Effect of short-term creatine supplementation on markers of skeletal muscle damage after strenuous contractile activity

Abstract

The protective effect of short-term creatine supplementation (CrS) upon markers of strenuous contractile activity-induced damage in human and rat skeletal muscles was investigated. Eight Ironman triathletes were randomized into the placebo (Pl; n = 4) and creatine-supplemented (CrS; n = 4) groups. Five days prior to the Ironman competition, the CrS group received creatine monohydrate (20 g day(-1)) plus maltodextrin (50 g) divided in two equal doses. The Pl group received maltodextrin (50 g day(-1)) only. The effect of CrS (5 g day(-1)/kg body weight for 5 days) was also evaluated in a protocol of strenuous contractile activity induced by electrical stimulation in rats. Blood samples were collected before and 36 and 60 h after the competition and were used to determine plasma activities of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aldolase (ALD), glutamic oxaloacetic acid transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic acid transaminase (GPT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) level. In rats, plasma activities of CK and LDH, muscle vascular permeability (MVP) using Evans blue dye, muscle force and fatigue were evaluated. Activities of CK, ALD, LDH, GOT, GTP, and levels of CRP were increased in the Pl group after the competition as compared to basal values. CrS decreased plasma activities of CK, LDH, and ALD, and prevented the rise of GOT and GPT plasma activities. In rats, CrS delayed the fatigue, preserved the force, and prevented the rise of LDH and CK plasma activities and MVP in the gastrocnemius muscle. CrS presented a protective effect on muscle injury induced by strenuous contractile activities.

Nutritional Interventions as Potential Strategy to Minimize Exercise-Induced Muscle Injuries in Sports

“…These results confirm the hypothesis that creatine may have a protective effect against membrane cell disruption following prolonged and intense muscle contractions [156]. Indeed as skeletal muscle damage during an ironman competition mostly result from eccentric contractions, mainly related to the marathon segment of the race [157], it can be argued that creatine may be effective in preventing eccentric induced muscle injury.…”

“…In fact the lack of effect upon plasma CK concentration might not reflect the overall positive effect of creatine on muscle damage as a strong variability of this parameter among athletes, its dependence from the training status and the weak correlation with changes in other markers of muscle damage [151][152][153] lessen its significance in comparison with other markers of cellular death and lysis as LDH [154]. Similar effects on plasma pro inflammatory markers (Interleukin (IL) 1 beta and IL-6, TNF-α, and Interferon alpha (INF alpha) and PGE2) [155] and on plasma markers of cellular integrity (CK, LDH aldolase (ALD), glutamic oxaloacetic, acid transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic acid transaminase (GPT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) [156] have been obtained in double blind trials following creatine supplementation (20gr day-1) 5 days before a half-ironman and after ironman triathlon competition respectively.…”

“…The observed reduction in plasma activities of GOT and GPT (markers of liver injury) observed in triathletes after an ironman competition may suggest that creatine supplementation can enhance the metabolic efficiency of skeletal muscle preventing the metabolic workload on the liver which has a critical role on the contractile activity-induced skeletal muscle injury. Indeed when eccentric contraction is avoided as in electrically stimulated gastrocnemius muscle of the rat, creatine supplementation has been found to delay the fatigue appearance, preserve the force development, and prevent the rise of LDH and CK plasma activities and muscle vascular permeability evaluated with Evans blu staining [156]. Furthermore, although it cannot be excluded that in endurance settings the benefits of supplementation in preventing muscle damage may relate to the antioxidant potential that has been attributed to creatine in various oxidative stressassociated diseases, few studies have been published on the relationship between supplemen-tation and oxidative stress and controversial and not conclusive results are currently available [161][162][163].…”

Metabolic and functional effects of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation in skeletal muscle

“…HMB and KIC supplementation also reduced signs and symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage (van Koverin and Nissen 1992;Nissen et al 1996;van Someren et al 2005). Fatigue has been associated with increased muscle damage induced by contractile activity (Bassit et al 2010;Pinheiro et al 2010). This protective effect of HMB against contractile activity-induced damage may be associated to increased stability of muscle plasma membrane or increased metabolic efficiency.…”

“…Details of evaluation of skeletal muscle contractile function were previously described (Bassit et al 2010;Pinheiro et al 2010;da Justa Pinheiro et al 2011). In brief, the animals were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital (75 mg/kg) and both hindlimbs were fixed on an acrylic platform.…”