Overview
- The six-week INSPIRE randomized trial enrolled 117 adults with knee osteoarthritis across inulin, digital physiotherapy, combination, and placebo arms.
- Both the supplement and the exercise program reduced knee pain, yet only inulin improved grip strength and lowered measures of pain sensitivity.
- Participants taking inulin showed higher circulating butyrate and GLP-1, with GLP-1 levels associated with better grip strength.
- Adherence favored inulin, with a 3.6% dropout versus 21% for the physiotherapy group over the study period.
- Findings, published February 24, 2026 in Nutrients by University of Nottingham researchers, were described as promising and in need of larger, longer trials.