Background

Previous research has shown that creatine supplementation combined with resistance training may improve bone mineral density (BMD) in the neck and shaft of the femur (the long thigh bone) in postmenopausal women[1] but not men.[2] This study asked whether creatine combined with resistance training affects the density of specific parts of the bone in addition to its effects on muscle density.

The study

In this follow-up analysis of a 1-year randomized controlled trial,[2][1] 53 older Canadians (39 men and 31 postmenopausal women with healthy BMIs; average age of 58) participated in a whole-body resistance training regimen 3 days per week and took either 0.05 grams of creatine monohydrate per kilogram of body weight (for an average total dose of approximately 4 grams) or a placebo twice per day. The outcomes measured were the density of the cortical (the outer hard part of a bone) and trabecular (the porous end of a bone that transfers a load and holds the bone marrow) structures of the radius (forearm) and tibia (lower leg), the volumetric bone density (rather than area-based bone density reported in previous studies), and the density of muscles in the lower leg.

People were excluded from the study if they had kidney or liver disease, a history of fractures, or were taking medications that affect bone morphology (e.g., hormone replacement therapy, bisphosphonates). Overall, 41 participants had low bone mineral density (osteopenia), and 3 participants had osteoporosis (low bone density) at baseline.

The results

Creatine improved the total area of the tibia, compared to the placebo, but not the radius. For the distal tibia (the end of the lower leg bone), women saw greater improvements than men in total bone density, trabecular bone density, and trabecular bone area. Women taking creatine saw greater improvements than men in cortical bone content and density of the tibial shaft.

Creatine supplementation also increased the density of the lower leg muscles, whereas lower leg muscle density decreased slightly in the placebo group.

Note

The authors note that the lack of results for the forearm measurements may have been due to the low-impact forearm exercises used in the study. Higher-impact workouts such as medicine ball exercises may have produced more significant results.

The first author serves on the scientific advisory board for a creatine manufacturer, Alzchem. A different company, Rivalus Inc., provided the creatine used in this study.

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This Study Summary was published on August 3, 2021.

References

  1. ^Philip D Chilibeck, Darren G Candow, Tim Landeryou, Mojtaba Kaviani, Lisa Paus-JenssenEffects of Creatine and Resistance Training on Bone Health in Postmenopausal WomenMed Sci Sports Exerc.(2015 Aug)
  2. ^Darren G Candow, Philip D Chilibeck, Julianne Gordon, Emelie Vogt, Tim Landeryou, Mojtaba Kaviani, Lisa Paus-JensenEffect of 12 months of creatine supplementation and whole-body resistance training on measures of bone, muscle and strength in older malesNutr Health.(2020 Nov 24)