Inulin, muscle mass and gut bacteria in children with obesity
What it found
In children with obesity, 6 months of inulin supplements came with higher levels of two muscle markers.
In lab tests, inulin-fed Bifidobacterium made substances that calmed inflammation in immune cells.
What they found
Studies in people
Muscle markers in children
In the children who took inulin, levels of IL-15 and the creatinine/cystatin C ratio rose from the start to 6 months. These markers are linked to muscle building.
No change in other groups
The placebo and dietary fibre advice groups showed no changes in these muscle markers.
Animal and lab studies
Gut bacteria and inulin
In lab tests, Bifidobacterium grown with inulin produced short-chain fatty acids. These are substances that gut bacteria make when they break down fibre.
Calming inflammation in cells
When mouse immune cells were treated with the liquid from Bifidobacterium plus inulin, they made fewer inflammatory signals (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, iNOS) and more anti-inflammatory ones (FIZZ-1, TGF-β).
Cell energy in lab tests
In the same cell tests, the liquid from Bifidobacterium helped restore normal energy use in the immune cells, whether or not inulin was present.
What the authors conclude
“In conclusion, the supplementation of inulin significantly promoted the biomarkers of muscle building in agreement with fat-free mass gain in children with obesity.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say inulin supplementation significantly promoted biomarkers of muscle building, matching the fat-free mass gain seen in children with obesity.
- They suggest this may be explained by Bifidobacterium metabolites from inulin digestion showing anti-inflammatory activity in lab tests, which could reduce systemic inflammation and promote muscle production via the gut-muscle axis.
- They advise that future studies combining inulin with multi-strain probiotics may uncover further insights into gut microbiota and muscle health in children with obesity.
How it was done
The authors wanted to understand how inulin might help build muscle through the gut-muscle axis, after their earlier trial found inulin increased fat-free mass and Bifidobacterium in children with obesity.
They analysed stored blood samples from 46 children aged 7 to 15 with obesity who took inulin for 6 months, plus a few samples from placebo and dietary fibre groups. They also grew Bifidobacterium with inulin and tested the liquid it produced on mouse immune cells.
What it can’t tell you
- The clinical part looked at stored blood samples from a previous trial, so it can show links but not prove that inulin directly caused the muscle marker changes.
- The lab tests used mouse cells, so the anti-inflammatory effects may not be the same in people.
- The study was in children with obesity, so the results may not apply to other groups.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Fundamental Fund, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no competing interests.
- Authors work at
- Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
The paper
- Title
- Inulin supplementation exhibits increased muscle mass via gut-muscle axis in children with obesity: double evidence from clinical and in vitro studies
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Visuthranukul C, Leelahavanichkul A, Tepaamorndech S, Chamni S, Mekangkul E, Chomtho S (2024). Inulin supplementation exhibits increased muscle mass via gut-muscle axis in children with obesity: double evidence from clinical and in vitro studies. Scientific reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-61781-1Free full textPubMed 38755201DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error