Oral creatine supplementation enhances upper extremity work capacity in persons with cervical-level spinal cord injury.

Objective: To examine the effects of short-term creatine monohydrate supplementation on the upper extremity work capacity of persons with cervical-level spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design study. Consists of 2 treatment phases lasting for 7 days, separated by a 21-day washout period.

Setting: University research laboratory trial.

Participants: Sixteen men with complete cervical-level SCI (C5-7).

Intervention: Subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups and received either 20g/d of creatine monohydrate supplement powder or placebo maltodextrin powder for the first treatment phase; the treatment was reversed in the second phase. Incremental peak arm ergometry tests, using 2-minute work stages and 1-minute recovery periods, were performed immediately before and after each treatment phase (total of 4 assessments). The initial stage was performed unloaded, with power output progressively increased 10 watts/stage until subjects had achieved volitional exhaustion.

Main Outcome Measures: Peak power output, time to fatigue, heart rate, and metabolic measurements, including oxygen uptake (VO2), minute ventilation, tidal volume (VT), and respiration frequency.

Results: Significantly greater values of VO2, VCO2, and VT at peak effort after creatine supplementation (P <.001).

Conclusions: Creatine supplementation enhances the exercise capacity in persons with complete cervical-level SCI and may promote greater exercise training benefits.