The Study
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
This study looked at lots of different experiments where women took supplements and did exercise, and then compared them to women who only did exercise. It found that the supplements didn't really help with muscle size or bones, but might help a little with lifting weights with your arms. It doesn't prove supplements cause these changes, but it's the best kind of evidence we have for guessing whether they help.
Analysis score
Maximum 100 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
This study looked at whether taking supplements like protein or creatine while working out helps women build muscle, get stronger, or improve bone health.
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 564 / 100
Quality score
The highest quality evidence. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses that pool randomized controlled trials, giving the most reliable summary of experimental evidence.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Arm strength gains are nice, but leg strength matters more for walking and preventing falls.
- 2Bone health didn't improve, and the studies were too short to know if long-term benefits exist.
- 3Taking supplements didn't help women build more muscle or improve bone density.
- 4But they did get a little stronger in their arms and hands—especially if they took creatine.
- 5Their legs didn't get stronger.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
International Journal of Medical Sciences
Year
2026
Authors
Kee-Hsin Chen, Tzu-Pei Yeh, Shu-Cheng Lin, Pi-Ju Liu, Dorothy Bai, Irene Chen
Related Content
Claims (6)
In women at different reproductive stages, combining nutritional supplements with resistance training does not result in measurable increases in muscle mass, lean mass, or fat-free mass.
In women, taking creatine while doing resistance training increases upper-body strength in bench press and handgrip tests, but does not increase lower-body strength.
Combining nutritional supplements with resistance training does not change bone mineral density or bone mineral content in women at any stage of reproductive life, based on combined data from five studies.
In women at all reproductive stages, exercise is the most reliable way to improve musculoskeletal health. Nutritional supplements do not consistently improve muscle mass, bone health, or lower-body strength, although creatine may improve upper-body strength.
Studies on nutritional supplements for bone health in women are too short, use imprecise measurements, and test too many different supplements, so it is not possible to determine what works or what dose is best.
Trained lifters who take creatine supplements gain exactly 1.8 kilograms of lean mass in six weeks.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.