Effect of Creatine Supplementation on Functional Capacity and Muscle Oxygen Saturation in Patients with Symptomatic Peripheral Arterial Disease: A Pilot Study of a Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

The aim of the study was to verify the effects of creatine (Cr) supplementation on functional capacity (walking capacity; primary outcome) and calf muscle oxygen saturation (StO2) (secondary outcome) in symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients. Twenty-nine patients, of both sexes, were randomized (1:1) in a double-blind manner for administration of placebo (PLA, n = 15) or creatine monohydrate (Cr, n = 14). The supplementation protocol consisted of 20 g/day for 1 week divided into four equal doses (loading phase), followed by single daily doses of 5 g in the subsequent 7 weeks (maintenance phase). Functional capacity (total walking distance) was assessed by the 6 min walk test, and calf muscle StO2 was assessed through near infrared spectroscopy. The measurements were collected before and after loading and after the maintenance phase. The level of significance was p < 0.05. No significant differences were found for function capacity (total walking distance (PLA: pre 389 ± 123 m vs. post loading 413 ± 131 m vs. post maintenance 382 ± 99 m; Cr: pre 373 ± 149 m vs. post loading 390 ± 115 m vs. post maintenance 369 ± 115 m, p = 0.170) and the calf muscle StO2 parameters (p > 0.05). Short- and long-term Cr supplementation does not influence functional capacity and calf muscle StO2 parameters in patients with symptomatic PAD.

Influence of the order of aerobic and resistance exercise on hemodynamic responses and arterial stiffness in young normotensive individuals.

AIMS: To investigate the effects of a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises and the inverse sequence on the hemodynamic parameters and indicators of arterial stiffness in healthy young adult subjects. METHODS: Fifteen subjects were randomized in a crossover procedure according to two experimental conditions: combined aerobic exercise (30 min of treadmill running, 75-80% - peak VO2) followed by resistance exercise (5 exercises, 3 sets - 10 RM) (AR) or vice versa (RA). Data of the hemodynamic parameters and arterial stiffness were obtained at baseline and after exercise (post-10, post-20, and post-30 min). Two-way ANOVA for repeated measurements was performed with the Newman-Keuls post-hoc. The significance level adopted was p < 0.05. RESULTS: The results of the two-way ANOVA for repeated measures were not statistically significant for brachial and central systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, or arterial stiffness indicators: reflected wave indicators and pulse wave velocity (P > 0.05). Statistically significant interactions were observed before and after the exercise sessions for heart rate and rate pressure product (P = < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The performance order of aerobic exercise followed by resistance exercise (AR) and the reverse order (RA) present similar changes in blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness. However, resistance exercise before aerobic exercise promotes increases in heart rate and rate product pressure.

Does Creatine Supplementation Affect Renal Function in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease? A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-controlled, Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Case studies and reviews have shown that creatine supplementation can affect kidney function. The objective of this study is to verify the effects of 8 weeks of creatine supplementation on renal function (creatinine clearance: primary outcome) in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients, of both genders, were randomized (1:1) in a double-blind manner for administration of Placebo (PLA; n = 15) or creatine monohydrate (Cr; n = 14). The supplementation protocol consisted of 20 g/day for 1 week divided into 4 equal doses (loading phase), followed by single daily doses of 5 g in the subsequent 7 weeks (maintenance phase). Before and after the supplementation period, markers of renal function, serum creatinine, creatinine excretion rate, and creatinine clearance were evaluated. The Generalized Estimation Equation Model was used for comparison between groups. The level of significance was P < 0.05. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between groups before and after the intervention for serum creatinine (Cr: pre 1.00 ± 0.15 mL/dL vs. post 1.07 ± 0.16 mL/dL; PLA: pre 1.30 ± 0.53 mL/dL vs. post 1.36 ± 0.47 mL/dL, P = 0.590), creatinine excretion rate (Cr: pre 81.73 ± 43.80 mg/dL vs. post 102.92 ± 59.57 mg/dL; PLA: pre 74.37 ± 38.90 mg/dL vs. post 86.22 ± 39.94 mg/dL, P = 0.560), or creatinine clearance (Cr; pre 108 ± 59 mL/min/1.73 m2 vs. post 117 ± 52 mL/min/1.73 m2; PLA: pre 88 ± 49 mL/min/1.73 m2 vs. post 82 ± 47 mL/min/1.73 m2, P = 0.366). CONCLUSIONS: Eight weeks of creatine supplementation is safe and does not compromise the renal function of patients with peripheral arterial disease.