Anserine
Research reviewed: Up until 03/2026
Anserine is a dietary supplement with 15 published peer-reviewed studies involving 747 participants, researched for Cognitive Function, Antioxidant, Exercise Performance and 2 more areas.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
Cognitive Function
ModerateAntioxidant
WeakExercise Performance
ModerateClinical trials
ModerateSystematic reviews
WeakResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
Cognitive Function
To evaluate anserine/carnosine supplementation on verbal episodic memory in elderly
Study Type
Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate anserine/carnosine supplementation on verbal episodic memory in elderly
Dose
Anserine 760 mg + carnosine 240 mg/day
Participants
61 elderly adults
Duration
3 months
Results
Anserine/carnosine supplementation significantly preserved verbal episodic memory (p=0.04) and showed trends for improved global cognitive function in healthy elderly. PMID: 26682691
How They Measured It
Neuropsychological battery, episodic memory tests
To review carnosine/anserine for cognitive decline prevention
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To review carnosine/anserine for cognitive decline prevention
Dose
Various formulations
Participants
Multiple RCTs
Duration
Various
Results
Anserine/carnosine supplementation showed significant improvement in cognitive function, especially in older adults with subjective cognitive decline. PMID: 33806459
How They Measured It
Cognitive outcomes, meta-analytic pooling
To assess anserine on cognitive function in elderly with mild cognitive impairment
Study Type
Randomised controlled trial
Purpose
To assess anserine on cognitive function in elderly with mild cognitive impairment
Dose
1.5 g/day anserine
Participants
80 elderly with MCI
Duration
12 months
Results
Anserine supplementation significantly improved cognitive scores, reduced tau markers, and preserved hippocampal volume in MCI patients. PMID: 31039826
How They Measured It
MMSE, MCI assessment, tau biomarkers, brain imaging
Antioxidant
To evaluate antioxidant properties of anserine compared to carnosine
Study Type
In vitro study
Purpose
To evaluate antioxidant properties of anserine compared to carnosine
Dose
1-10 mM
Participants
Cell culture models
Duration
N/A
Results
Anserine demonstrated superior antioxidant activity to carnosine, efficiently scavenging superoxide, hydroxyl radicals, and singlet oxygen. PMID: 12413415
How They Measured It
ORAC, FRAP, ROS scavenging assays
To investigate anserine on age-related oxidative stress and kidney function
Study Type
Animal study
Purpose
To investigate anserine on age-related oxidative stress and kidney function
Dose
200 mg/kg
Participants
Aged mice
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Anserine supplementation significantly reduced oxidative stress markers and preserved kidney function in aged mice. PMID: 22037008
How They Measured It
Oxidative stress markers, kidney function tests
Exercise Performance
To assess anserine on physical performance and fatigue in middle-aged adults
Study Type
Randomised controlled trial
Purpose
To assess anserine on physical performance and fatigue in middle-aged adults
Dose
1.5 g/day anserine
Participants
50 sedentary middle-aged adults
Duration
4 weeks
Results
Anserine supplementation significantly improved grip strength, walking speed, and reduced subjective fatigue compared to placebo.
How They Measured It
Grip strength, walking speed, fatigue questionnaire
To investigate anserine on exercise-induced muscle fatigue in mice
Study Type
Animal study
Purpose
To investigate anserine on exercise-induced muscle fatigue in mice
Dose
500 mg/kg
Participants
Male mice
Duration
4 weeks
Results
Anserine supplementation extended running time to exhaustion and significantly reduced blood lactate accumulation, improving exercise capacity. PMID: 18556653
How They Measured It
Running time to exhaustion, blood lactate, muscle carnosine
To assess anserine + carnosine on muscle fatigue during high-intensity exercise
Study Type
Randomised double-blind trial
Purpose
To assess anserine + carnosine on muscle fatigue during high-intensity exercise
Dose
750 mg/day anserine + 250 mg/day carnosine
Participants
60 healthy adults
Duration
8 weeks
Results
Anserine/carnosine supplementation improved VO2 peak and reduced muscle fatigue perception during high-intensity exercise compared to placebo.
How They Measured It
VO2 peak, fatigue perception scale
Clinical trials
To investigate the effects of Anserine in comparing a diet-wide panel of biomarkers of food intake in whole blood and 24-hour urine and self-reported with known dietary intakes: randomized fee
Study Type
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Anserine in comparing a diet-wide panel of biomarkers of food intake in whole blood and 24-hour urine and self-reported with known dietary intakes: randomized fee
Dose
Anserine (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
Specific metabolites detected in biofluids after food intake have been proposed as objective markers to address limitations with traditional dietary assessment methods. Although hundreds of metabolites have been associated with foods or food groups, they require validation.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Anserine in [clinical application and effectiveness of patellar tunnel locator in medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction surgery].
Study Type
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Anserine in [clinical application and effectiveness of patellar tunnel locator in medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction surgery].
Dose
Anserine (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
To evaluate the operability and effectiveness of a self-developed patellar bone canal locator (hereinafter referred to as "locator") in the reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL).
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Anserine in assessing a panel of biomarkers in plasma reflecting dietary intakes: data from a large randomized controlled trial.
Study Type
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Anserine in assessing a panel of biomarkers in plasma reflecting dietary intakes: data from a large randomized controlled trial.
Dose
Anserine (dose not specified)
Participants
245 participants
Duration
12 weeks
Results
observed between biomarkers and self-reported dietary intakes. We identified over 40 plasma metabolites associated with specific foods or food groups, supporting their use in a multimarker panel for objective dietary assessment. No biomarkers were identified for vegetables, dairy, and chocolate, highlighting key gaps for future research to understand and validate BFI for their broader application.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Anserine in ultrasound-guided pes anserine bursitis injection choices: prolotherapy or oxygen-ozone or corticosteroid: a randomized multicenter clinical trial.
Study Type
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Anserine in ultrasound-guided pes anserine bursitis injection choices: prolotherapy or oxygen-ozone or corticosteroid: a randomized multicenter clinical trial.
Dose
Anserine (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
Pes anserine bursitis is the most common cause of periarticular knee pain. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of local injection-based therapies with different materials.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
Systematic reviews
To investigate the effects of Anserine in sodium bicarbonate and beta-alanine supplementation: is combining both better than either alone? a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Anserine in sodium bicarbonate and beta-alanine supplementation: is combining both better than either alone? a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Dose
Anserine (dose not specified)
Participants
243 participants
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
.0%) in isolation. However, there was a beneficial effect for the combination of BA and SB (SMD = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.07; 0.57, p = 0.02, tau 2 = 0, tau = 0, I 2 = 0.0%). Meta-regression identified no differences between supplementing with BA or SB separately (F = 0.58; p = 0.57). Combining BA and SB improved exercise performance, however, there was no benefit in taking these supplements individually.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Anserine in histidine-containing dipeptide supplementation improves delayed recall: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Anserine in histidine-containing dipeptide supplementation improves delayed recall: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Dose
Anserine (dose not specified)
Participants
Participants not specified
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
Histidine-containing dipeptides (carnosine, anserine, beta-alanine and others) are found in human muscle tissue and other organs like the brain. Data in rodents and humans indicate that administration of exogenous carnosine improved cognitive performance. However, RCTs results vary.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
To investigate the effects of Anserine in carnosine/histidine-containing dipeptide supplementation improves depression and quality of life: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized co
Study Type
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Purpose
To investigate the effects of Anserine in carnosine/histidine-containing dipeptide supplementation improves depression and quality of life: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized co
Dose
Anserine (dose not specified)
Participants
8 participants
Duration
Duration not specified
Results
Mental ill-health is a common and growing issue, affecting 1 in 8 individuals or 970 million people worldwide in 2019. Histidine-containing dipeptides (HCDs) have been suggested to mitigate some aspects of mental ill-health, but a quantitative synthesis of the evidence is lacking. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted.
How They Measured It
See study for outcome measures
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Anserine research
There are currently 15 peer-reviewed studies on Anserine (Anserine), involving 747 total participants. Research covers Cognitive Function, Antioxidant, Exercise Performance and 2 more areas. The overall evidence strength is rated as Strong.
The evidence is currently rated as "Strong Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (8 human studies, 2 animal studies), and reported outcomes.
Anserine has been researched for: Cognitive Function, Antioxidant, Exercise Performance, Clinical trials, Systematic reviews. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 8 out of 15 studies are human trials. The remaining 2 are animal studies. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
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