A Summary of a Creatine Clinical Study by Candow et al. (2021)

Reviewed by John Cutts, PhD | Research & Development

Overview

The following summary reviews clinical research examining creatine supplementation combined with resistance training in the context of bone geometry and muscle density outcomes in older adults.

Summary

Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training on Area and Density of Bone and Muscle in Older Adults

Published In: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise

Study Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Participants: 70 older adults (39 men, 31 women); mean age 58 ± 6 years; subset included participants with low bone mass

Dose: 0.1 g/kg/day creatine monohydrate or placebo, taken daily for 12 months (split into two equal doses on training and non-training days)

Outcome Measures: Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) measures of bone area, bone density, and estimated bone strength at the distal radius, radial shaft, distal tibia, and tibial shaft; muscle area and muscle density of the forearm and lower leg

What Was Studied: Researchers examined the effects of creatine supplementation combined with supervised whole-body resistance training on cortical and trabecular bone structural properties, volumetric bone density, and muscle quality — specifically muscle density — in older men and women. As a secondary objective, the study explored whether outcomes differed between sexes, based on prior findings suggesting sex-differentiated responses to creatine and resistance training on bone mineral density. Participants were randomized to either creatine or placebo while completing three days per week of supervised resistance training for one year, with pQCT measurements taken of both the forearm and lower leg at baseline and 12 months.

About the Reviewer

Name & Title: John Cutts, Director of Research at Solaray
Credentials: PhD Pharmacology & Toxicology

Bio: John Cutts, Ph.D. earned his Doctorate of Philosophy in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and his Bachelors of Science in Chemistry from BYU-Idaho. He has nearly 20 years of experience in the dietary supplement space, with a focus on scientific substantiation, regulatory affairs, and product development. His graduate research centered on the health-related properties of botanical compounds. He currently works in research and development, where he evaluates clinical evidence for dietary supplement ingredients.

Reference

Candow DG, Chilibeck PD, Gordon JJ, Kontulainen S. Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training on Area and Density of Bone and Muscle in Older Adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2021;53(11):2388–2395. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34107512/

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Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a study “double-blind”?

In double-blind studies, participants and researchers are
both unaware of which participants are in the group taking the active
investigational product and which are part of a control group.

What makes a study “placebo-controlled”?

When studies are placebo-controlled one group takes an active
investigational product and the other group takes an inactive product that has
the same general appearances as the active treatment.

What is a placebo?

Placebos are inactive treatments. Researchers include placebos that have the same general characteristics as an active treatment.

They try to make them indistinguishable from the active treatment regarding
qualities like appearance, taste, and smell.

Why is statistical significance important?

Quality scientific studies look for more than just a numerical difference between treated groups and control groups. These studies also check mathematically for the possibility that any difference between groups might
happen by chance. A difference that is statistically significant is one where the change is not likely to be due to a chance fluctuation within a normal variance.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.