Spinach Extract May Help Improve Muscle Strength

Spinach is rich in many nutrients, including naturally occurring ecdysteroids – which can help build muscle. A recent study has found that supplementation with spinach extract high in ecdysteroids may help improve muscle strength.

Participants included 45 healthy adults over the age of 50. They consumed 2 grams of spinach extract or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. They also participated in a moderate intensity training program for 1 hour 3 times per week. Muscle strength was assessed at baseline and at the end of the study.

Participants in the spinach group saw higher improvements in muscle strength compared to the placebo group. Specifically, they saw improvements in total work per repetition maximum in knee extension and in total work per repetition maximum in hand grip. Participants in the spinach group saw also higher improvements in muscle quality.

The study was conducted by researchers from UCAM Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia. It was published online ahead of print on December 4, 2021 in the journal Nutrients.

According to a previous study, omega-3’s may help promote muscle mass.