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Randomized trial assesses muscle strength improvement with mealworm hydrolysate in older adults, suggesting positive effects on physical function.
Background Mealworm hydrolysate (MH) contains bioactive peptides with reported effects in preclinical studies. Objective This study examined whether MH supplementation combined with walking exercise improves muscle strength and physical function in older adults with low grip strength. Methods In a 12-week double-blind randomized trial ( ClinicalTrials.gov : KCT0010726; IRB No. 2401/004-003), 98 adults (aged 50–75) received either MH (2000 mg/day) or placebo. All participants walked 30 min, three times per week. Primary outcomes were grip strength, isokinetic knee strength, and the Short Physical Performance Battery (balance, gait speed, and sit-to-stand test). Results The MH group showed greater improvements in grip strength, lower-limb strength, and sit-to-stand performance ( p < 0.05) compared to placebo. TNF-α levels significantly decreased only in the MH group. Conclusion MH supplementation safely enhances neuromuscular function beyond walking exercise alone; however, the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated.
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Ahn et al. (2026) studied this question.
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