Can Creatine Supplementation Improve Body Composition and Objective Physical Function in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients? A Randomized Controlled Trial
Wilkinson TJ, Lemmey AB, Jones JG, Sheikh F, Ahmad YA, Chitale S, Maddison PJ, O'brien TD
Arthritis care & research · 33 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- University or hospital
- Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
- University or hospital
- Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Small Grants Committee
Based on 2 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2015-09-28 · Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) · vol. 68 · issue 6 · pp. 729–737
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Cited
- 58 citations · more than 86% of similar papers · 2.0× the field average
- References
- 48 works
- Access
- Open access (repository copy)
- Research areas
- Nutrition and Health in Aging · Exercise and Physiological Responses · Rheumatoid Arthritis Research and Therapies
- Keywords
- Medicine, Lean body mass, Creatine, Rheumatoid arthritis, Wasting, Placebo, Internal medicine, Bioelectrical impedance analysis, Cachexia, Randomized controlled trial, Creatine Monohydrate, Isometric exercise, Sarcopenia, Grip strength, Physical therapy, Gastroenterology, Body mass index, Body weight, Pathology
- MeSH
- muscle, skeletal, humans, arthritis, rheumatoid, creatine, absorptiometry, photon, double-blind method, dietary supplements, adult, aged, middle aged, female, male, muscle strength
8 authors
From GB
- Thomas James WilkinsonBangor University
- ANDREW B. LEMMEYBangor University
- Jeremy G. JonesBangor University
- Fazal SheikhBangor University
- Yasmeen A. AhmadBangor University
- Sarang ChitaleBangor University
Abstract
Objective
Rheumatoid cachexia (muscle wasting) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients contributes to substantial reductions in strength and impaired physical function. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effectiveness of oral creatine (Cr) supplementation in increasing lean mass and improving strength and physical function in RA patients.
Methods
In a double-blind design, 40 RA patients were randomized to either 12 weeks' supplementation of Cr or placebo. Body composition (dual x-ray absorptiometry and bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy [BIS]), strength, and objectively assessed physical function were measured at baseline, day 6, week 12, and week 24. Data analysis was performed by analysis of covariance.
Results
Cr supplementation increased appendicular lean mass (ALM; a surrogate measure of muscle mass) by mean ± SE 0.52 ± 0.13 kg (P = 0.004 versus placebo), and total LM by 0.60 ± 0.37 kg (P = 0.158). The change in LM concurred with the gain in intracellular water (0.64 ± 0.22 liters; P = 0.035) measured by BIS. Despite increasing ALM, Cr supplementation, relative to placebo, failed to improve isometric knee extensor strength (P = 0.408), handgrip strength (P = 0.833), or objectively assessed physical function (P = 0.335-0.764).
Conclusion
In patients with RA, Cr supplementation increased muscle mass, but not strength or objective physical function. No treatment-related adverse effects were reported, suggesting that Cr supplementation may offer a safe and acceptable adjunct treatment for attenuating muscle loss; this treatment may be beneficial for patients experiencing severe rheumatoid cachexia.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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