The Effects of Terminating Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training on Anaerobic Power and Chosen Biochemical Variables in Male Subjects

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of alkaline creatine supplementation and resistance training termination on anaerobic power and chosen biochemical variables in men. Twenty-three untrained male subjects, which participated in this study, were divided into supplemented (S) (n=13, age 21.4±2.3 y) and placebo (PL) (n=10, age 22.1±2.6 y) groups. The participants from both groups performed resistance training 3 times a week, while subjects from group S were supplemented with alkaline creatine (ACr) for 4 weeks on their training day’s with 66.8 mg/kg b.m., and on non training day’s with 33.8 mg/kg b.m. To evaluate anaerobic power, the 30s Wingate test was applied. The following variables were registered: relative mean power – RMP (W/kg), relative peak power – RPP (W/kg), time of reaching peak power – TRPP (s) and relative total work – RTW (J/kg). The test was administrated 5 times – before and after 4 weeks of training and supplementation, as well as the first, second and third week after terminating creatine intake and the resistance exercise protocol. Body mass and body composition was also evaluated during the same time span. Blood samples were drawn at rest before the Wingate test for the assessment of IGF-1, hGH, LA and CrN concentration, as well as creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities. Supplementation with alkaline creatine, combined with a progressive resistance training program, did not significantly influence (ANOVA) the level of RMP (p=0.49), RPP (p=0.31), TRPP (p=0.51), and RTW (p=0.58) in untrained male subjects. In the supplemental group, there was a significant decrease (p<0.01) in TRPP following creatine supplementation and training, yet these values were not significantly different from the control group. The supplementation and training protocol did not influence significantly body mass (p=0.68), yet post hoc analysis indicate a significant increase in body mass (p<0.001) only in group S. The applied supplementation and training protocol did not influence (ANOVA) the concentration of serum CrN (p=0.81), hGH) (p=0.26), CK (p=0.49) and LDH (p=0.64) activities. No significant changes were observed in resting blood LA concentrations of the tested subjects. It can be concluded that the ergogenic effect of creatine intake and resistance training was maintained for a week after terminating supplementation and exercise. During the next 2 weeks de-adaptation occurred and most indices of anaerobic power returned to initial values.