TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of creatine supplementation on exercise performance and muscular strength in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
T2 - Preliminary results
AU - Mazzini, L.
AU - Balzarini, C.
AU - Colombo, R.
AU - Mora, G.
AU - Pastore, I.
AU - De Ambrogio, R.
AU - Caligari, M.
PY - 2001/10/15
Y1 - 2001/10/15
N2 - Creatine supplementation in humans has been reported to enhance power and strength both in normal subjects and in patients with various neuromuscular diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of supplementation on exercise performance and maximal voluntary isometric muscular contraction (MVIC) in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients. We report the results obtained in 28 patients with probable/definite ALS. In each patient we acquired the dynamometric measurement of MVIC in 10 muscle groups of upper and lower limbs and a measure of fatigue by means of an high-intensity intermittent protocol in elbow flexors and knee extensors muscles. All patients completed the protocols at the baseline and after supplementation of 20 g per day for 7 days and after supplementation of 3 g per day for 3 and 6 months. MVIC increased after 7 days of supplementation in 20 patients (70%) in knee extensors and in 15 (53%) of them also in elbow flexors. A statistically significant difference between pre and post-treatment mean values of MVIC was found both in elbow flexors (P <0.05) and knee extensors (p <0.04). The analysis of the slopes of fatigue test showed a statistically significant improvement after 7 days of supplementation in 11 patients (39%) in elbow flexors and in 9 patients (32%) also in knee extensors muscles. During the 6-month follow-up period all the examined parameters showed a linear progressive decline. In conclusion, our preliminary results have demonstrated that supplementation temporary increases maximal isometric power in ALS patients so it may be of potential benefit in situations such as high intensity activity and it can be proposed as a symptomatic treatment.
AB - Creatine supplementation in humans has been reported to enhance power and strength both in normal subjects and in patients with various neuromuscular diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of supplementation on exercise performance and maximal voluntary isometric muscular contraction (MVIC) in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients. We report the results obtained in 28 patients with probable/definite ALS. In each patient we acquired the dynamometric measurement of MVIC in 10 muscle groups of upper and lower limbs and a measure of fatigue by means of an high-intensity intermittent protocol in elbow flexors and knee extensors muscles. All patients completed the protocols at the baseline and after supplementation of 20 g per day for 7 days and after supplementation of 3 g per day for 3 and 6 months. MVIC increased after 7 days of supplementation in 20 patients (70%) in knee extensors and in 15 (53%) of them also in elbow flexors. A statistically significant difference between pre and post-treatment mean values of MVIC was found both in elbow flexors (P <0.05) and knee extensors (p <0.04). The analysis of the slopes of fatigue test showed a statistically significant improvement after 7 days of supplementation in 11 patients (39%) in elbow flexors and in 9 patients (32%) also in knee extensors muscles. During the 6-month follow-up period all the examined parameters showed a linear progressive decline. In conclusion, our preliminary results have demonstrated that supplementation temporary increases maximal isometric power in ALS patients so it may be of potential benefit in situations such as high intensity activity and it can be proposed as a symptomatic treatment.
KW - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
KW - Creatine supplementation
KW - Fatigue
KW - Strength
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035886437&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0035886437&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0022-510X(01)00611-6
DO - 10.1016/S0022-510X(01)00611-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 11677005
AN - SCOPUS:0035886437
VL - 191
SP - 139
EP - 144
JO - Journal of the Neurological Sciences
JF - Journal of the Neurological Sciences
SN - 0022-510X
IS - 1-2
ER -