Creatine Intake Research Articles

Dietary creatine and carcinogenic biomarkers in adult population.

Background: Several reports suggest potential cytotoxic effects of creatine, possibly due to its role in facilitating the formation of food-borne chemical carcinogenic compounds. Aim: This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the relationship between creatine consumption and various carcinogenic biomarkers in blood and urine among individuals aged 18 years and older, utilizing data from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods: Daily creatine intake was assessed using the Dietary Data databases, which were compiled from individual in-person 24-h food recall interviews. The concentrations of carcinogenic compounds (heterocyclic amines, acrylamide, and formaldehyde) were extracted from NHANES 2013-2014 Laboratory Data database. Results: The final analysis included 1763 adult respondents, of whom 907 (51.4%) were female. The mean daily creatine intake was 0.83 ± 0.77 grams (95% CI, from 0.80 to 0.87). Regression analysis revealed no significant relationship between daily creatine intake and most carcinogenic biomarkers, except for a significant correlation (Model 1) between creatine intake and acrylamide levels (B = -3.999, ß = -0.088, p = 0.05). Model 2 (demographics) confirmed a significant relationship between daily creatine intake and circulating acrylamide (B = -3.490, ß = -0.077, p = 0.02), as well as for blood levels of glycidamide (B = -2.992, ß = -0.068, p = 0.05) and urinary 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (B = 0.190, ß = 0.088, p = 0.03). However, no correlation between creatine consumption and any carcinogenic biomarkers remained significant after adjusting for nutritional factors (Model 3) (p > 0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, the consumption of dietary creatine may be considered safe and not associated with increased levels of above carcinogens in the general population.

Assessing Dietary Creatine Intake in Population Studies: Challenges and Opportunities.

Limited data exist for establishing the dietary requirements for creatine in the general population. This paper delineates the challenges linked to estimating creatine intake from a typical diet, and explores opportunities to improve the assessment of population-wide creatine intake. Conducting additional food chemistry studies with creatine as a standard analyte, labeling the creatine content in common foods, generating more diverse data from population-based studies, and validating new biomarkers could facilitate the establishment of nutrient reference values for this conditionally essential nutrient.

Creatine homeostasis and the kidney: comparison between kidney transplant recipients and healthy controls

Creatine is a natural nitrogenous organic acid that is integral to energy metabolism and crucial for proper cell functioning. The kidneys are involved in the first step of creatine production. With kidney transplantation being the gold-standard treatment for end-stage kidney disease, kidney transplant recipients (KTR) may be at risk of impaired creatine synthesis. We aimed to compare creatine homeostasis between KTR and controls. Plasma and urine concentrations of arginine, glycine, guanidinoacetate, creatine and creatinine were measured in 553 KTR and 168 healthy controls. Creatine intake was assessed using food frequency questionnaires. Iothalamate-measured GFR data were available in subsets of 157 KTR and 167 controls. KTR and controls had comparable body weight, height and creatine intake (all P > 0.05). However, the total creatine pool was 14% lower in KTR as compared to controls (651 ± 178 vs. 753 ± 239 mmol, P < 0.001). The endogenous creatine synthesis rate was 22% lower in KTR as compared to controls (7.8 ± 3.0 vs. 10.0 ± 4.1 mmol per day, P < 0.001). Despite lower GFR, the plasma guanidinoacetate and creatine concentrations were 21% and 41% lower in KTR as compared to controls (both P < 0.001). Urinary excretion of guanidinoacetate and creatine were 66% and 59% lower in KTR as compared to controls (both P < 0.001). In KTR, but not in controls, a higher measured GFR was associated with a higher endogenous creatine synthesis rate (std. beta: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.08; 0.33; P = 0.002), as well as a higher total creatine pool (std. beta: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.11; 0.33; P < 0.001). These associations were fully mediated (93% and 95%; P < 0.001) by urinary guanidinoacetate excretion which is consistent with production of the creatine precursor guanidinoacetate as rate-limiting factor. Our findings highlight that KTR have a disturbed creatine homeostasis as compared to controls. Given the direct relationship of measured GFR with endogenous creatine synthesis rate and the total creatine pool, creatine supplementation might be beneficial in KTR with low kidney function.Trial registration ID: NCT02811835.Trial registration URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02811835.

Dietary creatine is associated with lower serum neurofilament light chain levels.

Low creatine availability may be linked to an elevated risk of neuronal damage, yet this association remains inadequately explored at the population level. Utilizing 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, the current study found a negative correlation between dietary creatine intake and serum levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL; a biomarker for neuronal damage) in a cohort of 1912 individuals (52.2% females) aged 20-75 years. This inverse association persisted even after adjusting for other nutritional variables known to influence neuronal viability. The observed pattern, where increased dietary creatine intake was associated with reduced circulating NfL levels, suggests potential protective effects of creatine against neuronal injury.

Association between dietary intake of creatine and female reproductive health: Evidence from NHANES 2017-2020.

The hormonal changes in women influence creatine dynamics, emphasizing its potential importance during menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, and postmenopause. Yet, limited research explores creatine's impact on female reproductive health at the population level. Our study investigated the relationship between dietary creatine intake and reproductive health indices in US women using data from the 2017-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We extracted a dataset containing females aged 12 years and above who provided details about their reproductive health and dietary habits. Daily creatine intake was quantified as a relative amount (mg per kg body mass) and did not include creatine from dietary supplements and pharmacological agents. A daily requirement for dietary creatine for healthy women was employed to classify respondents into two separate subpopulations: (1) suboptimal intake of creatine (<13 mg per kg body mass per day) or (2) recommended intake (dietary creatine ≥ 13 mg per kg body mass per day). A total of 4522 female participants from the NHANES study (age 44.5 ± 20.5 years) provided data on their reproductive health and dietary intake. The average daily creatine intake for the group was 10.5 ± 10.8 mg per kg body mass. The odds ratio for having irregular periods in women consuming ≥13 mg of creatine per kg body mass daily (recommended intake) compared to those with suboptimal intake was 0.75 (95% CI, from 0.66 to 0.86), indicating a significant association between higher intake of dietary creatine and lower risk of oligomenorrhea (p < .001). Moreover, women consuming less than 13 mg of creatine per kg body mass faced an increased risk of fetal macrosomia (OR 1.26; p = .04), pelvic infection (OR 1.68; p = .01), hysterectomy (OR 1.42; p < .001), oophorectomy (OR 1.54; p < .001), and receiving hormone replacement therapy (OR 1.26; p = .02). Consuming a creatine-rich diet has been linked to lower risks of reproductive issues in US women aged 12 and above. Those consuming ≥13 mg of creatine per kg body mass daily showed notably lower risks of irregular menstrual periods, obstetric conditions, and pelvic pathology. Further studies are needed to confirm these potential benefits.

Eight-Week Creatine-Glucose Supplementation Alleviates Clinical Features of Long COVID.

Preliminary studies demonstrated beneficial effects of dietary creatine across different post-viral fatigue syndromes. Creatine is often co-administered with glucose to improve its potency yet whether glucose boost the efficacy of creatine in long COVID remains currently unknown. In this report, we investigate the effects of 8-wk creatine intake with and without glucose on patient-reported outcomes, exercise tolerance, and tissue creatine levels in patients with long COVID. Fifteen male and female long COVID adult patients (age 39.7±16.0 y; 9 women) with moderate fatigue and at least one of additional long COVID-related symptoms volunteered to participate in this randomized controlled parallel-group interventional trial. All patients were allocated in a double-blind parallel-group design (1 : 1 : 1) to receive creatine (8 g of creatine monohydrate per day), a mixture of creatine and glucose (8 g of creatine monohydrate and 3 g of glucose per day), or placebo (3 g of glucose per day) t.i.d. during an 8-wk intervention interval. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures (treatment vs. time interaction) revealed significant differences in changes in total creatine levels between the groups, showing an interaction effect at two brain locations (right precentral white matter F=34.740, p=0.008; partial η2=0.72; left paracentral grey matter F=19.243, p=0.019; partial η2=0.88), with creatine and creatine-glucose outcompeted placebo to elevate creatine levels at these two locations. Several long COVID symptoms (including body aches, breathing problems, difficulties concentrating, headache, and general malaise) were significantly reduced in creatine-glucose group at 8-wk follow-up (p≤0.05); the effect sizes for reducing body aches, difficulties concentrating, and headache were 1.33, 0.80, and 1.12, respectively, suggesting a large effect of creatine-glucose mixture for these outcomes. Our preliminary findings suggest that supplying exogenous creatine with glucose could be recommended as an effective procedure in replenishing brain creatine pool and alleviating long COVID features in this prevalent condition.

Nutrition for European Elite Fencers: A Practical Tool for Coaches and Athletes.

The aim of this narrative review is to create a comprehensive, innovative, and pragmatic resource to guide elite fencers and coaches in making strategic nutritional choices to enhance performance and facilitate recovery. The literature review identified only 12 articles specifically addressing the topic of nutrition for fencers. Thus, the recommendations provided in this review derive also from articles dealing with similar sports, such as martial arts, and from investigations with European elite fencers and their coaches. For elite fencers, it is suggested to consume daily 7-11 g/kg of body weight (BW) of carbohydrates and 1.5-2 g/kg of BW of proteins and allocate 25% to 30% of the total energy intake to essential fats, with a specific focus on omega-3 fatty acids. The timing of meals, ideally within one hour after exertion, plays a pivotal role in restoring glycogen reserves and preventing injuries. The intake of leucine, creatine, omega-3, collagen, and vitamins C and D is proposed as a strategy for injury recovery. It is worth acknowledging that even when personalized plans are provided, implementation can be challenging, especially during competitions and training camps.

Is it now appropriate to assert that creatine supplementation holds cognitive benefits for the elderly?

This paper explores the potential cognitive benefits of creatine supplementation for the elderly population. Creatine, known for its role in muscular and neuronal energy metabolism, is primarily obtained through dietary intake, particularly from meat sources. The literature underscores creatine's significance in neural tissue development and cognitive capacity, with deficiencies linked to impaired cognitive function, especially in infants. In the context of the aging global population, cognitive decline is a prevalent concern, and reduced creatine concentration is implicated in this process. While association studies suggest a connection between creatine intake and cognitive performance in the elderly, the absence of robust clinical trials calls for further investigation. Physiological plausibility supports the idea that increased creatine intake, combined with physical activities, could positively impact cognition in the elderly. However, the existing evidence remains inconclusive, and rigorous randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials are essential to establish a cause-and-effect relationship and elucidate underlying mechanisms. Confirmation of cognitive benefits could pave the way for determining optimal dosages to enhance cognitive function in the elderly.

Effects of six-month creatine supplementation on patient- and clinician-reported outcomes, and tissue creatine levels in patients with post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome.

Dietary creatine has been recently put forward as a possible intervention strategy to reduce post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome yet no clinical study so far evaluated its efficacy and safety for this perplexing condition. In this parallel-group, randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial, we analyzed the effects of 6-month creatine supplementation (4 g of creatine monohydrate per day) on various patient- and clinician-reported outcomes, and tissue creatine levels in 12 patients with post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome. Creatine intake induced a significant increase in tissue creatine levels in vastus medialis muscle and right parietal white matter compared to the baseline values at both 3-month and 6-month follow-ups (p < .05). Two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures revealed a significant difference (treatment vs. time interaction) between interventions in tissue creatine levels (p < .05), with the creatine group was superior to placebo to augment creatine levels at vastus medialis muscle, left frontal white matter, and right parietal white matter. Creatine supplementation induced a significant reduction in general fatigue after 3 months of intake compared to baseline values (p = .04), and significantly improved scores for several post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome-related symptoms (e.g., ageusia, breathing difficulties, body aches, headache, and difficulties concentrating) at 6-month follow-up (p < .05). Taking creatine for 6 months appears to improve tissue bioenergetics and attenuate clinical features of post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome; additional studies are warranted to confirm our findings in various post-COVID-19 cohorts.

Dietary creatine and cancer risk in the U.S. population: NHANES 2017–2020

While creatine is generally considered a safe dietary compound, there have been concerns about excessive creatine intake and its possible link to cancer. The main of this study was to examine the relationship between dietary creatine intake and cancer risk in the general US population using data from the 2017–2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We extracted a dataset that included information on medical conditions and dietary intake from 7,344 NHANES respondents. We used individual data files containing detailed information about each food and beverage item consumed to calculate creatine intake from meat- and milk-based food sources. In a subset of NHANES respondents who reported their cancer status, the average daily creatine intake was 11.6 ± 11.5 mg per kg body mass (95 % CI, 11.3 to 11.8); all participants in the subset were 20 years or older. Cancer-free individuals consumed significantly more creatine per day than those with cancer (11.7 ± 11.6 mg/kg body mass vs. 10.6 ± 10.2 mg/kg body mass; P = 0.01). The odds ratio for having cancer in the subset of participants consuming < 10.5 mg of creatine per kg body mass daily (the 50th percentile of consumption) compared to those with higher intake (≥10.5 mg) was 1.18 (95 % CI, from 1.01 to 1.37), indicating a significant association between lower dietary creatine intake and increased cancer risk (P = 0.03). Our findings suggest that consuming a diet that includes more creatine may be associated with a reduced risk of cancer or malignancy in U.S. adults aged 20 years and over, with the average difference in creatine intake between cancer-free individuals and cancer groups was relatively small (1.1 mg/kg body mass). Further studies are necessary to confirm the potential benefits of creatine-rich foods or dietary supplements in the management of cancer.

Method for non-invasive assessment of the effect of biologically active substances on the rate of the pH level restoration in the muscle after maximum load using 1H MRS

Purpose of the study: To determine the possibility of a non-invasive evaluation of the biologically active substances (BAS) effect on the rate of a pH level restoration in a muscle after a maximum load using 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).Materials and methods. Creatine monohydrate and beta-alanine were taken as tested biologically active substances, used according to the manufacturer's recommendations. At the first stage, calibration curves of a pH dependence on the magnitude of chemical shifts were plotted during assigning 1H spectra of model carnosine dipeptide solutions for non-invasive determination of intramuscular pH. Further experiments were carried out on laboratory animals (mice) using a 9 T NMR spectrometer Bruker Advance III WB 400MHz WB (Bruker, Germany). In experiments on volunteers the functional test pwc170 was used for assessing the ergogenic effects of biologically active substances on rectus quadriceps femoris. The test allows to achieve the level of myocytes cytoplasm acidification with lactate, and the effectiveness of functional biologically active substances on endurance, and also the function of aerobic systems by the muscle pH rate of recovery. Detection was performed using a high-field magnetic resonance imaging scanner (Philips Healthcare, Achieva 3.0T, North Braband, The Netherlands) and two SENSE Flex-L surface ring radiofrequency coils.Results. The effect of oral intake of creatine and beta-alanine on the restoration of rectus quadriceps femoris muscle pH after an acidification of the myocytes cytoplasm with lactate was evaluated using the 1H MRS method. Reproducible results with optimal signal-to-noise ratios and width of carnosine spectral peaks were achieved in volunteers using individual protocols and 1H MRS at 3T in the quadriceps femoris. Animal experiments have highlighted the need to develop and use more accurate techniques for voxel extraction and fat suppression during in vivo 1H spectroscopy to reliably capture the chemical shifts of carnosine peaks.Conclusion. The data obtained using 1H MRS on volunteers allow us to conclude that the developed method makes it possible to non-invasively assess the effect of biologically active substances on the rate of restoration of pH level in a muscle after a critical load in real time in vivo.

SUPLEMENTAÇÃO COM CREATINA PARA DANOS MUSCULARES PÓS-EXERCÍCIO

ABSTRACT Introduction: Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) can occur from recent or unusual physical activity, leading to a temporary reduction in muscle function. And increased pain. Several articles indicate the positive impacts of creatine on EIMD. Objective: Evaluate the impact of creatine on EIMD. Methods: Online searches were performed in Scopus, Embase, Medline and Google scholar until March 2022. Results: Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. To assess the quality of the studies, the Cochrane collaboration system was used for risk and bias analysis. Due to the high heterogeneity of interventions and studies designed, a meta-analysis was not performed. The current paper reveals that creatine intake is preferable to inactive recovery and only a rest period between several harmful and exhausting physical activities. Conclusion: Benefits were attenuated in EIMD markers that reduce muscle operation and muscle strength loss after exercise. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - Manuscript review.

Creatine consumption and liver disease manifestations in individuals aged 12 years and over.

Despite the overwhelming safety evidence concerning creatine intake in various settings, there is still incomplete information whether dietary creatine affects liver health at the population level. The main aim of this cross-sectional population-based study was to evaluate the association between creatine intake through regular diet and liver disease manifestations, including liver fibrosis and hepatic steatosis, among individuals aged 12 years and over, using open-source data from the 2017-2018 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). A total of 9254 male and female participants of all ages were included in the 2017-2018 NHANES round. We extracted data from the total sample population for participants who provided dietary data for individual foods via dietary interviews and examination data from liver ultrasound transient elastography. The final study sample consisted of 5957 participants (mean age 44.7 ± 21.0 years; 50.1% women), and the mean dietary creatine intake across the study population was 0.88 ± 0.71 g/day. Liver fibrosis and cirrhosis were diagnosed in 1703 (28.7%) and 288 (4.8%) participants, respectively; hepatic steatosis was identified in 2595 (43.7%) individuals. Binary logistic regression with multivariable model adjusted for age, gender, family income to poverty ratio, body mass index, total energy intake, and alcohol consumption showed that consuming more creatine (≥2g/day) did not significantly increase the risk of liver fibrosis (OR=0.92, 95% CI 0.70-1.21, p=.57), cirrhosis (OR=0.94, 95% CI 0.53-1.65, p=.82), or hepatic steatosis (OR=0.77, 95% CI 0.59-1.02, p=.07), as compared to participants who ingested <1g of creatine daily. Dietary exposure to creatine through a regular diet is not associated with an increase in disease manifestations in individuals 12 years and over; further research is warranted to address the effects of excessive creatine intake (≥5g/day) through a regular diet on liver health at the population level.

Effect of Guanidinoacetic acid, a creatine precursor, in gestating and lactating sows

The creatine/phosphocreatine system plays an important role to supply energy on short notice, especially to tissues that have a high and variable energy demand. Creatine is produced in the body using glycine and arginine. However, endogenous synthesis of creatine has limitations and dietary intake of creatine is needed. Dietary supplementation of creatine is not possible in the diets that undergo pelleting because it is not heat-stable. Guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) is the immediate metabolic precursor of creatine and is heat tolerant. Guanidinoacetic acid is frequently used in animal feed as a source of creatine. The benefits of dietary supplementation of GAA to broilers and growing pigs are extensively reported in the literature. The gestating and lactating sows undergo periods of high energy demand where supplementation of GAA can improve energy efficiency and consequently improve the productivity of the sow and its offspring. We investigated the effect of dietary supplementation of GAA in gestating and lactating sows in three independent studies. We observed that when GAA was fed during the full gestation there was an increase in the number of pigs born alive (study 1 and 2) and when it was fed during the last two-thirds of the gestation period there was an increase in the pig body weight at birth (study 3). In the three studies, we observed that sows supplemented with GAA during lactation had heavier litters at weaning. In study 1, we observed a higher protein and amino acid concentration in the colostrum of sows fed GAA. The present studies demonstrated that supplementation of GAA to gestating and lactating sows can improve sow and litter performance.

Could dietary creatine intake modulate overweight elderly's selective attention and inhibitory function?

Aims: There is evidence that both aging and increased adiposity may impact creatine levels in the brain, and brain creatine levels are important for cognition. The aim of this study was to assess correlation between dietary creatine intake and cognition in in elderly women with overweight. Methods: Twenty seven overweight women over 60 years of age who were part of a larger study participated in an Eriksen Flanker Task (EFT) to asssess cognitive performance. Additionally, diet was assessed over 5 days via daily diary nutritional recalls and the estimate of the daily amount of creatine was calculated. Results: In the EFT when incongruente stimulus were presented there was a significant diferences between those with low and high intake of creatine (-35.3 ± 5.84; p < 0.001). Similarly, reaction time to answer incongruent stimulus (r = -0.383; p = 0.004) and the percent of correct answers (r = 0.743; p < 0.001) showed weak to strong correlations with self-reported daily creatine intake. Conclusions: In conclusion, our results suggest that in elderly women with overweight that dietary intake of creatine may influence cognitive ability. Clinical Implications: Our findings support the idea that intake of dietary creatine may be an important factor for cognition in older adults.

Effects of Creatine Supplementation in Different Sports: A Review

Creatine (Cr) is essential for the phosphagen pathway to function in the body. The purpose of oral Cr supplementation is to increase the amount of Cr in the body and specifically in skeletal muscle. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of creatine supplementation on performance in different sports. Creatine intake was analyzed in soccer, swimming, triathlon, American football, cycling, and volleyball. In conclusion, comment that the intake of creatine has beneficial effects for sports practice, favoring greater performance in performing high-intensity sprints and in recovery between repetitions.

Food Creatine and Head Circumference Among Children Aged 0–2 Years

ObjectivesSeveral small-scalle studies demonstrated an association between dietary creatine intake and body size in school-aged children and adolescents, yet no such connection has been evaluated in very young children at the populational level. We conducted a secondary analysis of previously completed cross-sectional study, and determined an association between food creatine and body measures in 597 U.S children aged 0 to 2 years, using the 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database.MethodsTotal grams of creatine consumed per day were computed using the average amount of creatine (e.g., 0.20 g/kg for milk-based foods and 3.88 g/kg for meat-based sources) across all creatine-containing food sources.ResultsDietary creatine intake was positively correlated with head circumference (r = 0.184; P = 0.031) when controlled for age at screening, while no link was found between creatine consumption and recumbent length (r = - 0.003; P = 0.955) or body weight (r = 0.048; P = 0.317). A multiple regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between food creatine and head circumference (P < 0.001) when adjusted for the effects of selected dietary variables (e.g., weight of food consumed, total caloric content, protein intake).ConclusionsOur findings indicate a relationship between food creatine and head circumference as a surrogate marker of brain size in early childhood; further pediatric studies should appraise the role of dietary creatine in neurodevelopment.Funding SourcesN/A.

Association between dietary creatine and visuospatial short-term memory in older adults.

Aims: The purpose was to examine the relationship between habitual dietary creatine intake obtained in food and visuospatial short-term memory (VSSM). Methods: Forty-two participants (32 females, 10 males; > 60 yrs of age) completed a 5-day dietary recall to estimate creatine intake and performed a cognitive assessment which included a visuospatial short-term memory test (forward and reverse corsi block test) and a mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Pearson correlation coefficients were determined. Further, cohorts were derived based on the median creatine intake. Results: There was a significant correlation between the forward Corsi (r = 0.703, P < 0.001), reverse Corsi (r = 0.715, P < 0.001), and the memory sub-component of the MMSE (r = 0.406, P = 0.004). A median creatine intake of 0.382 g/day was found. Participants consuming greater than the median had a significantly higher Corsi (P = 0.005) and reverse Corsi (P < 0.001) scores compared to participants ingesting less than the median. Conclusions: Dietary creatine intake is positively associated with measures of memory in older adults. Clinical Implications: Older adults should consider food sources containing creatine (i.e. red meat, seafood) due to the positive association with visuospatial short-term memory.

Effect of Protein Supplement Intake on Oral Health status of Bodybuilders. A Cross-sectional Study

Background: This study was conducted to 1. estimate the effect of protein, creatine, and amino acids supplements on the oral health of bodybuilders. 2. compare the oral health status of bodybuilders with another non-bodybuilder group. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Riyadh city between April and July 2021. About 200 non-smokers Saudi men were recruited in the study which was allocated into two groups (100 subjects each); bodybuilders and non-bodybuilders. Oral health indicators like dental caries, plaque, and gingival indices were measured. Results: D and DMFT were higher in the bodybuilder group than in the non-bodybuilder [4.47 vs 0.89 for D, and 8.75 vs 4.58 for DMFT]. Also, P.I. and G.I. showed the same result. 60 % of participants were taking protein only, while 37% of them were taking a combination of protein, creatine, and amino acids. Only 3% were taking creatine. A positive significant association was found between the frequency of protein intake and D, Pl. I., and G.I. Negative significant association was found between Pl. I score and each of protein and combined intake of protein, creatine, and amino acids. Regarding G.I., combined supplement intake, protein intake, duration, and frequency of brushing were negatively associated with it [p=0.033, 0.026, 0.081, and 0.010 respectively]. Conclusion: From the previous findings we can conclude that poor oral hygiene practices among bodybuilders may be the real cause of their bad oral health. Also, the frequency of protein intake could be directly associated with increased dental caries, plaque accumulation, and gingivitis. While the higher intake of protein and combined supplements were associated with decreased plaque and gingival indices.

Morning versus Evening Intake of Creatine in Elite Female Handball Players.

A great deal of evidence has been gathered on the use of creatine as an ergogenic supplement. Recent studies show greater benefits when creatine ingestion is performed close in time to training, but few studies tackle the way that circadian rhythms could influence creatine consumption. The aim of this study was therefore to observe the influence circadian rhythms exert on sports performance after creatine supplementation. Our method involved randomly assigning fourteen women players of a handball team into two groups in a single-blind study: one that consumed the supplement in the morning and one that consumed it in the evening, with both groups following a specific training program. After twelve weeks, the participants exhibited a decreased fat percentage, increased body weight and body water, and improved performance, with these results being very similar in the two groups. It is therefore concluded that, although circadian rhythms may influence performance, these appear not to affect creatine supplementation, as creatine is stored intramuscularly and is available for those moments of high energy demand, regardless of the time of day.