Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41250619›Full record

SynthesisAnnals of medicine2025

Exercise-induced modulation of IGF-1 in healthy, obese, and cancer populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Yu Rim Kwon, Yehee Kim, YuSik Kim

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Annals of medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Yu Rim KwonDepartment of Physical Education, Yonsei University Graduate School, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Yehee KimDepartment of Physical Education, Yonsei University Graduate School, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
YuSik KimSeverance Institute for Vascular and Metabolic Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-2921-6433

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effects of chronic exercise on circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) across different populations, including, healthy adults, individuals with obesity, and cancer patients or survivors. To minimize confounding, we excluded trials combining exercise with medications, hormone therapy, or structured dietary interventions. MATERIALS AND

methodsPubMed and Embase were searched through July 2024 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in adults (≥18 years) with exercise interventions lasting ≥8 weeks, a non-exercise control group, and reported changes in serum IGF-1. Twenty-one RCTs with 1376 participants met the inclusion criteria. Pooled weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated, and trial sequential analysis was used to assess robustness.

resultsExercise significantly increased IGF-1 in healthy individuals (WMD=21.41, 95% CI 8.01-34.81) and in those with obesity (WMD=15.46, 95% CI -1.07-31.99), consistent with metabolic and anabolic benefits via the GH-IGF-1 axis. In contrast, exercise significantly reduced IGF-1 in cancer patients or survivors (WMD=-14.71, 95% CI -19.77 to -9.65). In studies reporting both IGF-1 and IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), exercise increased IGFBP-3 in healthy and cancer populations, suggesting a modulatory role of IGFBP-3 in IGF-1 regulation, particularly in cancer.

conclusionChronic exercise exerts health status-dependent effects on circulating IGF-1, supporting metabolic benefits in healthy and obese individuals and potentially contributing to cancer care by reducing IGF-1 in cancer patients or survivors. These findings demonstrate the complex endocrine response to exercise and support the therapeutic potential of tailored exercise prescriptions. .

Indexed as

ExerciseInsulin-Like Growth Factor INeoplasmsObesityAdultFemaleHumansInsulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3MaleRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicIGF1 protein, humanInsulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3Insulin-Like Growth Factor Icancer survivorsExercisehealth promotioninsulin-like growth factor 1obesity

Identifiers

PMID41250619
PMCPMC12628670

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.