Creatine Safety and Efficacy in Elderly Weight Lifters

Critical Contraindications and Monitoring Requirements

• Elderly individuals with impaired renal function, defined by creatinine clearance <60 mL/min, should not use creatine supplements, as recommended by the American Geriatrics Society 1, 2, 3
• Serum creatinine alone grossly underestimates renal insufficiency in elderly individuals, and therefore, calculated creatinine clearance using Cockcroft-Gault or MDRD equations is necessary, according to the National Kidney Foundation 1, 2, 3

Mandatory Pre-Supplementation Assessment

• Before starting creatine, elderly individuals must have a calculated creatinine clearance using Cockcroft-Gault or MDRD equations, and a baseline renal function assessment including estimated GFR, as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine 1, 2, 4
• A baseline renal function assessment, including estimated GFR, is necessary before starting creatine supplementation, according to the European Renal Association 5

Monitoring During Supplementation

• Regular monitoring, including periodic renal function testing, is compulsory to detect any idiosyncratic reactions, and the frequency of testing should be based on baseline risk factors, as recommended by the American Society of Nephrology 2