Can Creatine Supplementation Improve Body Composition and Objective Physical Function in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients? A Randomized Controlled Trial

Wilkinson TJ, et al. · Arthritis Care & Research

MIXED: creatine increased appendicular lean mass (+0.52 kg, P=0.004 vs placebo) but did NOT improve strength or objective physical function — muscle mass gain does not automatically translate to function.

Population

Adults with rheumatoid arthritis, 12 weeks

Intervention

Creatine supplementation (loading then maintenance), 12 weeks

Comparator

Placebo

Limitations

Inflammatory arthritis, not OA; no resistance-training co-intervention, which may explain the missing functional benefit.