Creatine supplementation in elderly individuals for the maintenance of muscle mass

Abstract

Objective: To show the benefits of creatine supplementation for people with sarcopenia. Bibliographic review: Sarcopenia is characterized by loss of muscle mass and generally occurs in people with advanced age. It is a multifactorial process that involves the renewal of skeletal muscle proteins, denervation, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammatory and hormonal alterations. Currently, the use of creatine is being spread as a way of maintaining muscle mass in elderly patients, aiming to avoid sarcopenia. Creatine supplementation indicated better cognitive ability in two patients, as well as increased strength, functionality, and muscle activity. However, it did not demonstrate better effectiveness in building bone density, but was able to slow down this process. Final considerations: The compound is beneficial to various age groups, more especially, to those who can help in the treatment and control of sarcopenia, its use is shown to be a promising tool in the process of healthy aging of the population. Therefore, it is evident that more studies are needed to confirm this information from longer studies, in order to expand the use of such a strategy.