Skip to content
Deals

Schisandra and lean mass: grade C

Limited evidence. Direction: No effect.

C LimitedShort-term only

Educational guidance, not medical advice

Why this grade

Rubric condition met: Two small RCTs null on muscle mass

The 12-week trial in 54 older adults found no difference from placebo in muscle mass, and the 12-week trial in postmenopausal women measured appendicular muscle mass by DXA and found no group-by-time interaction apart from quadriceps strength and resting lactate. The 2020 trial's stated aim was quadriceps strength and resting lactate, not muscle mass, and both trials are small, so the evidence supports limited, mixed findings (direction none) rather than N.

How we grade evidence

Studies this grade rests on

EffectMixedNo effectSize shows participants (n)202020252030RCTCho 2021, 2021: RCT, n = 54, result not recordedPark 2020, 2020: RCT, n = 45, result not recorded
each study this grade rests on, by publication year and design. Solid: effect versus the comparator; half-filled: mixed; hollow: no effect; dashed: result not recorded yet. Larger marks had more participants.
Show the numbers
StudyYearDesignParticipantsResult
Park 20202020RCT45result not recorded
Cho 20212021RCT54result not recorded

Effect of Schisandra Chinensis Extract Supplementation on Quadriceps Muscle Strength and Fatigue in Adult Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Park J, Han S, Park H. Effect of Schisandra Chinensis Extract Supplementation on Quadriceps Muscle Strength and Fatigue in Adult Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020. PMID 32260466

Result not recorded
Design
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 12 weeks
Sample
n = 45
Population
Healthy postmenopausal women, mean age 61.9 years (45 analyzed of 52 randomized)
Funding
Full text: Dong-A University research fund. PubMed/Europe PMC grant field: Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and National Research Foundation of Korea. Study product (powdered extract) provided by Bioport Korea Inc. COI: none declared

Effect of Schisandra chinensis Baillon extracts and regular low-intensity exercise on muscle strength and mass in older adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Cho YH, Lee SY, Lee CH. Effect of Schisandra chinensis Baillon extracts and regular low-intensity exercise on muscle strength and mass in older adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial Am J Clin Nutr, 2021. PMID 33710261

Result not recorded
Design
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 12 weeks (registered NCT03402308)
Sample
n = 54
Population
Adults over 50 with relatively low muscle mass doing low-intensity exercise (walking)
Funding
not stated in the PubMed or Crossref record; full text not read. ClinicalTrials.gov lead sponsor: Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital

Search and history

Search (): TITLE:schisandra AND (ABSTRACT:"muscle strength" OR ABSTRACT:"muscle mass") AND (ABSTRACT:randomized OR ABSTRACT:placebo)

  • Graded C (proposed): Proposed in the monograph draft
  • C to C (approved): Editor sign-off November 13, 2026: grade matches the editor-approved final page