Creatine Supplementation plus Strength Training on Cognition and Depression in Elderly Women: A Pilot Study

PURPOSE: to investigate the possible combined effect of these strategies on depression and cognitive function in elderly people. METHODS: we performed a 12-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled pilot-study to explore the possible synergic effect of creatine supplementation and strength training on depression and cognition function in elderly women. Participants (n=34) aged > or = 60 years were randomly assigned into one of the four groups: 1) placebo (Pl), 2) strength training plus placebo (Pl-Tr), 3) creatine (Cr), and 4) strength training plus creatine (Cr-Tr). The Pl-Tr and Cr-Tr were submitted to strength training twice a week throughout the study. The Cr and Cr-Tr groups received 20 g/day of creatine for 5 days followed by 5g/day for 12 weeks. The Pl and Pl-Tr groups received exactly the same dose of dextrose. RESULTS: The geriatric depression scale was also unchanged among the groups (Pl: - 4.7%, Pl-Tr: - 29.2%, Cr: - 13.3%, Cr-Tr: - 23.8%, p = 0.64).