Ergogenic Effects of the Creatine Supplementation During the Training of Top-Class Athletes

Background: The combination of creatine supplementation and resistance training (10–12 weeks) has been shown to increase bone mineral content and reduce a urinary indicator of bone resorption in older males compared with placebo. However, the longer-term effects (12 months) of creatine and resistance training on bone mineral density and bone geometric properties in older males is unknown. Aim: To assess the effects of 12 months of creatine supplementation and supervised, whole-body resistance training on bone mineral density, bone geometric properties, muscle accretion, and strength in older males. Methods: Participants were randomized to supplement with creatine ( n = 18, 49–69 years, 0.1 g·kg-1·d-1) or placebo ( n = 20, 49–67 years, 0.1 g·kg-1·d-1) during 12 months of supervised, whole-body resistance training. Results: After 12 months of training, both groups experienced similar changes in bone mineral density and geometry, bone speed of sound, lean tissue and fat mass, muscle thickness, and muscle strength. There was a trend ( p = 0.061) for creatine to increase the section modulus of the narrow part of the femoral neck, an indicator of bone bending strength, compared with placebo. Adverse events did not differ between creatine and placebo. Conclusions: Twelve months of creatine supplementation and supervised, whole-body resistance training had no greater effect on measures of bone, muscle, or strength in older males compared with placebo.

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Meta-Analysis Examining the Importance of Creatine Ingestion Strategies on Lean Tissue Mass and Strength in Older Adults

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13061912 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 1912

Author(s):

Scott C. Forbes ◽

Darren G. Candow ◽

Sergej M. Ostojic ◽

Michael D. Roberts ◽

Philip D. Chilibeck

Keyword(s):

Resistance Training ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Creatine Supplementation ◽

Strength Increase ◽

Lean Tissue ◽

Tissue Mass ◽

Resistance Training Program ◽

Lean Tissue Mass ◽

Leg Press ◽

Meta Analyses

Creatine supplementation in conjunction with resistance training (RT) augments gains in lean tissue mass and strength in aging adults; however, there is a large amount of heterogeneity between individual studies that may be related to creatine ingestion strategies. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to (1) perform updated meta-analyses comparing creatine vs. placebo (independent of dosage and frequency of ingestion) during a resistance training program on measures of lean tissue mass and strength, (2) perform meta-analyses examining the effects of different creatine dosing strategies (lower: ≤5 g/day and higher: >5 g/day), with and without a creatine-loading phase (≥20 g/day for 5–7 days), and (3) perform meta-analyses determining whether creatine supplementation only on resistance training days influences measures of lean tissue mass and strength. Overall, creatine (independent of dosing strategy) augments lean tissue mass and strength increase from RT vs. placebo. Subanalyses showed that creatine-loading followed by lower-dose creatine (≤5 g/day) increased chest press strength vs. placebo. Higher-dose creatine (>5 g/day), with and without a creatine-loading phase, produced significant gains in leg press strength vs. placebo. However, when studies involving a creatine-loading phase were excluded from the analyses, creatine had no greater effect on chest press or leg press strength vs. placebo. Finally, creatine supplementation only on resistance training days significantly increased measures of lean tissue mass and strength vs. placebo.

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Potential of Creatine in Glucose Management and Diabetes

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13020570 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 570

Author(s):

Marina Yazigi Solis ◽

Guilherme Giannini Artioli ◽

Bruno Gualano

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Glucose Metabolism ◽

Exercise Training ◽

Creatine Supplementation ◽

Small Scale ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Glucose Management

Creatine is one of the most popular supplements worldwide, and it is frequently used by both athletic and non-athletic populations to improve power, strength, muscle mass and performance. A growing body of evidence has been identified potential therapeutic effects of creatine in a wide variety of clinical conditions, such as cancer, muscle dystrophy and neurodegenerative disorders. Evidence has suggested that creatine supplementation alone, and mainly in combination with exercise training, may improve glucose metabolism in health individuals and insulin-resistant individuals, such as in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Creatine itself may stimulate insulin secretion in vitro, improve muscle glycogen stores and ameliorate hyperglycemia in animals. In addition, exercise induces numerous metabolic benefits, including increases in insulin-independent muscle glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity. It has been speculated that creatine supplementation combined with exercise training could result in additional improvements in glucose metabolism when compared with each intervention separately. The possible mechanism underlying the effects of combined exercise and creatine supplementation is an enhanced glucose transport into muscle cell by type 4 glucose transporter (GLUT-4) translocation to sarcolemma. Although preliminary findings from small-scale trials involving patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are promising, the efficacy of creatine for improving glycemic control is yet to be confirmed. In this review, we aim to explore the possible therapeutic role of creatine supplementation on glucose management and as a potential anti-diabetic intervention, summarizing the current knowledge and highlighting the research gaps.

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No evidence for brown adipose tissue activation after creatine supplementation in adult vegetarians

Nature Metabolism ◽

10.1038/s42255-020-00332-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 107-117 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Niels J. Connell ◽

Daniel Doligkeit ◽

Charlotte Andriessen ◽

Esther Kornips-Moonen ◽

Yvonne M. H. Bruls ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adipose Tissue ◽

Brown Adipose Tissue ◽

Creatine Supplementation ◽

Brown Adipose

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Creatine Supplementation for Patients with Inflammatory Bowl Diseases: A Scientific Rationale for a Clinical Trial

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13051429 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1429

Author(s):

Theo Wallimann ◽

Caroline H. T. Hall ◽

Sean P. Colgan ◽

Louise E. Glover

Keyword(s):

Ulcerative Colitis ◽

Clinical Trial ◽

Crohn’S Disease ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Crohn's Disease ◽

Single Case ◽

Initial Period ◽

Creatine Supplementation

Based on theoretical considerations, experimental data with cells in vitro, animal studies in vivo, as well as a single case pilot study with one colitis patient, a consolidated hypothesis can be put forward, stating that “oral supplementation with creatine monohydrate (Cr), a pleiotropic cellular energy precursor, is likely to be effective in inducing a favorable response and/or remission in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), like ulcerative colitis and/or Crohn’s disease”. A current pilot clinical trial that incorporates the use of oral Cr at a dose of 2 × 7 g per day, over an initial period of 2 months in conjunction with ongoing therapies (NCT02463305) will be informative for the proposed larger, more long-term Cr supplementation study of 2 × 3–5 g of Cr per day for a time of 3–6 months. This strategy should be insightful to the potential for Cr in reducing or alleviating the symptoms of IBD. Supplementation with chemically pure Cr, a natural nutritional supplement, is well tolerated not only by healthy subjects, but also by patients with diverse neuromuscular diseases. If the outcome of such a clinical pilot study with Cr as monotherapy or in conjunction with metformin were positive, oral Cr supplementation could then be used in the future as potentially useful adjuvant therapeutic intervention for patients with IBD, preferably together with standard medication used for treating patients with chronic ulcerative colitis and/or Crohn’s disease.

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