A study published in the May 9th issue if Neurology showed that creatine supplementation showed "significant improvement" muscle strength and daily-life activities.

Thirty-six patients consisting of adults and children (12 patients with facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, 10 patients with Becker dystrophy, 8 patients with uchenne dystrophy, and 6 patients with sarcoglycan-deficient limb girdle muscular dystrophy) received a daily dosage of 10 grams (for adult) or 5 grams (for children) for a period of 8 weeks. There was mild but significant improvement in muscle strength and daily-life activities by Medical Research Council scales and the Neuromuscular Symptom Score. The creatine was well tolerated throughout the study. No side effects were reported.

M. C. Walter, MD; H. Lochmüller, MD; P. Reilich, MD; T. Klopstock, MD; R. Huber, MD; M. Hartard, MD; M. Hennig, MSc; D. Pongratz, MD; W. Müller-Felber, MD

From the Friedrich-Baur-Institute (Drs. Walter, Lochmüller, Reilich, Pongratz, and Müller-Felber), Departments of Neurology (Dr. Klopstock) and Pulmonology (Dr. Huber), Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich; and the Department of Sports Medicine (Dr. Hartard), Institute for Medical Statistics and Epidemiology (M. Hennig), Technical University of Munich, Germany.

NEUROLOGY 2000;54:1848-1850

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