Influence of creatine supplementation on muscle mass of rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the short-term (5g. kg -1 for 1 week) and long-term (1g. kg -1 for 8 weeks) creatine supplementation on ponderal adaptation of anterior tibial and soleus muscles of sedentary and exercised (swimming to 80% of the tolerated maximum load) rats.72 Wistar males rats (240 ± 10g) were divided in 4 groups: sedentary rats without supplementation (CON; n = 18); exercised rats without supplementation (NAT; n = 18); sedentary rats with supplementation (CRE; n = 18); exercised rats with supplementation (CRE+NAT; n = 18). At the end of the first, fourth and eighth weeks six animals of each group were sacrificed. There were obtained the following results (p<0.05): superior average of anterior tibial muscle absolute mass in CRE and CRE+NAT; superior average of absolute and relative soleus muscle mass in the CRE+NAT in relation to other groups after four and eight experimental weeks. These findings suggest that the creatine supplementation causes positive ponderal adaptations in skeletal muscle tissue independly of physical exercise realization.