Table 3.

Effect of creatine supplementation on muscle CSA and muscle force and power in the contralateral leg

		Duration of creatine supplementation
	Baseline	2 weeks	5 weeks	12 weeks	P value
CSA quadriceps muscle (cm2)
Placebo	91.0 ± 4.3	92.2 ± 4.2	94.3 ± 4.5 *	94.0 ± 4.2 *
Creatine	93.2 ± 4.8	94.9 ± 5.1	97.7 ± 5.6 *	99.5 ± 6.0 *	0.07
Wmax (W)
Placebo	153 ± 15	158 ± 17	156 ± 17	158 ± 16
Creatine	143 ± 15	150 ± 14	160 ± 17 *	163 ± 17 *	0.01
Fmax (N m)
Placebo	149 ± 13	146 ± 14	153 ± 14	160 ± 16 *
Creatine	135 ± 9	135 ± 10	155 ± 11 *	159 ± 12 *	0.01

Values are means ±s.e.m. of 10 observations in the creatine group and 9 observations in the placebo group. The CSA of the left quadriceps muscle (contralateral to the immobilized leg), as measured by NMR imaging, and W_max and F_max of the left knee extensor muscles were assessed on an isokinetic dynamometer. Measurements were made before and after 2 weeks of immobilization of the right (ipsilateral) leg, and after 3 and 10 weeks of rehabilitation of the right leg knee extensors only. The P values refer to the treatment effect (creatine versus placebo)

^*significant difference compared with the corresponding baseline value (P < 0.05). See Methods for further details.