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Creatine, commonly used by gym-goers for its muscle-enhancing effects, might serve as a novel treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. A recent study in the Frontiers in Nutrition journal suggests that creatine can help Alzheimer’s patients maintain muscle strength and size within just eight weeks.
Alzheimer’s is known for its cognitive impact, but it also significantly affects physical health. Previous research indicates that muscle dysfunction can be an early indicator of the disease, which exacerbates risks like falls, injuries, difficulty with daily activities, and physical discomfort in seniors. These issues compound the challenges faced by Alzheimer’s sufferers.
Researchers at the University of Kansas theorized that bolstering muscle strength and size could help mitigate these secondary complications in Alzheimer’s patients. Given creatine’s ability to boost muscle performance, it could provide a viable solution to help patients retain physical function despite their illness.
Until this pilot trial, the effects of creatine on Alzheimer’s patients had not been examined. The study involved 20 participants, ages 60 to 90, all diagnosed with probable Alzheimer’s disease.
Participants were asked to take a daily 10-gram dose of creatine for eight weeks. Researchers measured hand grip strength, evaluated the lower body, and assessed muscle size and thickness at the start and end of the trial.
The participants showed no withdrawal symptoms and adhered to the creatine regimen about 90% of the time. After eight weeks, average handgrip strength rose from 33.5 kg to 35.5 kg.
Hand grip strength is often directly associated with quality of life and mortality risk in older adults as it signifies their ability to be independent and prevent themselves from falling. However, there were no significant changes in BMI, waist circumference or percentage of lean body mass.
In some areas of the body, subcutaneous fat levels decreased and the muscle cross-sectional area increased in the legs for those who underwent the lower body assessment according to News Medical.
Overall, the researchers discovered that taking creatine had modest benefits for the skeletal muscle structure in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. They also suggested that the increased hand grip strength could counteract the accelerated muscle loss these patients typically experience.
The researchers concluded: “This eight-week pilot trial suggests that 20 g/day of CrM may provide modest skeletal muscle benefits in patients with AD. These data provide preliminary evidence to warrant further investigation of the potential for CrM to prevent AD-related decline in muscle function.”
They called for more research into creatine supplements as a possible solution to prevent Alzheimer’s related decline in muscle function. However, they also cautioned that these initial findings should not be seen as conclusive proof due to the small size of the study group and some changes made to the protocol during the study.
