Does creatine supplementation combined with exercise provide additive improvements in skeletal muscle, bone, and mental health compared to exercise alone in healthy older adults?
Creatine Monohydrate, a randomized controlled trial (J Geriatr Phys Ther 2020, PMID 30762623) — seventeen studies were reviewed, suggesting that additive ergogenic creatine effects on upper/lower body strength, functional capacity, and lean mass in older adults may require continuous daily low-dose creatine with at least 12 weeks of resistance training. The abstract for Creatine Monohydrate states no limitations.
Source: J Geriatr Phys Ther 2020, PMID 30762623 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: medium
J Geriatr Phys Ther · 2020 · PMID 30762623 · DOI 10.1519/JPT.0000000000000222
Creatine supplementation combined with exercise may offer additive benefits for muscle strength, function, and lean mass in older adults, particularly women, but more research is needed for bone, cognition, and optimal dosing.
The question
Does creatine supplementation combined with exercise provide additive improvements in skeletal muscle, bone, and mental health compared to exercise alone in healthy older adults?
What they tested
The hypothesis was not explicitly stated, but the review aimed to assess if creatine supplementation combined with exercise results in additive benefits over exercise alone in an aging population.
How they did it
This systematic review utilized PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases to identify randomized controlled trials. Studies included creatine supplementation combined with exercise in an aging population, adhering to predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Two independent reviewers screened titles, abstracts, reviewed full-text articles, and performed quality assessments using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale.
What they found
Seventeen studies were reviewed, suggesting that additive ergogenic creatine effects on upper/lower body strength, functional capacity, and lean mass in older adults may require continuous daily low-dose creatine with at least 12 weeks of resistance training. Potential increases in regional bone mineral density of the femur might require at least 1 year of creatine supplementation combined with moderate resistance training. No additive effects of creatine over exercise alone were found for mental health indices. Benefits were more consistent in older women than men.
What it means
Creatine monohydrate is safe for older adults. While creatine with moderate- to high-intensity exercise may improve skeletal muscle health in an aging population, more studies are needed to determine effective dosing and duration for combined effects on bone and cognition.
Limitations
The abstract does not explicitly state limitations of the systematic review itself, but it highlights the need for additional long-term clinical trials to determine effective dosing and duration paradigms for bone and cognition.
Where the published abstract does not list limitations, we say so rather than inventing them. Read the full paper on PubMed before drawing conclusions.
The paper at a glance
| Title | The Additive Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Exercise Training in an Aging Population: A Systematic Review |
|---|---|
| Journal | J Geriatr Phys Ther |
| Year | 2020 |
| PMID | 30762623 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.1519/JPT.0000000000000222 ↗ |
| Topic | Muscle, strength & physical function |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
Where Magellan uses this paper
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Creatine Monohydrate
Across meta-analyses and randomized trials, creatine monohydrate combined with resistance training modestly increases lean/muscle mass (about +1.4 kg in older-adult trials) and upper- and lower-body strength, including in older adults.
Creatine is a nitrogen-containing compound that the body synthesizes from the amino acids arginine…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Molecules & mechanisms in this paper
Each of these is named in the paper’s own words above. Open the monograph for the full mechanism and its other citations.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). Does creatine supplementation combined with exercise provide additive improvements in skeletal muscle, bone, and mental health compared to exercise alone in healthy older adults? [Plain-English summary of J Geriatr Phys Ther 2020, PMID 30762623, DOI 10.1519/JPT.0000000000000222]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d30762623.html@misc{magellan_d30762623,
title = {Does creatine supplementation combined with exercise provide additive improvements in skeletal muscle, bone, and mental health compared to exercise alone in healthy older adults?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d30762623.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 30762623; DOI 10.1519/JPT.0000000000000222; J Geriatr Phys Ther 2020. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
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