Teor de monohidrato de creatina em suplementos alimentares adquiridos em Manaus, Brasil

Introduction: The utilization of dietary supplements is widespread in the population and creatine is one of the most sold products in the world. However, there are reports of supplements which present a low standard of quality in diverse countries, including examples conveyed in the media. Aim: Therefore, the objective of the research was evaluating the quality of creatine supplements commercialized in the city of Manaus, Brazil, by means of the analysis of the creatine content present in the product and the labeling analysis. Methodology: To achieve these goals, a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method utilizing ultra-pure water adjusted to pH=3 with posterior ultraviolet detection was employed to assay sample content and a checklist based on the current legislation was used to evaluate the labels. Results: Twenty samples of creatine from different brands labeled as "100% pure" acquired in the retail commerce in Manaus were evaluated, which presented significant nonconformities in the labels. Regarding the analysis of creatine content, 75% of the brands contained creatine inside the limits and 25% presented nonconformities of the content, while three of those did not have creatine in their composition. Conclusions: The inconsistency of the labels in front of the legislation and the creatine content in a relevant number of samples demonstrated the importance of a continuous monitoring and the application of rigorous sanctions to the manufacturers by the regulators.