The Study
Effects of insect consumption on exercise performance, body composition and metabolism: a review
This study is like a summary of other studies, but it doesn’t do its own experiment. It can tell us what some other research found, but it can’t prove that eating insects causes better performance or body changes.
Analysis score
Maximum 5 for a narrative review.
Where the score came from
This study looks at whether eating insects can help people and animals exercise better, build muscle, and burn fat, especially when combined with physical activity.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 51 / 100
Quality score
Based on clinical experience or non-systematic literature reviews. The lowest level of evidence as they are most susceptible to bias and personal perspective.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The results suggest insects could be a useful protein source for improving fitness, but more research is needed to confirm how well it works in people.
- 2Eating insects might help increase muscle growth and strength, especially with exercise.
- 3It may also help reduce fat and improve energy use.
- 4In bugs and animals, it helped with stamina and tiredness.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Insects as Food and Feed
Year
2024
Authors
J. Vanlin, V. Selvanayagam, T. Khong, A. Yusof
Related Content
Claims (5)
Eating bugs might help animals go longer without getting tired, and they show fewer signs of fatigue in their bodies — but we don’t know if it works the same way in people yet.
Eating bugs might help build muscle when you lift weights, because they give your body the building blocks (amino acids) and turn on the muscle-growth switch inside your cells.
Taking insect supplements might help you get stronger if you're also working out, but we don't have solid proof yet because other lifestyle factors weren't well tracked.
Eating insects might help people lose fat and gain muscle, but scientists aren't totally sure yet because the results aren't the same in every study.
Eating insects might give you more energy when you work out, at least in animal studies that saw bigger metabolism boosts when both were combined.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.