The Influence of Creatine Food Supplement and Its Complex with Vitamins MULTIVITA + on Athletes Adaptation to Physical Loads

ACTA MEDICA LITUANICA. 2006. VOLUME 13 No. 2. P. 119?124
© Lietuvos
The
mokslø
influence
akademija, of
2006 creatine food supplement and its complex with vitamins MULTIVITA+ ...
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© Lietuvos mokslø akademijos leidykla, 2006
The influence of creatine food supplement
and its complex with vitamins MULTIVITA+
on athletes? adaptation to physical loads
Kazys Milaðius*,
Creatine has found a wide application in enhancing the physical performance
and functional capacity among sportsmen during short-term exercising. How-
Rûta Dadelienë,
ever, comprehensive studies on the effect of creatine and its complex with
vitamins on endurance training athletes and the peculiarities of adaptation to
Eglë Kemerytë-Riaubienë
long-term physical loads, aerobic capacity, blood morphological and biochemical
indices are lacking.
Vilnius Pedagogical University,
The aim of this study was to elucidate the effect of creatine monohydrate
Vilnius, Lithuania
and its complex with MULTIVITA+ vitamins on the athletes? blood and urine
morphological and chemical indices.
Materials and methods. The study groups consisted of endurance-training
athletes (runners, skiers, biathlonists). After the first examination when the
blood morphological and biochemical indices had been determined, all subjects
were divided into two groups (E and E ), ten subjects in each. The first (E )
1
2
1
group was supplemented for 5 days with the creatine mono-hydrate at a dose
0.3 g/kg and for 15 days at a dose 0.1 g/kg of body mass. Group E was
2
supplemented for 5 days with the creatine monohydrate at a dose 0.3 g/kg and
for 15 days at a dose 0.1 g/kg of body mass and one capsule of the MULTI-
VITA+ vitamins daily. Blood and urine biochemical and morphogical indices
were determined three times.
Results and discussion. The investigation showed that erythrocyte count
and hemoglobin concentration had a tendency to increase, however, hematorcit
remained unchanged in both groups. It shows a slight positive effect of the food
supplement on the hematological system. The decreased ESR value presumed
that this food supplement had an antiphlogistic effect. Leucocyte count in-
creased in group E significantly. Creatine metabolism in the organism had no
2
influence on urine biochemical composition and pH. The creatinekinase enzyme
had a tendency to increase in both groups.
Key words: creatine food supplement, vitamins, sportsmen, blood biochemical
picture
INTRODUCTION
exerting a specific effect on the human organism. Indeed,
nutrition influences nearly all processes in the body,
The influence of different physical loads on athletes?
involved in energy production and recovery from exercise,
organism is very specific. Modern sports, with their high
and many athletes turn to ergogenic aids (1?5).
physical and emotional loads, reach the maximum of
In sport nutrition, supplements should be applied to
human physiological abilities and require a new level of
supplement the diet by increasing the dietary intake,
athlete?s adaptation. This level is obtainable mostly by
supplementing the organism during heavy training or as
supporting different kinds of nutrition with supplements
a means to prevent the underperformance and enhancing
recovery in athletes (6, 7).
Creatine has found a wide application in enhancing
* Address for correspondence: Kazys Milaðius, Vilnius Peda-
the physical performance and functional capacity among
gogical University, Department of Sport Methodics, Studentu 39,
sportsmen during short-term exercising. There are many
LT-08106, Vilnius, Lithuania. E-mail: kazys.milasius@vpu.lt
scientific researches related to creatine and its effect on

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Kazys Milaðius, Rûta Dadelienë, Eglë Kemerytë-Riaubienë
increasing muscle mass and muscle strength (8?20). Most
RESULTS
researches emphasize the effect of creatine in its combi-
nation with glucose (21?25); however, comprehensive
The investigation showed that all indices of blood morpho-
studies on the effect of creatine and its complex with
logy, biochemical composition and urine test in both groups
vitamins on endurance-training athletes and the pecu-
had been within the physiological mark before the subjects
liarities of adaptation to long-term physical loads, aerobic
were supplemented with creatine and creatine complex
capacities, blood morphological and biochemical indices
with multivitamins (Tables 1, 2).
are lacking.
Administration of creatine (E group) increased erythro-
1
The aim of our study was to elucidate the effect of
cyte counts in blood from 5.07 ± 0.07 to 5.19 ± 0.08 × 1012
creatine monohydrate and its complex with MULTIVITA+
(p = 0,283) (Table 1). Erythrocyte counts in subjects
vitamins on the athletes? blood and urine morphological
belonging to group E increased also from 4.80 ± 0.09 to
2
and chemical indices.
4.97 ± 0.13 × 1012 (p = 0,294) (Table 2). We found that
hemoglobin concentration had a tendency to increase
MATERIALS AND METHODS
only in the subjects, administered the creatine complex
with vitamins (p = 0,476) (group E ). All this process was
2
We examined 20 athletes aged 20?24 years (runners,
accompanied by a decreasing hematocrit percent age
skiers, biathlonists). After the first examination when the
and rate of erythrocyte sedimentation.
blood morphological and biochemical indices had been
Analyzing the leucocyte formula, we found that leuco-
determined, all subjects were divided into two groups
cyte count had a tendency to increase. All these changes
(E and E ), 10 subjects in each. The first (E ) group
were more pronounced in the group supplemented with
1
2
1
(average body mass 76.70 ± 1.98 kg, muscular mass
creatine in complex with vitamin (group E ) (Table 2).
2
42.08 ± 1.29 kg) [26] was supplemented for 5 days with the
After 5 days of administrating the creatine and vitamin
creatine monohydrate (Multipower Co.) at a dose 0.3 g/kg
complex, the indices of leucocyte count increased from
and for 15 days at a dose 0.1 g/kg of muscular mass.
5.18 ± 0.38 to 5.69 ± 0.29 × 109 (p = 0,301). Using this complex
Group E (average body mass 76.31 ± 3.21 kg, musculare
for 14 days more, the leucocyte count increased to
2
mass 41.09 ± 1.80 kg) was supplemented for 5 days with
6.85 ± 0.48 × 109, and this increase was statistically
creatine monohydrate at a dose 0.3 g/kg and for 15 days
significant (p < 0.05). Also in group E the leucocyte
1
at a dose 0.1 g/kg of muscular mass and one capsule of
count had a tendency to increase.
the MULTIVITA+ (MULTIPOWER company) vitamins daily.
Food supplementation with vitamins (group E ) had
2
Blood and urine biochemical and morphological indices
a positive effect on granulocyte count (p < 0.05) and
were determined three times: before athletes were supple-
monocyte percentage. These indices increased in the
mented with creatine monohydrate (Study I), after 5 days
subjects? blood, meanwhile the lymhocyte percentage
of supplementing with a large dose of creatine monohy-
remained stable.
drate (Sudy II), and after 15 days of supplementing with
Analysis of the athletes? blood biochemical data
showed that after 5 days of supplementing creatine alone
a smaller dose (Study III).
(group E ) the concentration of creatinekinase increased
The study groups consisted of endurance-training
1
from 194.60 ± 22.54 to 277.97 ± 23.58 u/l (p < 0.05) and in
athletes (runners, skiers, biathlonists).
group E from 160.35 ± 16.50 to 207.50 ± 20.99 u/l.
To evaluate blood morphological and biochemical
2
The creatinkinase concentration decreased while ap-
indices, blood samples were taken from the vein.
plying smaller doses of creatine (215.35 ± 28.30 u/l), whereas
We studied the peripheral blood picture, determined
in group E supplemented with creatine in complex with
erythrocyte counts (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (HGB),
2
vitamin the concentration of creatinkinase continuously
hematocrite (HCT), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),
increased (to 251.80 ± 15.10 u/l, p < 0.001).
leucocyte counts (WBC), leukocyte formula: the percent-
Five days of administration of the food supplement
age of granulocytes (GRA), lymphocytes (LYM) and mono-
had a positive influence on blood creatinine concentration.
cytes (MON) were measured with the Micros-60 (France)
This index increased from 67.06 ± 5.40 to 78.32 ± 1.53 µmol/l
hematological analyzer.
in group E , and smaller changes were observed in group
Blood biochemical indices (creatinekinase and creati-
1
E (from 73.35 ± 2.43 to 74.85 ± 4.18 µmol/l).
nine concentration) and urine biochemical indices (creatin-
2 These results showed that the creatine complex with
kinase and creatinine concentration, specific weight of
vitamins had a slight effect on blood creatinine concen-
urine (SG) and its pH were determined with the aid of a
tration.
REFLOTRON-IV (Boehringer Manheim, German) bio-
We found that the creatine food supplement increased
chemical analyzer.
the creatinine concentration in urine. This increase in both
In statistical analysis, we calculated the mean indices
groups was statistically significant (E and E p < 0.001).
X?, standard error (Sx?), standard deviation (S). To de-
1
2
The same changes were found after 20 days of
termine statistical differences among the indices,
supplementing creatine and the creatine complex (E
Pearson?s correlative analysis was done (r). To determine
1
p < 0.05, E p < 0.001). No statistically significant changes
statistical significance, we applied the 95% criterion
2
in the indices of urine specific weight were noted when
(p < 0.05).
the food supplements were administered.

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Table 1. Blood morphological and biochemical indices in athletes supplemented with creatine monohydrate (group E )
1
The
influence
of
creatine
food
supplement
and
its
complex
with
vitamins
MUL
TIVIT
A +

...
Abbreviations: RBC ? erythrocyte counts, HGB ? hemoglobin concentration, HCT ? hematocrite, ESR ? erythrocyte sedimentation rate, WBC ? leucocyte counts, leucocyte formula:
 
GRA ? granulocytes, LYM ? lymphocytes, MON ? monocytes, CK ? creatinekinase

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Table 2 Blood morphological and biochemical indices in athletes, supplemented with creatine monohydrate and vitamin complex (group E )
2
Kazys
Milaðius,
Rûta
Dadelienë,
Eglë
K
emerytë-Riaubienë
Abbreviations: RBC ? erythrocyte count, HGB ? hemoglobin concentration, HCT ? hematocrite, ESR ? erythrocyte sedimentation rate, WBC ? leucocyte count, leucocyte formula:
GRA ? granulocytes, LYM ? lymphocytes, MON ? monocytes, CK ? creatinekinase

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The influence of creatine food supplement and its complex with vitamins MULTIVITA+ ...
 !
DISCUSSION
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sportininkai, kraujo biocheminë sudëtis

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