Research in Medicine

Background and Aim: Homocysteine (HCY) is an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Since Creatine synthesis in the liver accounts for nearly 70% of daily homocysteine formation, creatine supplementation might inhibit Hcy production. The present study investigated the effects of creatine supplementation in endurance training on Hcy levels and lipid risk factors.

 Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 16 healthy male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: endurance swimming training (n=8) group and creatine supplementation plus endurance swimming training (n=8) group. Creatine supplementation protocol consisted of the addition of 2% creatine monohydrate to normal diet of rats. All rats swam ten weeks of endurance training (5 days a week, for 60 minutes a day) with a 5% body weight load attached to the tail. At the end of  ten weeks and after the last training session and an overnight fasting blood samples were taken from the heart, then plasma homocysteine levels and lipid profile were measured and Atherogenic index was calculated.

 Results: plasma homocysteine levels were significantly lower in creatine supplementation + swim training group (0.5±5.9) compared with the other group (0.8±6.97), but lipid profile and atherogenic index did not differ among groups.

 Conclusion: It seems that ten weeks creatine supplementaion in endurance swimming training reduced homocysteine levels, but creatine supplementation did not exert additional effect on the improvement in the plasma lipid profile and atherogenic index of rats than swim training alone.