EFFECTS OF CREATINE MONOHYDRATE INGESTION IN SEDENTARY AND WEIGHT-TRAINED OLDER ADULTS

To investigate the effects of an oral creatine supplementation in olde r adults, 32 elderly subjects (67-80 years; 16 females, 16 males) were randomly assigned to four equivalent subgroups (control-creatine; con trol-placebo; trained-creatine; trained-placebo) based on whether or n ot they took part in an 8-week strength training programme and an 8-we ek oral creatine monohydrate creatine supplementation programme. The s trength training programme consisted of three sets of eight repetition s at 80% of one-repetition maximum, for leg press, leg extension and c hest press,3 days a week. The 52-day supplementation programme consist ed of 20 g of creatine monohydrate (or glucose) and 8 g of glucose per day for the initial 5 days followed by 3 g of creatine monohydrate (o r glucose), and 2 g of glucose per day. Prior to and after the trainin g and supplementation periods, body mass, body fat, lower limb muscula r volume, 1-, 12-repetitbns maxima and isometric intermittent enduranc e tests for leg press, leg extension and chest press were determined. In all groups, no significant changes in anthropometric parameters wer e observed. For all movements, the increases in 1- and 12-repetitions maxima were greater (P < 0.02) in trained than control subjects. No si gnificant interactions (supplementation/training/time) were observed f or the 1-, 12-repetitions maxima, and the isometric intermittent endur ance, whatever the movement considered. We conclude that oral creatine supplementation does not provide additional benefits for body composi tion, maximal dynamical strength, and dynamical and isometric enduranc es of healthy elderly subjects, whether or not it is associated with a n effective strength training.