Creatine helps women improve strength
by Newsletter Editor
Creatine, a naturally occurring acid in the body that supplies energy to muscle, increased strength in older women. In the study, 30 women, aged 58 to 71, performed three strength-exercise routines one week apart. After the first routine, the women took creatine or a placebo for seven days and then performed the exercises again. Compared to placebo, those who had taken creatine significantly increased bench press, leg press, total body mass and fat-free body mass. After performing the exercises a third time, the creatine group had shortened the amount of time it took to complete a difficult walking test called a “tandem gait,” where the heel of the front foot must touch the toe of the rear foot on each step. The placebo group did not improve in any of the tests or measurements.