Creatine supplementation and glycemic control: a systematic review.
The focus of this review is the effects of creatine supplementation with or without exercise on glucose metabolism. A comprehensive examination of the past 16 years of study within the field provided a distillation of key data. Both in animal and human studies, creatine supplementation together with exercise training demonstrated greater beneficial effects on glucose metabolism; creatine supplementation itself demonstrated positive results in only a few of the studies. In the animal studies, the effects of creatine supplementation on glucose metabolism were even more distinct, and caution is needed in extrapolating these data to different species, especially to humans. Regarding human studies, considering the samples characteristics, the findings cannot be extrapolated to patients who have poorer glycemic control, are older, are on a different pharmacological treatment (e.g., exogenous insulin therapy) or are physically inactive. Thus, creatine supplementation is a possible nutritional therapy adjuvant with hypoglycemic effects, particularly when used in conjunction with exercise.
Clinical and Sports Nutrition Research Laboratory, Nutrition Faculty, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil.
Camila Lemos
CL
Pinto
Clinical and Sports Nutrition Research Laboratory, Nutrition Faculty, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil.
Patrícia Borges
PB
Botelho
Clinical and Sports Nutrition Research Laboratory, Nutrition Faculty, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil.
Gustavo Duarte
GD
Pimentel
School of Physical Education and Sport, School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.|Faculty of Applied Sciences, State University of Campinas, Limeira, SP, Brazil.
Patrícia Lopes
PL
Campos-Ferraz
Clinical and Sports Nutrition Research Laboratory, Nutrition Faculty, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, Brazil. jfemota@gmail.com.
João Felipe
JF
Mota
D000818:Animals; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D003401:Creatine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D005947:Glucose; D003401:Creatine
Creatine; Exercise; Glucose; Insulin; Type 2 diabetes