant improvements in waist circumference (83.48 ± 10.22 vs. 82.5 ± 9.88 vs. 82.37 ± 9.42 cm, P for trend = 0.046), 6-min walking distance (525.65 ± 58.46 vs. 534.47 ± 51.87 vs. 552.02 ± 57.66 m, P for trend = 0.001), five-time sit-to-stand time (7.63 ± 1.63 vs. 6.81 ± 1.8 vs. 6.4 ± 1.42 s, P for trend <0.001), grip strength (26.74 ± 6.54 vs. 27.53 ± 6.99 vs. 28.52 ± 7.09 kg, P for trend <0.001), and MNA score (26.8 ± 2.14 vs. 27.73 ± 1.74 vs. 27.55 ± 1.72, P for trend <0.001) were discerned within the intervention group. The intervention demonstrated a significant reduction in serum triglyceride (105.32 ± 49.84 vs. 101.36 ± 42.58 vs. 93.43 ± 41.49 mg/dL, P for trend = 0.023), increased HDL-C (60.04 ± 16.21 vs. 60 ± 17.37 vs. 62.55 ± 18.27 mg/dL, P for trend = 0.02), and DHEA-S levels (97.11 ± 54.39 vs. 103.39 ± 56.75 vs. 106.83 ± 60.56 μg/dL, P for trend = 0.002). Serum myostatin did not differ in both groups, but serum leptin levels significantly increased (9118.88 ± 5811.68 vs. 11508.97 ± 7151.08 vs. 11220.80 ± 7190.71 pg/mL, P for trend = 0.016) in controls. The intervention group showed greater improvements in 6 min walking distance (β = 0.71, 95% CI: 6.88 to 40.79, P = 0.006), five-time sit-to-stand test (β = -0.87, 95% CI: -1.59 to -0.15, P = 0.017), MNA score (β = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.20 to 1.71, P = 0.013), serum triglycerides (β = -15.01, 95% CI: -27.83 to -2.20, P = 0.022), LDL-C (β = -9.23, 95% CI: -16.98 to -1.47, P = 0.020), and DHEA-S levels (β = 9.98, 95% CI: 0.45 to 19.51, P = 0.04) than controls.

conclusionsProtein-enriched soup with weekly exercise over 12 weeks significantly improved physical performance, lipid profile, and DHEA-S levels among middle-aged and older adults with inadequate protein intake, while studies assessing long-term benefits of the intervention are needed.

Indexed as

Dietary ProteinsExerciseAgedBody CompositionFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMuscle, SkeletalDietary ProteinsMetabolismMuscle healthProtein intake

Identifiers

PMID38641937
PMCPMC11294020
OpenAlexW4394979822

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.