If you are an 'older adult' and take creatine as well as doing exercise you may well enjoy greater benefits than just doing the exercise, say researchers from McMaster University, Canada. One of the common consequences of growing older is an increase in body fat and lowering of muscle mass, say the researchers.

You can slow down the loss of muscle mass by doing exercise, say the scientists. Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, a professor of pediatrics and medicine, and team carried out a study which showed that if you take a combination of creatine monohydrate (CrM) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) along with resistance exercise training the results will be greater still.

You can read about this study in PLoS ONE, the peer-reviewed online journal of the Public Library of Science, October 3rd issue.

This randomized double blind trial included 20 women and 19 men; they were all at least 65 years old. The program of regular resistance exercise training lasted six months. Some of the participants received a daily supplement of creatine and linoleic acid, while other received a placebo. Participants in both groups did exactly the same exercise program.

The scientists report that all the participants experienced better functional ability and strength as a result of the resistance exercise training. However, those who took the CrM and CLA combination enjoyed better results - they had better gains in muscle endurance, superior increase in fat-free mass and a larger drop in the percentage of body fat, compared to the placebo group.

Tarnopolsky said "This data confirms that supervised resistance exercise training is safe and effective for increasing strength and function in older adults and that a combination of CrM and CLA can enhance some of the beneficial effects of training over a six month period."

PLoS ONE