Spinach extract supports muscle strength in adults over 50, says recent study

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A recent study¹ conducted by the Sports Physiology Department of the Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM) in Spain, found that a proprietary spinach extract called Spisar (from Euromed, based in Mollet del Vallès, Spain) helped support muscle strength and fitness in subjects over the age of 50. In the study, published in Nutrients, 45 healthy male and female subjects over the age of 50 were randomized to receive either four 500 mg of the spinach extract or placebo daily for 12 weeks. During these 12 weeks, subjects also undertook a resistance training program which consisted of three one-hour sessions per week.

Results showed that while both the experimental and placebo group saw significant improvements in muscle strength, subjects taking the spinach extract saw a greater magnitude of improvement compared to placebo. The extract, obtained from the nutrient-rich leaves of spinach cultivated in Southern Spain and processed through an eco-friendly, proprietary extract technology using only purified water as a solvent. Spinach leaves are naturally high in phytoecdysteroids, and Spisar is a standardized for 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) – the major naturally-occurring ecdysteroid in plants.

“In an ever-ageing society, it is of major importance to maintain mobility and overall wellbeing for as long as possible. Our spinach extract can contribute to that in an entirely natural but efficient way, and therefore allows manufacturers to react to emerging market demand for muscle fitness safe ingredients that can be used by a wider age-range,” said Andrea Angara, head of scientific communications and marketing for Euromed.

Reference

1. Pérez-Piñero S et al. “A 12-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, evaluating the effect of supplementation with a spinach extract on skeletal muscle fitness in adults older than 50 years of age.” Nutrients, vol. 13, no. 12 (2021): 4373