Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 29138605 · doi:10.2147/OAJSM.S123529
What was done
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials identified via PubMed and SPORTDiscus. The analysis included 22 studies comprising 721 older adult participants (men and women, study mean ages 57–70 years) randomized to creatine supplementation or placebo alongside resistance training 2–3 days per week for 7 to 52 weeks. Measured outcomes were lean tissue mass, chest press strength, and leg press strength.
What was found
Compared to placebo, creatine supplementation combined with resistance training produced significantly greater increases in: - Lean tissue mass: mean difference = 1.37 kg (95% CI: 0.97 to 1.76; p < 0.00001) - Chest press strength: standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.35 (95% CI: 0.16 to 0.53; p = 0.0002) - Leg press strength: SMD = 0.24 (95% CI: 0.05 to 0.43; p = 0.01)
Why it matters
This meta-analysis demonstrates that creatine supplementation augments resistance-training-induced gains in lean mass and strength in aging adults.
Limits
The abstract does not report specific creatine dosing regimens, compliance rates, or risk of bias across trials. Study durations varied substantially (7 to 52 weeks), trials were individually small (average ~33 participants), and functional daily living outcomes were not reported in the abstract.