Creatine Supports Arthritic Knees

SAO PAULO, BrazilCreatine supplementation may improve muscle strength and related quality of life in adults with osteoarthritis (OA), according to a new study (Med Sci Sports Exercise. ePub 8 Feb 2011. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182118592). Researchers from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, enrolled postmenopausal women with knee OA in the randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of creatine supplementation combined with resistance training. All subjects participated in a lower limb resistance training program for 12 weeks; half the women received 20 g/d of creatine for one week and then 5 g/d for the remaining 11 weeks, while the other women took a placeo. Primary outcome was physical function, with secondary outcomes of lean mass, quality of life, pain, stiffness and muscle strength.

Women taking creatine had a significant improvement in physical function, both compared to the placebo group, and compared to their baseline scores. In addition, subjects consuming creatine showed improvements in physical function and stiffness subscales judged on WOMAC values, significant improvement in lower limb lean mass and in quality of life. Both groups had significant reductions in pain.