Effects of nutritional supplementation combined with exercise on BMI and lipid profiles in individuals with overweight or obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND

This study systematically evaluated the effects of nutritional supplementation combined with exercise on BMI and lipid profiles in individuals with overweight or obesity.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases from their inception to January 10, 2026, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing "nutritional supplementation combined with exercise" with "placebo." The primary outcome measure was BMI; secondary outcomes included total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Weight-adjusted mean differences (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model. Data analysis was performed using Stata 15. Study reporting followed the PRISMA statement, and the risk of bias of included randomized controlled trials was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool.

RESULTS

Twelve RCTs involving 315 participants (161 in the intervention group and 154 in the control group) were included. Compared with placebo/control conditions, combined exercise and supplement-based interventions significantly reduced BMI (WMD = -1.72, 95% CI: -2.61 to -0.83; I 2 = 68.7%) and LDL-C (WMD = -15.20, 95% CI: -17.12 to -13.27; I 2 = 0%), increased HDL-C (WMD = 5.74, 95% CI: 3.66-7.83; I 2 = 84.7%), and reduced TG (WMD = -16.54, 95% CI: -25.11 to -7.97; I 2 = 83.1%) and TC (WMD = -15.30, 95% CI: -25.72 to -4.88; I 2 = 92.7%). Subgroup analyses suggested that interventions incorporating aerobic exercise and those lasting 8-12 weeks, particularly 12 weeks, were associated with more favorable outcomes. However, substantial heterogeneity was observed for several lipid outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Nutritional supplementation combined with exercise may be associated with improvements in BMI and lipid profiles in individuals with overweight or obesity. However, because the included studies varied in supplement type, exercise protocol, intervention duration, and participant characteristics, the findings should be interpreted cautiously. Larger, well-designed randomized trials with standardized intervention protocols and longer follow-up are needed to confirm these effects.