No effect of heavy resistance training and creatine supplementation on blood lipids

In order to examine the effects of heavy resistance training and the influe nce of creatine supplementation on nonperformance measures of health status , 19 healthy resistance-trained men were matched and then randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to either a creatine (n = 10) or placebo (n = 9) group. Periodized heavy resistance training was performed 3-4 times per we ek for 12 weeks. During the first week of training, creatine subjects consu med 25 g creatine monohydrate per day, while the placebo group ingested an equal number of placebo capsules. Five grams of supplement per day was cons umed for the remainder of the study. Body composition, fasting serum creati nine, lipoproteins and triglycerides, and reported changes in body function were determined prior to and after 12 weeks of training and supplementatio n. After training, significant increases in body mass and fat-free mass wer e greater in creatine (5.2 and 4.3 kg, respectively) than placebo (3.0 and 2.1 kg, respectively) subjects. There was no change in percent body fat. Di etary energy and macronutrient distribution was not significantly different during Weeks 1 and 12. Serum creatinine was significantly elevated in crea tine subjects after 1 (11.6%) and 12 weeks (13.8%); however, values were wi thin normal limits for healthy men. There were no effects of training or su pplementation on serum total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, or triglycerides. In healthy men, a 12-week heavy resistance training prog ram, with or without creatine supplementation, did not significantly influe nce serum lipid profiles, subjective reports of body functioning, or serum creatinine concentrations.