Bemben & Lamont 2005: Creatine, Bone, and Muscle in Older Adults — Study Summary

Study Overview

Bemben and Lamont (2005) published a review examining the interplay between creatine supplementation, resistance training, bone mineral density, and muscle function in aging adults. The review synthesised available evidence on whether creatine’s ability to enhance muscle strength could translate into improved bone health through increased mechanical loading on the skeletal system (RB et al., 2017) .

Key Findings

• Creatine enhances muscle strength in older adults: Consistent with other research, creatine combined with resistance training produced greater strength gains in older adults compared to training alone
• Muscle-bone connection: The review highlighted the mechanotransduction pathway — stronger muscles produce greater mechanical loads on bones during contraction, stimulating osteoblast (bone-building cell) activity
• Preliminary bone density evidence: Some studies showed that older adults supplementing with creatine during resistance training exhibited better maintenance of bone mineral density compared to exercise-only groups
• Dual benefit potential: Creatine may address both components of the musculoskeletal system — simultaneously improving muscle function and indirectly supporting bone health
• Creatine kinase in bone cells: The review noted the presence of creatine kinase enzymes in osteoblasts, suggesting a potential direct role for creatine in bone cell energy metabolism

Practical Implications

This review is particularly relevant for postmenopausal Malaysian women, who face accelerated bone loss due to declining estrogen levels. Malaysia’s aging population means osteoporotic fractures are a growing public health concern.

The practical takeaway is that creatine supplementation during resistance training provides a dual benefit: building stronger muscles (which directly improves function and reduces fall risk) and indirectly supporting bone health through increased mechanical loading.

For Malaysian adults concerned about bone health, the evidence supports combining creatine (3-5g/day) with resistance training (2-3 sessions/week), adequate calcium (dairy, ikan bilis, tofu), vitamin D (supplements if needed), and weight-bearing exercise. This comprehensive approach addresses both muscle and bone health simultaneously (DG et al., 2014) .

Study Limitations

• As a review article, the strength of conclusions depends on the quality of underlying primary studies
• Most studies reviewed had relatively small sample sizes
• The direct effects of creatine on bone cells (beyond indirect mechanical loading) were poorly characterised at the time of the review
• Long-term bone density outcomes from creatine supplementation have not been extensively studied
• Sex-specific responses (particularly in postmenopausal women) were not fully elucidated

Study Design and Methodology

Understanding how a study was designed helps assess the strength of its conclusions. Key methodological factors to evaluate include:

• Sample size — larger studies (n=50+) provide more reliable results than small studies (n=10-15). Small sample sizes increase the risk of false positives and limit the ability to detect moderate effect sizes
• Study duration — creatine research requires adequate duration for muscle saturation (minimum 4 weeks for maintenance dosing, 1 week for loading). Studies shorter than this may miss the full effect
• Blinding — double-blind, placebo-controlled designs (where neither researchers nor participants know who receives creatine) are the gold standard for minimising bias
• Population studied — results from trained athletes may not fully apply to untrained individuals, and vice versa. Age, sex, and dietary habits (particularly vegetarian status) also influence creatine response
• Outcome measures — direct measures (muscle biopsy, MRS imaging) are more informative than indirect proxies (blood markers, performance tests) for assessing creatine uptake and metabolism

Clinical Implications and Practical Relevance

This research contributes to our understanding of creatine in several practical ways:

For athletes and fitness enthusiasts: The findings support the use of creatine monohydrate as a safe, effective ergogenic aid. The standard dosing protocol of 3-5g daily remains well-supported by the cumulative evidence base including this study.

For healthcare professionals: Understanding the specific mechanisms and safety data from studies like this helps clinicians provide evidence-based guidance to patients who ask about creatine supplementation. The research consistently shows a favourable safety profile at recommended doses.

For the Malaysian context: While most creatine research is conducted in Western populations, the fundamental biochemistry (ATP-phosphocreatine system) is universal. Malaysian consumers can apply these findings with confidence, adjusting for local factors like tropical climate (increased hydration needs) and halal dietary requirements (synthetic creatine monohydrate is permissible).

How This Fits Into the Broader Evidence

No single study should be used to make definitive claims about creatine supplementation. Instead, this research should be viewed as one piece of a much larger evidence base:

• The ISSN Position Stand (2017) synthesises hundreds of studies into comprehensive recommendations
• Multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses confirm creatine’s effects on strength, power, and lean mass
• Long-term safety data spanning up to 5 years shows no adverse effects at recommended doses

For a complete overview of the evidence, explore our Research Library which covers 60+ landmark creatine studies.

Sources & References

This page summarises Bemben MG, Lamont HS. Creatine supplementation and exercise performance: recent findings. Sports Medicine. 2005;35(2):107-125.

What This Means for You

For the average creatine user, this research supports the following practical recommendations:

1. Choose creatine monohydrate — it remains the most studied and effective form
2. Take 3-5g daily — consistent daily dosing is more important than timing
3. Take it with food — insulin response from meals enhances muscle uptake
4. Be patient — full saturation takes 3-4 weeks without loading
5. Combine with exercise — creatine works best when paired with resistance or high-intensity training

For more on practical dosing strategies, see our creatine dosage guide.

Further Reading

• creatine dosage guide
• creatine safety profile
• creatine for muscle building
• how creatine works
• buying creatine in Malaysia
• creatine for women