Effects of whey and soy protein supplementation on inflammatory cytokines in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Konstantinos Prokopidis; Mohsen Mazidi; Rajiv Sankaranarayanan; Behnam Tajik; Anne McArdle; Masoud Isanejad

doi:10.1017/S0007114522001787

Effects of whey and soy protein supplementation on inflammatory cytokines in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Konstantinos Prokopidis, Mohsen Mazidi, Rajiv Sankaranarayanan, Behnam Tajik, Anne McArdle, Masoud Isanejad

Health Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Low-grade inflammation is a mediator of muscle proteostasis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of isolated whey and soy proteins on inflammatory markers.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature search of randomised controlled trials (RCT) through MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases from inception until September 2021. To determine the effectiveness of isolated proteins on circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6 and TNF-α, a meta-analysis using a random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled effects (CRD42021252603).

RESULTS: Thirty-one RCT met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. A significant reduction of circulating IL-6 levels following whey protein [Mean Difference (MD): -0·79, 95 % CI: -1·15, -0·42, I2 = 96 %] and TNF-α levels following soy protein supplementation (MD: -0·16, 95 % CI: -0·26, -0·05, I2 = 68 %) was observed. The addition of soy isoflavones exerted a further decline in circulating TNF-α levels (MD: -0·20, 95 % CI: -0·31, -0·08, I2 = 34 %). According to subgroup analysis, whey protein led to a statistically significant decrease in circulating IL-6 levels in individuals with sarcopenia and pre-frailty (MD: -0·98, 95 % CI: -1·56, -0·39, I2 = 0 %). These findings may be dependent on participant characteristics and treatment duration.

CONCLUSIONS: These data support that whey and soy protein supplementation elicit anti-inflammatory effects by reducing circulating IL-6 and TNF-α levels, respectively. This effect may be enhanced by soy isoflavones and may be more prominent in individuals with sarcopenia.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	759-770
Number of pages	12
Journal	BRITISH JOURNAL OF NUTRITION
Volume	129
Issue number	5
Early online date	16 Jun 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114522001787
Publication status	Published - 14 Mar 2023

Keywords

Humans
Aged
Soybean Proteins/pharmacology
Whey Proteins/pharmacology
Cytokines
Whey/chemistry
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Interleukin-6
Sarcopenia
C-Reactive Protein/analysis
Inflammation/metabolism
Dietary Supplements
Isoflavones/analysis

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10.1017/S0007114522001787Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{e80feb15b8c647d9a827a33de4f1a476,

title = "Effects of whey and soy protein supplementation on inflammatory cytokines in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis",

abstract = "BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Low-grade inflammation is a mediator of muscle proteostasis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of isolated whey and soy proteins on inflammatory markers.METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature search of randomised controlled trials (RCT) through MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases from inception until September 2021. To determine the effectiveness of isolated proteins on circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6 and TNF-α, a meta-analysis using a random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled effects (CRD42021252603).RESULTS: Thirty-one RCT met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. A significant reduction of circulating IL-6 levels following whey protein [Mean Difference (MD): -0·79, 95 % CI: -1·15, -0·42, I2 = 96 %] and TNF-α levels following soy protein supplementation (MD: -0·16, 95 % CI: -0·26, -0·05, I2 = 68 %) was observed. The addition of soy isoflavones exerted a further decline in circulating TNF-α levels (MD: -0·20, 95 % CI: -0·31, -0·08, I2 = 34 %). According to subgroup analysis, whey protein led to a statistically significant decrease in circulating IL-6 levels in individuals with sarcopenia and pre-frailty (MD: -0·98, 95 % CI: -1·56, -0·39, I2 = 0 %). These findings may be dependent on participant characteristics and treatment duration.CONCLUSIONS: These data support that whey and soy protein supplementation elicit anti-inflammatory effects by reducing circulating IL-6 and TNF-α levels, respectively. This effect may be enhanced by soy isoflavones and may be more prominent in individuals with sarcopenia.",

keywords = "Humans, Aged, Soybean Proteins/pharmacology, Whey Proteins/pharmacology, Cytokines, Whey/chemistry, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Interleukin-6, Sarcopenia, C-Reactive Protein/analysis, Inflammation/metabolism, Dietary Supplements, Isoflavones/analysis",

author = "Konstantinos Prokopidis and Mohsen Mazidi and Rajiv Sankaranarayanan and Behnam Tajik and Anne McArdle and Masoud Isanejad",

year = "2023",

month = mar,

day = "14",

doi = "10.1017/S0007114522001787",

language = "English",

volume = "129",

pages = "759--770",

journal = "BRITISH JOURNAL OF NUTRITION",

issn = "0007-1145",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effects of whey and soy protein supplementation on inflammatory cytokines in older adults

T2 - a systematic review and meta-analysis

AU - Prokopidis, Konstantinos

AU - Mazidi, Mohsen

AU - Sankaranarayanan, Rajiv

AU - Tajik, Behnam

AU - McArdle, Anne

AU - Isanejad, Masoud

PY - 2023/3/14

Y1 - 2023/3/14

N2 - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Low-grade inflammation is a mediator of muscle proteostasis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of isolated whey and soy proteins on inflammatory markers.METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature search of randomised controlled trials (RCT) through MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases from inception until September 2021. To determine the effectiveness of isolated proteins on circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6 and TNF-α, a meta-analysis using a random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled effects (CRD42021252603).RESULTS: Thirty-one RCT met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. A significant reduction of circulating IL-6 levels following whey protein [Mean Difference (MD): -0·79, 95 % CI: -1·15, -0·42, I2 = 96 %] and TNF-α levels following soy protein supplementation (MD: -0·16, 95 % CI: -0·26, -0·05, I2 = 68 %) was observed. The addition of soy isoflavones exerted a further decline in circulating TNF-α levels (MD: -0·20, 95 % CI: -0·31, -0·08, I2 = 34 %). According to subgroup analysis, whey protein led to a statistically significant decrease in circulating IL-6 levels in individuals with sarcopenia and pre-frailty (MD: -0·98, 95 % CI: -1·56, -0·39, I2 = 0 %). These findings may be dependent on participant characteristics and treatment duration.CONCLUSIONS: These data support that whey and soy protein supplementation elicit anti-inflammatory effects by reducing circulating IL-6 and TNF-α levels, respectively. This effect may be enhanced by soy isoflavones and may be more prominent in individuals with sarcopenia.

AB - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Low-grade inflammation is a mediator of muscle proteostasis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of isolated whey and soy proteins on inflammatory markers.METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature search of randomised controlled trials (RCT) through MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases from inception until September 2021. To determine the effectiveness of isolated proteins on circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6 and TNF-α, a meta-analysis using a random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled effects (CRD42021252603).RESULTS: Thirty-one RCT met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. A significant reduction of circulating IL-6 levels following whey protein [Mean Difference (MD): -0·79, 95 % CI: -1·15, -0·42, I2 = 96 %] and TNF-α levels following soy protein supplementation (MD: -0·16, 95 % CI: -0·26, -0·05, I2 = 68 %) was observed. The addition of soy isoflavones exerted a further decline in circulating TNF-α levels (MD: -0·20, 95 % CI: -0·31, -0·08, I2 = 34 %). According to subgroup analysis, whey protein led to a statistically significant decrease in circulating IL-6 levels in individuals with sarcopenia and pre-frailty (MD: -0·98, 95 % CI: -1·56, -0·39, I2 = 0 %). These findings may be dependent on participant characteristics and treatment duration.CONCLUSIONS: These data support that whey and soy protein supplementation elicit anti-inflammatory effects by reducing circulating IL-6 and TNF-α levels, respectively. This effect may be enhanced by soy isoflavones and may be more prominent in individuals with sarcopenia.

KW - Humans

KW - Aged

KW - Soybean Proteins/pharmacology

KW - Whey Proteins/pharmacology

KW - Cytokines

KW - Whey/chemistry

KW - Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

KW - Interleukin-6

KW - Sarcopenia

KW - C-Reactive Protein/analysis

KW - Inflammation/metabolism

KW - Dietary Supplements

KW - Isoflavones/analysis

U2 - 10.1017/S0007114522001787

DO - 10.1017/S0007114522001787

M3 - Review article

C2 - 35706399

SN - 0007-1145

VL - 129

SP - 759

EP - 770

JO - BRITISH JOURNAL OF NUTRITION

JF - BRITISH JOURNAL OF NUTRITION

IS - 5

ER -