Creatine supplementation does not add to resistance training effects in prostate cancer patients under androgen deprivation therapy: A double-blind randomized trial.

Plain Language Summary

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a common hormone-based treatment for prostate cancer that, while effective, can cause a loss of muscle mass, a gain in body fat, reduced strength, and a decline in physical function. This double-blind randomised trial investigated whether creatine supplementation could enhance the benefits of resistance training in men with prostate cancer undergoing ADT.Thirty men with prostate cancer receiving ADT (aged 59–84 years) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group received creatine supplementation combined with supervised resistance exercise (3 days per week), while the other received a placebo combined with the same supervised exercise programme.

After 12 weeks, both groups showed significant improvements in lean mass, muscle strength, and physical function. Muscle strength improvements were also comparable between groups. However, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups across any outcome, indicating that creatine supplementation did not provide any additional benefit over resistance exercise alone. No adverse events were reported in either group.

In conclusion, this trial demonstrates that supervised resistance exercise alone produces meaningful improvements in lean mass, muscle strength, and physical function in men with prostate cancer undergoing ADT. Furthermore, adding creatine supplementation does not enhance these effects further. Healthcare professionals can use these findings to inform patients that structured resistance exercise may be an effective and safe intervention for managing the musculoskeletal side effects of ADT, while also advising that creatine supplementation is unlikely to offer additional benefit in this context. The small sample size (n=30) warrants cautious interpretation, and larger trials are needed to confirm these findings.