Emory Researches the Effects of Creatine Supplementation in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

Emory University
Friday, 14 November 2003

Researchers at Emory University are testing the effects of creatine supplementation in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients to determine whether the compound can improve certain disabilities associated with PD, and possibly provide protective effects against disease progression. Creatine, also known as creatine monohydrate, is a compound made and used by the body naturally. It is found in foods such as meat and fish. Creatine is stored primarily in muscle and, in some studies, has improved performance during high-intensity exercise of short duration, such as weightlifting and sprinting.

One Emory research study involves oral creatine supplementation and weight training to determine if either intervention, or both in combination, can enhance declining physical function and muscle strength in patients with Parkinson's disease. This pilot study is being funded by The Emory Center for Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

"Recent research suggests that dietary supplementation using creatine may improve muscular performance in both healthy and patient populations," says Jorge Juncos, MD, associate professor of neurology, Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Juncos is co-principal investigator of this CAM study looking at the potential symptomatic benefits of creatine in PD. "Creatine may even help protect brain and muscle cells from degeneration in patients with select neurologic conditions. We hope to find through this research if these two uses of creatine may have a positive effect in patients with PD," Dr. Juncos adds.

In the creatine and weight training study, researchers will examine the value of creatine at improving physical performance (i.e. strength, muscle power, endurance and body composition), as well as its potential to reduce disability associated with PD. After screening, participants are randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: creatine and strength training twice a week, placebo and strength training twice a week, or creatine alone. To take part in the study, participants must have PD, be between the ages of 40 to 85 years old and have no serious medical problems such as heart, lung or kidney disease.

Participants must be mobile, but must not currently exercise more than three times a week. For those assigned to the strength training groups, training will take place twice a week for 12 weeks at the Kennesaw State University Staff Fitness Center in Kennesaw. The strength training will consist of seven to 10 exercises designed to improve upper and lower body strength. A personal trainer will guide each participant through sessions. Forty-five participants will be enrolled in this pilot study.

"We have teamed up with Kennesaw State University to take advantage of the experience and expertise of their faculty in the field of physical training," says Christopher Hass, PhD, co-principal investigator of this study and a post-doctoral fellow in Emory's CAM Center. Mitchell Collins, PhD, is the Kennesaw State investigator who coordinates patients' training at Kennesaw.

"This is also an attempt on the part of Emory to make participation in our clinical studies easier for the patients in the greater Atlanta area who prefer to avoid downtown Atlanta traffic," Dr. Hass says.

A second research study to get underway soon will be conducted at the Emory Wesley Woods campus. This study will try to determine if creatine or the antibiotic minocycline can be protective in PD, and thus capable of slowing disease progression. Investigators will determine if either agent is promising enough to warrant longer and more intensive testing.

Funded by the National Institutes of Health, this study is the first of several to be conducted over the next few years to examine promising compounds that may be capable of slowing symptoms and disease progression in PD. "By testing these agents as candidates for neuroprotection, we may be able to identify drugs or supplements to treat patients in the near future," says Dr. Juncos.

As a group, the sequential studies are entitled Neuroprotection Exploratory Trials for Parkinson's Disease (NET-PD). The first of these (creatine, minocycline or placebo) will include 195 patients with early, untreated PD at over 40 sites in the U.S. and Canada. Up to five participants will be enrolled at Emory University in one of three groups: a group that receives creatine, a group that receives minocycline, or a group that receives placebo pills. Neither participants nor researchers will know who is taking what agent.

Participants in NET-PD studies should be 30 years of age or older and must have early Parkinson's disease (less than five years from diagnosis) and must not be taking any medications to treat the symptoms of their PD. Since there have been some reports of kidney problems linked to creatine use, those who have renal failure or renal disorders should not take this supplement. Other reported side effects are nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, possible muscle cramping and strains. Weight gain may also occur from water retention. Experts recommend one should consult his/her physician before taking creatine.

For more information, or to contact Emory University, see their website at: whsc.emory.edu