The influence of arginine supplementation on IGF-1: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) secretion is thought to be induced by a semi-essential amino acid called arginine (Arg). Existing research on the effect of Arg on IGF-1 levels has provided conflicting results. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the efficacy of acute and chronic Arg supplementation on IGF-1 levels. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were systematically searched until November 2022. The meta-analysis was performed using random- and fixed-effects models. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were also carried out. Publication bias was assessed using Begg's test. Nine studies were included in this meta-analysis. Chronic Arg supplementation did not significantly change IGF-1 levels (SMD=0.13ng/ml; %95 CI:-0.21, 0.46; p=0.457). Furthermore, the IGF-1 level was not significantly affected by acute Arg supplementation (SMD=0.10ng/mL; CI:-0.42, 0.62; p=0.713). The meta-analysis results did not change following subgroup analyses based on the duration, dosage, age, placebo, and study population. In conclusion, there was no significant effect of Arg supplementation on IGF-1 concentration. The meta-analyses revealed no acute or chronic Arg supplementation impact on IGF-1 levels.