Creatine Supplementation and Doxorubicin-Induced Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction: An Ex Vivo Investigation

Supplementing the diet with creatine (Cr) to manage chemotherapy-induced skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue has potential, but little has been done exploring it as an intervention. This study examined the effects of Cr on skeletal muscle dysfunction induced by the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (Dox). Soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) from male Sprague-Dawley rats maintained in an organ bath were incubated in Krebs-Henseleit (KH) buffer with or without creatine monohydrate (25 mM) for 30 min. Skeletal muscle was then incubated in KH buffer with or without Dox (24 μM) for an additional 30 min. Baths were then refreshed with KH buffer, and a 100-s fatigue protocol was administered. At baseline (0 s time point), no significant differences in force production were observed in the slow, type I soleus, but the Dox-treated soleus fatigued quicker than the non-Dox-treated soleus; however, pretreatment with Cr extended the time to fatigue in the Dox-treated soleus. In the fast, type II EDL, Dox treatment decreased force production at baseline and increased fatigue, and Cr treatment prior to Dox attenuated this dysfunction. Creatine pretreatment mitigated Dox-induced skeletal muscle dysfunction ex vivo suggesting that Cr may play a role in managing Dox-induced skeletal muscle side effects.