Comparative Effectiveness of Exercise, Protein Supplementation, and Combined Interventions for Sarcopenia Management...

Background/Objectives: The comparative efficacy and optimal combination strategies of exercise intervention, nutritional supplementation, and their integration for older women with sarcopenia remain inadequately supported by high-quality evidence. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) until February 2025. A frequentist random-effects network meta-analysis was conducted to compare the relative effects of different interventions. The quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE framework, and interventions were ranked based on relative efficacy and evidence certainty. Results: A total of 21 randomized controlled trials involving 1215 participants were included. The network meta-analysis showed that combined exercise and nutritional interventions were the most effective in improving handgrip strength (MD = 1.95, 95% CI: 0.1 to 3.18; SUCRA = 74%), usual gait speed (MD = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.17; SUCRA = 94.49%), maximum gait speed (MD = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.38; SUCRA = 82.17%), and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (MD = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.38; SUCRA = 92.83%). Exercise alone significantly improved knee extension strength (SMD = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.41 to 1.08; SUCRA = 84.58%). However, nutritional supplementation alone did not significantly improve any outcome. No intervention demonstrated a significant effect on skeletal muscle mass index. Conclusion: Exercise interventions effectively enhance muscle mass, strength, and physical function in older women with sarcopenia. Combined exercise and nutritional supplementation may offer superior benefits compared with exercise alone.