Effect Of 16 Weeks Of Creatine Supplementation And Different Methods Of Strength Training On Muscle Thickness Of Frail Older Alduts

The effect of different contraction types (eccentric/concentric) on muscle development and the potential benefits of eccentric training, combined with creatine supplementation, in enhancing hypertrophy in older adults is understudied. PURPOSE: We investigated the impact of a 16-week creatine supplementation regimen, combined with either eccentric or concentric training, on the thickness of the biceps brachialis (BB) and rectus femoris (RF) muscles. METHODS: A 16-week strength training program focused on concentric or eccentric contractions, implemented in a cohort of 50 older adults. The participants were categorized into five groups: Eccentric Training (ECC) N = 10, Concentric Training (CON) N = 10, Eccentric Training + Creatine (ECC + Cr) N = 10, Concentric Training + Creatine (CON+Cr) N = 10, and a Non-Exercising (NE) control group N = 10. Throughout the study, participants received a daily dose of 5 g of creatine. Muscle thickness measurements for the BB and RF were obtained using ultrasound technology before and after 16 weeks of training. RESULTS: BB muscle thickness increased due to training in all groups. Significant differences were seen within groups ECC + Cr vs. NE (2.94 vs 2.28 with p = 0.01) and CON+Cr vs. NE (2.88 vs 2.28, p = 0.03). RF thickness increased as a result of training in all groups. A significant difference between conditions was seen for ECC + Cr versus other groups post-training (2.43 to 3.01, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights the impact of eccentric training with creatine supplementation on muscle thickness in older adults. While BB muscle thickness showed small changes in training groups versus controls, notable improvements were evident in those undergoing eccentric training with creatine. RF thickness increased to a similar extent across groups, except for a marked increase in the ECC + Cr group. These results emphasize the potential effectiveness of this combination in enhancing targeted muscle thickness, suggesting tailored training approaches for muscular development of frail older adults. CAPES, Grant No. 88882.181208/2018-01