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[Definitie:] "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance."
(Wilmore and Costill) 
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2 2 - 0 7 - 2 0 0 5 Student finds key to help older men bulk up
Creatine, protein mix may aid muscle growth
Janet French A new study by a University of Saskatchewan graduate student has found a combination of creatine and protein can help older men bulk up faster than using either dietary supplement alone.
"We were really shocked," said Darren Candow, a PhD candidate in kinesiology. "It was the first study ever done to combine protein and creatine (in older people)." Candow recruited 35 men between the ages of 59 and 77 to drink a specially formulated shake before lifting weights three days a week. One group's shakes contained creatine, a naturally occurring substance that's marketed as a dietary supplement for athletes and bodybuilders. Another group's shakes contained extra protein. A third group had both creatine and protein in their shakes and a fourth group had only sugar as a control. To avoid skewing their observations, neither Candow nor the athletes knew what additives their shakes contained. After 10 weeks, the men drinking protein and creatine shakes became the beefcakes of the study group when their muscle mass increased by an average of 5.6 per cent. That's about 3.2 kilograms more muscle on each man, Candow said. Those taking creatine alone increased their muscle mass by 3.1 per cent, and the men drinking just sugar or protein saw a one per cent increase in muscle mass. Candow said researchers believe creatine helps accelerate the body's ability to manufacture proteins. Although his results aren't yet published in a peer-reviewed journal, he has presented them at conferences across North America. Researchers have found similar results before in younger subjects, but no one has put the supplements to the test together in the elderly before. Another study at McMaster University showed creatine helped people with muscle-wasting diseases gain strength, which raised hopes it could do the same for the elderly. Candow said his results give hope to older adults who want to regain muscle or avoid losing strength. "For the average person, you can find creatine and protein in red meat, seafood," he said. "So if you emphasize those sorts of foods on training days, during a resistance training program, you should increase muscle mass at a faster rate than if you didn't emphasize creatine and protein products." It's an uphill battle for older adults, who start losing muscle at age 40, he said, and can lose one per cent of their muscle or more with every passing decade. "We can't stop the rate of loss of muscle mass as we get older, but by just doing a little subtle change to your diet, by maybe emphasizing a tuna sandwich or a glass of milk or maybe other things with red meat or seafood on the days you work out, (it) could potentially increase your muscle mass at a greater rate than not taking these into consideration," Candow said. Darren Burke, an associate professor in human kinetics at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, said Candow's results are significant and timely as the baby boomer population coasts toward old age. "We have a huge aged population that's moving through (that) demographic, and in those individuals, sarcopenia, or age-related muscle wasting, is a major concern," Burke said. Maintaining strength is important for the elderly to keep up with the tasks in daily life, he said. But neither researcher recommends the 40-plus set begin flanking their diet with creatine powder. Researchers have been scrutinizing side-effects of the unregulated performance enhancer since it first hit health food stores shelves. "It does make your liver and kidneys work harder," Candow said. "In healthy individuals thus far, there's been no short-term side-effects, but we're not sure about the long-term side-effects." Side-effects can include upset stomach, diarrhea, retention of water, cramping and possibly interference with the absorption of calcium, which is required for bone strength. Before taking creatine as a supplement, a person should talk to his or her doctor and be screened for any liver or kidney problems, Candow said. Burke advises those who do take creatine supplements to start with one to three grams a day, rather than the 20 grams recommended by the powder manufacturers. Work up to five grams a day after a few weeks, he said. "They want to know that it's going to be OK in their body," Burke said. "I'm always really hesitant in recommending anybody just run out and start a supplement program," he said. "I would always recommend caution." |
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