HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (8) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tarnopolsky, M. A. Articles by Turnbull, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tarnopolsky, M. A. Articles by Turnbull, J.

DEVELOPMENT AND TISSUE PLASTICITY

Histological assessment of intermediate- and long-term creatine monohydrate supplementation in mice and rats

Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine (¹Rehabilitation and ²Neurology), ³Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8N 3Z5; ⁴School of Health Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia 3125; and ⁵Department of Biology/Chemistry, Springfield College, Springfield, Massachusetts 01109

Submitted 15 May 2003 ; accepted in final form 12 June 2003

Creatine monohydrate (CrM) supplementation appears to be relatively safe based on data from short-term and intermediate-term human studies and results from several therapeutic trials. The purpose of the current study was to characterize pathological changes after intermediate-term and long-term CrM supplementation in mice [healthy control and SOD1 (G93A) transgenic] and rats (prednisolone and nonprednisolone treated). Histological assessment (18-20 organs/tissues) was performed on G93A mice after 159 days, and in Sprague-Dawley rats after 365 days, of CrM supplementation (2% wt/wt) compared with control feed. Liver histology was also evaluated in CD-1 mice after 300 days of low-dose CrM supplementation (0.025 and 0.05 g · kg^-1 · day^-1) and in Sprague-Dawley rats after 52 days of CrM supplementation (2% wt/wt) with and without prednisolone. Areas of hepatitis were observed in the livers of the CrM-supplemented G93A mice (P < 0.05), with no significant inflammatory lesions in any of the other 18-20 tissues/organs that were evaluated. The CD-1 mice also showed significant hepatic inflammatory lesions (P < 0.05), yet there was no negative effect of CrM on liver histology in the Sprague-Dawley rats after intermediate-term or long-term supplementation nor was inflammation seen in any other tissues/organs (P = not significant). Dietary CrM supplementation can induce inflammatory changes in the liver of mice, but not rats. The observed inflammatory changes in the murine liver must be considered in the evaluation of hepatic metabolism in CrM-supplemented mice. Species differences must be considered in the evaluation of toxicological and physiological studies.

dietary supplements; hepatitis; drug toxicity; side effects

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. B. Kreider Species-specific responses to creatine supplementation Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, October 1, 2003; 285(4): R725 - R726. [Full Text] [PDF]