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Creatine supplementation does not decrease total plasma homocysteine in chronic hemodialysis patients

Youri E C Taes1, Joris R Delanghe, Dirk De Bacquer

  • 1Laboratory Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Ghent, Belgium. youri.taes@Ugent.be

Kidney International
|December 1, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Creatine supplementation does not lower homocysteine levels in hemodialysis patients already receiving high-dose vitamin therapy. This study found no significant changes in homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations with creatine use.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Biochemistry
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Hyperhomocysteinemia is common in chronic hemodialysis patients.
  • Standard vitamin therapy (folic acid, B12, B6) often fails to normalize homocysteine (tHcy).
  • Previous animal studies suggested creatine may lower tHcy in uremia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of creatine supplementation on plasma homocysteine (tHcy) levels.
  • To assess creatine's impact in hemodialysis patients already replete with vitamins.
  • To evaluate creatine uptake and its correlation with tHcy.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study involving 45 hemodialysis patients.
  • Patients received 2 g/day of creatine or placebo for 4 weeks, with a 4-week washout period.
  • Measurements included plasma tHcy, creatine, Kt/V(urea), vitamin levels, and inflammatory/nutritional markers.

Main Results:

  • All patients presented with elevated tHcy (mean 21.2 +/- 5.6 micromol/L).
  • Creatine supplementation increased plasma and red blood cell creatine levels, confirming uptake.
  • Creatine did not significantly alter tHcy concentrations or show a correlation with tHcy levels.

Conclusions:

  • Daily creatine supplementation (2 g/day) does not reduce tHcy in chronic dialysis patients.
  • The findings indicate creatine is ineffective for lowering tHcy in this specific patient population.
  • No adverse effects on routine biochemistry, nutritional status, or vitamin levels were observed.
Abstract

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