Creatine Supplementation and Preliminary Echocardiographic Assessment in Young Males

Creatine supplementation may enhance creatine and creatine phosphate levels in skeletal muscle and may be associated with an augmentation of lean body mass and increased performance during quickburst, high-intensity activities. While numerous investigations have been performed focusing on skeletal muscle, relatively less is known as to the potential impact of supplementation on other tissue that contains creatine, such as the heart. To provide some insight in this matter, young men (ages 20–35) were provided with 25 grams of creatine monohydrate daily for seven days and were assessed by echocardiography before and after supplementation and compared to controls. Measurements of left ventricular mass, cardiac output, stroke volume, ejection fraction, fractional shortening and E/A ratio were not significantly influenced by creatine supplementation. The results of this preliminary investigation suggest that creatine supplementation does not significantly influence cardiac mass and resting performance in healthy young men.