Creatine prevents age-related muscle losses.

Creatine is a nitrogen-containing compound that is produced in the liver and kidneys and stored in the brain and muscles. It plays essential roles in the recycling of adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. Creatine is also present in the diet in meat and seafood and is widely used as a dietary supplement to build and maintain muscle mass. Although creatine is available in many forms, the bulk of the research on the compound has centered on creatine monohydrate. Evidence from a 2013 meta-analysis suggests that creatine prevents age-related muscle losses.

Sarcopenia, the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging, begins as early as one’s 30s or 40s. By the time a person reaches their 80s, they may have lost as much as half of their total muscle mass. As a result, sarcopenia is one of the leading causes of functional decline and loss of independence in older adults. Contributing factors for sarcopenia include poor nutrition, low physical activity, and inflammation, among others. However, evidence suggests that resistance exercise can prevent or reverse sarcopenia.

The investigators conducted a meta-analysis, a type of study that analyzes the data derived from multiple studies using objective, statistical formulas to identify a common effect. Their analysis included 13 studies that examined the effects of creatine supplementation and resistance exercise on muscle mass and other health indicators in adults over the age of 50 years.

They found that creatine supplementation, in combination with resistance exercise, promotes muscle accretion and builds strength in older adults more effectively than resistance exercise alone. Their analysis also revealed that creatine supplementation benefits bone health by increasing bone mineral density and improving markers of bone biology.

These findings suggest that creatine and resistance exercise work in a synergistic fashion to promote muscle mass and strength in older adults. However, the investigators cautioned that although creatine is widely considered safe for most people, its effects on people with kidney dysfunction aren’t known and further research in older adults is warranted. [Watch this clip in which Dr. Stuart Phillips discusses the benefits of creatine on muscle protein synthesis.](LINK)

• View study abstract.