RT+HMB produced modest and borderline significant improvements in handgrip strength (SMD 0.24; 95% CI 0.00–0.48; p = 0.05) and moderate benefits in Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) scores (SMD 0.54; 95% CI 0.12–0.95; p = 0.01).
The handgrip strength result (SMD = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.00–0.48, p = 0.05) represents borderline significance with considerable uncertainty.
Although this difference did not reach statistical significance, likely due to the heterogeneity in assessment methods and the lack of a standardised definition, these findings suggest that the combination of RT and HMB may exert a beneficial effect that was not fully captured in our study.