The effects of age on skeletal muscle and the phosphocreatine energy system: can creatine supplementation help older adults

Vincent J Dalbo,Chad M Kerksick,Michael D Roberts,Patrick S Tucker,Chris M Lockwood,Richard B Kreider

doi:10.1186/1476-5918-8-6

Vincent J Dalbo, Chad M Kerksick + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-5918-8-6

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Journal: Dynamic Medicine	Publication Date: Dec 1, 2009
Citations: 37	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: University of Oklahoma, Texas A&M University

Abstract

Creatine supplementation has been found to significantly increase muscle strength and hypertrophy in young adults (≤ 35 yr) particularly when consumed in conjunction with a resistance training regime. Literature examining the efficacy of creatine supplementation in older adults (55-82 yr) suggests creatine to promote muscle strength and hypertrophy to a greater extent than resistance training alone. The following is a review of literature reporting on the effects of creatine supplementation on intramuscular high energy phosphates, skeletal muscle morphology and quality of life in older adults. Results suggest creatine supplementation to be a safe, inexpensive and effective nutritional intervention, particularly when consumed in conjunction with a resistance training regime, for slowing the rate of muscle wasting that is associated with aging. Physicians should strongly consider advising older adults to supplement with creatine and to begin a resistance training regime in an effort to enhance skeletal muscle strength and hypertrophy, resulting in enhanced quality of life.

Highlights

Sarcopenia is an age-dependent loss of skeletal muscle mass resulting in reduced strength, limited mobility and increased injury risk[1]
A later study in 61-80 yr old males found that cycling on a bicycle ergometer for 30 minutes, three times per week at workloads of 100-200 W to match each individuals maximal working capacity of 150-160 beats per minute, was enough to result in a significant decline in intramuscular creatine levels while significantly increasing the phosphocreatine/total creatine ratio[31]. Taken together these findings suggest exercise can increase intramuscular phosphocreatine levels in older adults, albeit no research has examined the effects of age on ATPase and creatine kinase which are likely responsible for the liberation of energy from ATP and the formation of phosphocreatine, respectively
Possible explanations to account for the results from Derave et al.[51] may be a down-regulation of creatine transporter protein concentration with prolonged exposure to supra-physiological exogenous creatine concentrations resulting from creatine supplementation

Summary

Introduction

Sarcopenia is an age-dependent loss of skeletal muscle mass resulting in reduced strength, limited mobility and increased injury risk[1]. In 2002, Rawson et al.[18] examined the effects of 5 days of creatine supplementation at a dose of 20 g/d on muscle phosphocreatine levels in younger (n = 8, 24 ± 1.4 yr) and older (n = 7, 70 ± 2.9 yr; data presented as means ± standard error) men.

Results

Conclusion