# Common Errors in Sports Nutrition Meta-Analyses Lead to Distortion of Pooled Effect Estimates. Comment on Viribay et al. Effects of Arginine Supplementation on Athletic Performance Based on Energy Metabolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients 2020, 12, 1300

## TL;DR

This paper critiques a meta-analysis on arginine's effects on athletic performance, highlighting common errors in sports nutrition research.

## Contribution

The paper identifies and explains common methodological errors in sports nutrition meta-analyses and offers guidance for avoiding them.

## Key findings

- The meta-analysis on arginine supplementation contains multiple errors affecting pooled effect estimates.
- Common errors include inappropriate statistical methods and misinterpretation of study results.
- These errors can lead to distorted conclusions about the effectiveness of supplements.

## Abstract

Viribay and colleagues published a meta-analysis called “Effects of Arginine Supplementation on Athletic Performance Based on Energy Metabolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” in Nutrients in May of 2020. This meta-analysis sought to quantify the effects of arginine supplementation on aerobic and anaerobic performance outcomes. In the course of conducting this analysis, the researchers made multiple errors that are common among meta-analyses in the field of sports nutrition. This comment discusses how these issues impact the results and interpretation of the paper, and how individuals who are interpreting or conducting sports nutrition meta-analyses in the future can identify or avoid similar errors.