Table 2.

Subgroup analysis: effects by type of nutritional interventions on muscle mass, muscle Strength, and physical functional performance

Subgroups	Lean body mass					Appendicular skeletal muscle mass
	n	MD	95% CI	I2	Subgroup differences	n	MD	95% CI	I2	Subgroup differences
Creatine	4	2.61	0.51 ~ 4.72	9%	χ2 = 7.28 (p = .03)	–	–	–	–	χ2 = 0.62 (p = .43)
Multi-nutrients	2	0.94	−1.94 ~ 3.82	36%		2	0.39	−0.68 ~ 1.45	0%
Protein	4	−0.21	− 0.57 ~ 0.14	0%		2	−0.20	−1.23 ~ 0.82	47%
Subgroups	Hand grip strength					Knee extension strength
	n	SMD	95% CI	I2	Subgroup differences	n	SMD	95% CI	I2	Subgroup differences
Creatine	–	–	–	–	χ2 = 0.12 (p = .73)	2	0.74	0.09 ~ 1.38	7%	χ2 = 4.89 (p = .09)
Multi-nutrients	2	−0.04	−0.48 ~ 0.40	21%		2	0.05	−0.36 ~ 0.46	12%
Protein	3	0.05	−0.21 ~ 0.31	0%		6	−0.02	−0.20 ~ 0.17	0%
Subgroups	Chair stand test					Timed up and go test
	n	MD	95% CI	I2	Subgroup differences	n	MD	95% CI	I2	Subgroup differences
Multi-nutrients	2	0.15	−0.41 ~ 0.72	0%	χ2 = 1.05 (p = .31)	2	0.26	−0.31 ~ 0.83	32%	χ2 = 1.02 (p = .31)
Protein	3	−0.21	−0.60 ~ 0.19	0%		2	−0.06	−0.28 ~ 0.17	0%