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# Creatine supplementation helps knee osteoarthritis
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/creatine_supplementation_helps_knee_osteoarthritis_1201131011/
- Published: 2013-12-01T11:10:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:24:10.000Z
- Description: In a small randomized, double-blind trial, postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis doing resistance training who took creatine improved in physical function, stiffness, lower-limb lean mass and quality of life, while the placebo group showed no significant change.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Supplements, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

Sunday Dec 1, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- Taking creatine supplements helps patients with knee osteoarthritis, according to a study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

M. Neves Jr from School of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology-University of São Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil and colleagues conducted the small trial and found creatine supplementation helped improve physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

The trial was intended to examine the efficacy of creatine supplementation coupled with strengthening exercise in knee osteoarthritis. For the randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial, postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis were assigned to receive 20 grams of creatine per day for one week and then five grams of creatine per day for the rest of the trial period or placebo. Patients were all enrolled in a lower limb resistance training program. 

All patients were assessed at baseline and at 12 weeks of dietary intervention for the physical function measured by the timed-stands test and lean mass, quality of life, pain, stiffness and muscle strength.

As a result, patients with knee osteoarthritis receiving creatine supplements experienced a greater improvement in physical function at 15 weeks, compared with controls. The patients taking creatine significantly improved physical function and stiffness subscale while the controls did not show any significant improvement.

Creatine supplementation also improved low limb lean mass, quality of life whereas the controls did not.

No difference was observed between the study group and the control group in other parameters.

The researchers concluded "CR (creatine) supplementation improves physical function, lower limb lean mass, and quality of life in postmenopausal women with knee OA (osteoarthritis) undergoing strengthening exercises." (David Liu, PHD)