Creatine Studies at Experimental Biology 2003

SAN DIEGO--At the 2003 Experimental Biology meeting held hereApril 11 to 15, several studies in the area of performance nutrition andcreatine were presented.

In the first study, which was presented by researchers from Numico Researchin Wageningen, The Netherlands, 35 male subjects completed two 30-second sprintsseparated by four minutes of rest. Afterward, they were given one of threeregimens four times daily: 5 g of creatine, 2.6 g of citrate and 2.7 g of sodiumphosphate (as Boca Raton, Fla.-based Met-Rx's Creaphos); 5 g of creatine; or aplacebo.

Prior to supplementation, peak power and total work were not differentbetween groups; and, during the first sprint, supplementation had no effect onperformance. During the second sprint, however, peak power increased in theCreaphos group compared to the placebo group, and total work increased in bothcreatine groups. Gain in body mass was greater in the Creaphos group over thecreatine-only group.

In the second study, researchers from Belgium and England reported creatinedid not appear to stimulate muscle protein synthesis independently. In a studyof six men, quadriceps biopsies were taken after exercise at baseline and twoweeks later after five days of taking 20 g/d of creatine. Although strenuousexercise stimulated muscle protein synthesis, the effects were not seen toincrease after creatine supplementation.

Another study conducted at Victoria University, Australia, indicated thecombination of whey and creatine increased strength, lean mass and muscle mass.Researchers examined the effects of 11 weeks of resistance training on 31subjects in one of four supplement groups (taken in amounts of 1.5 g/kg/d):creatine and carbs, whey only, creatine and whey, or carbs only. While allgroups increased strength, lean mass and muscle, the creatine plus whey groupdemonstrated a greater increase. This study was sponsored by Golden, Colo.-basedAST Sports Science.

These studies and others can be found at www.faseb.org.