title: Oral creatine supplementation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a clinical and 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.
abstract: The decrease in intracellular creatine concentration in Duchenne muscular dystrophy may contribute to the deterioration of intracellular energy homeostasis and may thus be one of the factors aggravating muscle weakness and degeneration. Oral creatine supplementation should have potential in alleviating the clinical symptoms. To test this hypothesis, creatine was orally administered over a period of 155 days to a 9-year-old patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In accordance with previous investigations on normal subjects and trained athletes, the patient experienced improved muscle performance during creatine supplementation. Further evidence supporting this hypothesis derived from plasma creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase activities and repeated 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the gastrocnemius muscle. These preliminary observations indicate a potential role for creatine supplementation in the symptomatic therapy of patients with muscle disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology II and Magnetic Resonance, University of Innsbruck, Children's Hospital, LKH Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Felber
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Skladal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wyss
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kremser
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koller
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sperl
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D002648:Child; D003401:Creatine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism; D010759:Phosphorus Isotopes
chemical_list: D010759:Phosphorus Isotopes; D010758:Phosphorus; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D003401:Creatine