[FONT=Arial,Helvetica] In a study involving 30 women between the ages of 58 and 71 years, supplementation with creatine monohydrate (0.3 g per kg body mass) for a period of 7 days was found to increase muscular strength and power and improve lower-body motor functional performance, without any adverse effects.
Subjects participated in 3 test sessions (T1, T2, T3), with a 1 week gap in between each of the tests. In each of the test sessions, subjects completed one repetition maximum tests for bench press, leg press, and isometric hand-grip, as well as tandem gait, upper-body ergometer, and lower-body ergometer tests.
Only after the second test session were subjects given either creatine monohydrate (0.3/kg body mass) or a placebo, for 7 days. When subjects underwent the test sessions for the third time, the beneficial effects of creatine supplementation on muscular strength and lower-body motor functional performance were evident.
Increases were found in bench press (1.7 kg), leg press (5.2 kg), body mass (0.49 kg), and fat free mass (0.52), after receiving creatine monohydrate. In addition, completion time on the functional tandem gait tests decreased from the second to the third trial. No adverse effects were reported.
The results of this study demonstrate that supplementation with creatine may benefit older women by increasing muscular strength, power, and lower-body motor functional performance, which may increase physical independence and reduce the risk of falls in this population.[/FONT]
