Spinach New studies 03.2026
- alirezamohtashami
- Mar 14
- 2 min read
Updated: May 6
Spinach is a green leafy vegetable and is one of the most well-known vegetables in everyday life. In addition to vitamins and minerals, spinach also contains various plant compounds. Studies do not only examine regular spinach, but also spinach extract. Thylakoids, meaning green plant components from the cells, are especially interesting in this context.
In research, thylakoids are associated with metabolic markers, appetite regulation, training and inflammatory markers. This means that spinach is considered not only as a vegetable, but also as a source of specific plant components. New data show:
Inflammatory and stress markers after intense short-term exertion:
One study examined trained men after repeated, very intense Wingate tests. After one week of spinach and NBS superfood supplementation, IL-6 and MDA were lower than without this supplementation. IL-6 is an inflammatory marker, while MDA is a marker of oxidative stress. At the same time, SOD was higher, an enzyme involved in antioxidant defense.
Thylakoids and high-intensity training:
A large part of newer spinach research does not examine regular leafy spinach, but thylakoids from spinach. In a 12-week study, thylakoids were tested together with high-intensity functional training. Changes were observed in body weight, fat mass, blood lipids, glucose levels and insulin levels.
Blood lipids and metabolic markers:
In the thylakoid training study, LDL, total cholesterol and triglycerides decreased, while HDL increased. Glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR also went down. HOMA-IR is a calculated value that is often used to assess insulin resistance.
Fat and muscle signaling molecules:
In addition, certain signaling molecules from fat and muscle tissue were measured. These included CTRP-2 and CTRP-9. These values decreased in the intervention groups compared with baseline. The combination of training and thylakoids was especially noticeable.
Training as the main driver:
A 2026 Nutrients study also examined thylakoids together with high-intensity functional training. Both training groups improved body composition and insulin sensitivity compared with the group without training. The strongest signal came from training, while thylakoids tended to shift individual additional markers.
Inflammatory markers:
Another human study examined high-intensity training with thylakoid supplementation in men with obesity. IL-10 and Semaphorin-3E were measured. IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory immune signaling molecule. Semaphorin-3E is a signaling protein associated with cell movement, blood vessel formation and immune cell migration. Both values changed in the training, supplement and combination groups compared with the control group.
Oxalate after spinach consumption:
Another human study examined urinary oxalate levels after spinach consumption. Oxalate is a plant compound that can measurably increase in urine after eating. In the study, oxalate levels differed clearly between individual participants. More fluid intake reduced peak oxalate concentrations in urine.
Conclusion: Current human studies on spinach show two main directions. Either spinach is tested around very intense exertion, or spinach extract with thylakoids is used over several weeks together with intensive training. Changes in inflammatory markers, stress markers, lipid metabolism, insulin values and individual fat/muscle signaling molecules are especially interesting. In the longer study approach, the strongest signal comes from training, while thylakoids appear to show more complementary effects.
10.03.2026
Author: Alireza Mohtashami
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