title: Effects of short-term ingestion of Russian Tarragon prior to creatine monohydrate supplementation on whole body and muscle creatine retention and anaerobic sprint capacity: a preliminary investigation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Extracts of Russian Tarragon (RT) have been reported to produce anti-hyperglycemic effects and influence plasma creatine (Cr) levels while supplementing with creatine monohydrate (CrM). The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine if short-term, low-dose aqueous RT extract ingestion prior to CrM supplementation influences whole body Cr retention, muscle Cr or measures of anaerobic sprint performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a double-blind, randomized, and crossover manner; 10 recreationally trained males (20 ± 2 yrs; 179 ± 9 cm; 91.3 ± 34 kg) ingested 500 mg of aqueous RT extract (Finzelberg, Andernach, Germany) or 500 mg placebo 30-minutes prior to ingesting 5 g of CrM (Creapure®, AlzChem AG, Germany) twice per day for 5-days then repeated after a 6-week wash-out period. Urine was collected at baseline and during each of the 5-days of supplementation to determine urine Cr content. Whole body Cr retention was estimated from urine samples. Muscle biopsies were obtained for determination of muscle free Cr content. Participants also performed two 30-second Wingate anaerobic capacity tests prior to and following supplementation for determination of peak power (PP), mean power (MP), and total work (TW). Data were analysed by repeated measures MANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Whole body daily Cr retention increased in both groups following supplementation (0.0 ± 0.0; 8.2 ± 1.4, 6.5 ± 2.4, 5.6 ± 3.2, 6.1 ± 2.6, 4.8 ± 3.2 g · d-1; p = 0.001) with no differences observed between groups (p = 0.59). After 3 and 5-days of supplementation, respectively, both supplementation protocols demonstrated a significant increase in muscle free Cr content from baseline (4.8 ± 16.7, 15.5 ± 23.6 mmol · kg-1 DW, p = 0.01) with no significant differences observed between groups (p = 0.34). Absolute change in MP (9 ± 57, 35 ± 57 W; p = 0.031), percent change in MP (2.5 ± 10.5, 6.7 ± 10.4%; p = 0.026), absolute change in TW (275 ± 1,700, 1,031 ± 1,721 J; p = 0.032), and percent change in TW (2.5 ± 10.5, 6.6 ± 10.4%; p = 0.027) increased over time in both groups with no differences observed between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term CrM supplementation (10 g · d-1 for 5-days) significantly increased whole body Cr retention and muscle free Cr content. However, ingesting 500 mg of RT 30-min prior to CrM supplementation did not affect whole body Cr retention, muscle free Cr content, or anaerobic sprint capacity in comparison to ingesting CrM with a placebo.
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Jagim
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pischel
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Purpura
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fluckey
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riechman
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meininger
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Kinesiology, Exercise and Sport Nutrition Lab, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4243, USA. rkreider@hlkn.tamu.edu.
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Kreider