title: Potential benefits of creatine monohydrate supplementation in the elderly.
abstract: Creatine plays a role in cellular energy metabolism and potentially has a role in protein metabolism. Creatine monohydrate supplementation has been shown to result in an increase in skeletal muscle total and phosphocreatine concentration, increase fat-free mass, and enhance high-intensity exercise performance in young healthy men and women. Recent evidence has also demonstrated a neuroprotective effect of creatine monohydrate supplementation in animal models of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and after ischemia. A low total and phosphocreatine concentration has been reported in human skeletal muscle from aged individuals and those with neuromuscular disorders. A few studies of creatine monohydrate supplementation in the elderly have not shown convincing evidence of a beneficial effect with respect to muscle mass and/or function. Future studies will be required to address the potential for creatine monohydrate supplementation to attenuate age-related muscle atrophy and strength loss, as well as to protect against age-dependent neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Neurology/Neurological Rehabilitation, McMaster University Medical Center, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. tarnopol@fhs.mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tarnopolsky
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003401:Creatine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D003401:Creatine