Stryker1992
White Belt
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2011
- Messages
- 130
- Reaction score
- 0
So...i have major joint pain issues due to osteoarthritis and have been searching high and low for relief and not to have to terminate MMA training. A journal article I found suggests that creatine may reduce joint pain......
Weird....
So what other alternatives are there to reduce the likelihood of developing arthritis and limiting the severity of the condition if you already have it?
According to a new study published last week online ahead of print in the Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise (MSEE), lower limb resistance training combined with creatine supplementation may offer a compelling choice. [2]
To begin, many previous studies have demonstrated that a regular program of lower limb resistance training (weight lifting) strengthens the muscles of the leg, increases lean body mass, and reduces knee pain. You see, when we become less physically active, our muscles weaken and we end up placing more of the stress of movement on our joints. Further, the longer we are inactive but still consume the same volume of food, we tend to gain weight. Excess body weight combined with weakened muscles heightens the amount of stress we place on our joints when moving around. So improving muscle strength and shedding excess body weight are two powerful ways you can reduce your risk of developing arthritis (and reducing the pain associated with the condition). In fact, a 2010 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that losing as little as 11 pounds of body fat reduces the risk of developing osteoarthritis in women by 50%! [3]
Creatine, a natural amino acid found primarily in the meat we consume, has been shown in past studies to assist healthy older adults improve their ability to engage in greater physical activity by enhancing muscle strength and power. According to the MSEE study authors, creatine helps provide rapid energy to muscles during physical activity, which in turn, improves muscle strength and function.
In the MSEE study, 24 women (average age of 57) were enrolled and divided into two groups. Twelve of the women participated in the lower limb resistance training program and received daily doses of a powdered creatine supplement. The other 12 women participated in the same resistance training program but received a daily placebo powder (dextrose) over the course of the study.
All the women received 12 weeks of supervised resistance training. Exercise sessions were held three times weekly and involve three specific lower limb weight lifting exercises (leg press, leg extension, half-squats). The study subjects were required to perform four sets of 8-12 repetitions of each exercise (there was a one week buildup period at the outset of the study where subjects performed two sets of 15-20 repetitions of each exercise at a lower resistance level). Over the course of the study, the weight resistance for each participant was increased once they achieved 12 repetitions on a given exercise.
The creatine group received 20 grams of creatine monohydrate powder for the first seven days of the study divided into four equal doses of 5 grams (taken at breakfast, lunch, dinner and 10 p.m.). Thereafter, they received 5 grams per day (at lunch) for the duration of the study. The placebo group received the same volume of dextrose powder and the same usage instructions. Both groups were instructed to mix the powder with their juice of choice.
At the outset of the research program, the study team evaluated both groups
Weird....
So what other alternatives are there to reduce the likelihood of developing arthritis and limiting the severity of the condition if you already have it?
According to a new study published last week online ahead of print in the Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise (MSEE), lower limb resistance training combined with creatine supplementation may offer a compelling choice. [2]
To begin, many previous studies have demonstrated that a regular program of lower limb resistance training (weight lifting) strengthens the muscles of the leg, increases lean body mass, and reduces knee pain. You see, when we become less physically active, our muscles weaken and we end up placing more of the stress of movement on our joints. Further, the longer we are inactive but still consume the same volume of food, we tend to gain weight. Excess body weight combined with weakened muscles heightens the amount of stress we place on our joints when moving around. So improving muscle strength and shedding excess body weight are two powerful ways you can reduce your risk of developing arthritis (and reducing the pain associated with the condition). In fact, a 2010 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that losing as little as 11 pounds of body fat reduces the risk of developing osteoarthritis in women by 50%! [3]
Creatine, a natural amino acid found primarily in the meat we consume, has been shown in past studies to assist healthy older adults improve their ability to engage in greater physical activity by enhancing muscle strength and power. According to the MSEE study authors, creatine helps provide rapid energy to muscles during physical activity, which in turn, improves muscle strength and function.
In the MSEE study, 24 women (average age of 57) were enrolled and divided into two groups. Twelve of the women participated in the lower limb resistance training program and received daily doses of a powdered creatine supplement. The other 12 women participated in the same resistance training program but received a daily placebo powder (dextrose) over the course of the study.
All the women received 12 weeks of supervised resistance training. Exercise sessions were held three times weekly and involve three specific lower limb weight lifting exercises (leg press, leg extension, half-squats). The study subjects were required to perform four sets of 8-12 repetitions of each exercise (there was a one week buildup period at the outset of the study where subjects performed two sets of 15-20 repetitions of each exercise at a lower resistance level). Over the course of the study, the weight resistance for each participant was increased once they achieved 12 repetitions on a given exercise.
The creatine group received 20 grams of creatine monohydrate powder for the first seven days of the study divided into four equal doses of 5 grams (taken at breakfast, lunch, dinner and 10 p.m.). Thereafter, they received 5 grams per day (at lunch) for the duration of the study. The placebo group received the same volume of dextrose powder and the same usage instructions. Both groups were instructed to mix the powder with their juice of choice.
At the outset of the research program, the study team evaluated both groups
