Creatine has been a popular supplement among strength-trained athletes since the mid-1990s. A number of studies on this well-known sports supplement help hone in on its exact efficacy, dosage recommendations and safety profile. Creatine and the Incidence of Cramping in Athletes Without much evidence, some experts have long warned athletes that creatine supplements cause muscle cramps and increase the risk of tendon, ligament and muscle injuries. Two studies conducted at Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, found that creatine use by 61 Division I athletes during baseball (24 days) and football (three sessions per day for 12 days) training camps had no effects on the incidence of muscle cramps, injury, illness or missed practices. As a control group, 50 athletes at both camps did not use creatine. Those who did take the supplement used a loading phase dose of 15 to 25 g/day for five days prior to training, followed by a maintenance dose of 5 g/day during training.

Creatine Effects on Muscular Performance of Older Men

Men lose 15 to 20 percent of their muscle mass between ages 35 and 60. As a result, they experience severe loss of muscular strength, a higher risk of falling and a lower quality of life. Creatine can help. For example, researchers at Ohio Univer-sity, Athens, gave 18 men aged 59 to 72 (mean age 66) either 0.3 g/kg creatine supplements or placebo for seven days. The creatine group increased their body weight, lean body mass (muscle), bench and leg-press strength, and speed on a bicycle ergometer. These results suggest creatine is an important supplement for older adults in that it might increase strength, maintain or increase muscle mass, and improve quality of life.

Creatine and Excercise Stimulate Bone Formation

While creatine builds muscle and improves performance in some young athletes, several studies show that it's particularly effective in building muscle in middle-age and older adults. Furthermore, a recent study by A. Ohta and colleagues of Meiji Seika Kaisha, Tokyo, found that creatine might also stimulate bone growth. In the study, exercising and nonexercising rats were given creatine or a placebo. Following training, bone mineral density was 14 percent higher in the creatine plus exercise group. The creatine-supplemented group also absorbed more calcium from the gut, suggesting that this higher mineral uptake leads to more bone growth. The study also showed that creatine stimulated bone growth and increased the body's calcium requirement. This may suggest that athletes taking creatine should also be careful that they are taking in adequate calcium. Future research should investigate whether these results apply to humans.

Creatine Is Safe for Long-Term Use