Effects of Walnut Consumption on Inflammatory Cytokines and Adipokines in Adults: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis
Study Details
This systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis included 24 randomised controlled trials and 2,068 adults, examining whether walnut intake influences inflammatory cytokines and adipokines 🔍
Key Findings
📉 Walnut consumption produced a small reduction in C-reactive protein (CRP) versus control (WMD = −1.0 mg/dL)
🧬 Interleukin-6 (IL-6) was also modestly reduced (WMD = −0.11 pg/mL)
↔️ However, sensitivity analyses showed that these findings were not robust when several influential studies were removed
🔥 Walnuts did not significantly reduce tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)
⚖️ There were also no significant effects on the adipokines adiponectin or leptin
📆 Subgroup analyses suggested stronger anti-inflammatory effects in interventions lasting more than 12 weeks
🥜 Effects also appeared more pronounced with walnut intakes above 50 g/day, although this does not establish an optimal dose
🧩 Walnuts provide polyunsaturated fats, fibre and antioxidants, which may help explain potential effects on inflammatory pathways
⚠️ The average effects were modest, study results were not entirely stable, and the clinical importance of the changes remains uncertain
Conclusion
Adding walnuts to an overall high-quality diet may provide a small anti-inflammatory benefit, but these findings do not show that walnuts directly improve exercise recovery or performance ✅
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42947498/
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