Trial Report Effects of six-month creatine supplementation on patient- and clinician-reported outcomes, and tissue creatine levels (...), 2023, Slankamenac et al

[Wyva]

Full title:
Effects of six-month creatine supplementation on patient- and clinician-reported outcomes, and tissue creatine levels in patients with post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome

Abstract

Dietary creatine has been recently put forward as a possible intervention strategy to reduce post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome yet no clinical study so far evaluated its efficacy and safety for this perplexing condition. In this parallel-group, randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial, we analyzed the effects of 6-month creatine supplementation (4 g of creatine monohydrate per day) on various patient- and clinician-reported outcomes, and tissue creatine levels in 12 patients with post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome.

Creatine intake induced a significant increase in tissue creatine levels in vastus medialis muscle and right parietal white matter compared to the baseline values at both 3-month and 6-month follow-ups (p < .05). Two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures revealed a significant difference (treatment vs. time interaction) between interventions in tissue creatine levels (p < .05), with the creatine group was superior to placebo to augment creatine levels at vastus medialis muscle, left frontal white matter, and right parietal white matter.

Creatine supplementation induced a significant reduction in general fatigue after 3 months of intake compared to baseline values (p = .04), and significantly improved scores for several post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome-related symptoms (e.g., ageusia, breathing difficulties, body aches, headache, and difficulties concentrating) at 6-month follow-up (p < .05). Taking creatine for 6 months appears to improve tissue bioenergetics and attenuate clinical features of post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome; additional studies are warranted to confirm our findings in various post-COVID-19 cohorts.

Open access: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fsn3.3597

 

[Hutan]

The abstract says that creatine supplementation increased tissue creatine levels and that people taking creatine had less symptoms over time. But it doesn't say that the reduction in symptoms in the people with creatine supplementation was more than in the people without creatine supplementation.

 

[Hutan]

The study employed a parallel-group, randomized placebo-controlled double-blind design. The allocation ratio to the experimental group (creatine) and control group (placebo) was set at 1:1.

The eligibility criteria for patients to be included in the trial were: age 18–65 years, COVID-19-positive test within last 3 months (as documented by valid polymerase chain reaction [PCR] or antigen test performed in COVID-19 certified lab), moderate-to-severe fatigue (e.g., 20-MFI total test score >43.5), and at least one of additional COVID-19-related symptoms, including anosmia, ageusia, breathing difficulties, lung pain, body aches, headaches, and difficulties concentrating.

The experimental (creatine) group received 4 g of creatine monohydrate per day, while the control group (placebo) received an equivalent amount of inulin.

The duration of the intervention was 6 months,

The number of participants who were randomly assigned, received intended treatment, and were analyzed for the primary outcome was 12 in total (six in the experimental group and six in the control group); no losses and exclusions after randomization were reported for either intervention.

 

[Hutan]

Looking at the data, there was a bit of a trend to the creatine group having slightly better results than the placebo group in terms of fatigue and time to exhaustion. But the small sample size and the small differences means that nothing much was statistically significant.

e.g. Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (summing the values for the five sub-categories)
Creatine group: baseline 62.3; 3 months 60.2; 6 months 61.4
Placebo group: baseline 60.4; 3 months 61.6; 6 months 65.5