The Study
Effect of 12 months of creatine supplementation and whole-body resistance training on measures of bone, muscle and strength in older males
This study gave one group of older men creatine pills and another group fake pills, then made them all do the same strength exercises for a year. It found that both groups got just as strong and their bones changed the same way — so creatine didn’t help more than the exercise alone.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Older men took creatine pills or fake pills while doing strength training for a year to see if creatine helped them get stronger or build stronger bones.
Where does this study sit?
Systematic Reviews & Meta-analyses
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control
Max 58Cross-Sectional
Max 44Case Reports & Series
Max 30Expert Opinion
Max 547 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. Considered the gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1No, the tiny trend in one bone measure doesn't mean creatine helps older men get stronger or prevent bone loss beyond just doing strength training.
- 2Both groups got equally stronger and gained similar muscle and bone measures.
- 3Creatine slightly improved one bone shape measure, but not enough to be sure it wasn't by chance.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Nutrition and Health
Year
2020
Authors
D. Candow, P. Chilibeck, Julianne J Gordon, E. Vogt, Tim Landeryou, M. Kaviani, Lisa Paus-Jensen
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.