http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/...7#/68ad2027/38

it might be beneficial in general but probably not directly for pd?
LIFE EXTENSION wants to sell creatine
http://forum.parkinson.org/index.php...pped-by-ninds/

It is important to keep in mind that creatine has been used in Parkinson’s disease successfully to improve upper body strength:

Resistance training with creatine monohydrate improves upper-body strength in patients with Parkinson disease: a randomized trial.
Hass CJ1, Collins MA, Juncos JL.
Author information
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Persons with Parkinson disease (PD) exhibit decreased muscular fitness including decreased muscle mass, muscle strength, bioenergetic capabilities and increased fatigability.
OBJECTIVE:
This purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of resistance training with and without creatine supplementation in patients with mild to moderate PD.
METHODS:
Twenty patients with idiopathic PD were randomized to receive creatine monohydrate supplementation plus resistance training (CRE) or placebo (lactose monohydrate) plus resistance training (PLA), using a double-blind procedure. Creatine and placebo supplementation consisted of 20 g/d for the first 5 days and 5 g/d thereafter. Both groups participated in progressive resistance training (24 sessions, 2 times per week, 1 set of 8-12 repetitions, 9 exercises). Participants performed 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) for chest press, leg extension, and biceps curl. Muscular endurance was evaluated for chest press and leg extension as the number of repetitions to failure using 60% of baseline 1-RM. Functional performance was evaluated as the time to perform 3 consecutive chair rises.
RESULTS:
Statistical analyses (ANOVA) revealed significant Group x Time interactions for chest press strength and biceps curl strength, and post hoc testing revealed that the improvement was significantly greater for CRE. Chair rise performance significantly improved only for CRE (12%, P=.03). Both PLA and CRE significantly improved 1-RM for leg extension (PLA: 16%; CRE: 18%). Muscular endurance improved significantly for both groups.
CONCLUSIONS:
These findings demonstrate that creatine supplementation can enhance the benefits of resistance training in patients with PD.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?...c+and+creatine

Lots of people sell Creatine, which is a good thing.

the LIFE EXTENSION article implied creatine is neuroprotective, that was what i responded to.
one has to look beyond a 20 person study in 2007 imho.

Are you saying it may not be neuroprotective?

If you have any better studies to produce either for or against creatine, please do.

A study demonstrated that creatine is twice as effective as the prescription drug riluzole in extending the lives of mice with the degenerative neural disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease). The neuroprotective effects of creatine in the mouse model of ALS may be due either to an increased availability of energy to injured nerve cells or to a blocking of the chemical pathway that leads to cell death.[38] A similarly promising result has been obtained in prolonging the life of transgenic mice affected by Huntington's disease. Creatine treatment lessened brain atrophy and the formation of intranuclear inclusions, attenuated reductions in striatal N-acetylaspartate, and delayed the development of hyperglycemia.[39]

Creatine has been demonstrated to cause modest increases in strength in people with a variety of neuromuscular disorders.[36] Creatine supplementation has been, and continues to be, investigated as a possible therapeutic approach for the treatment of muscular, neuromuscular, neurological and neurodegenerative diseases (arthritis, congestive heart failure, Parkinson's disease, disuse atrophy, gyrate atrophy, McArdle's disease, Huntington's disease, miscellaneous neuromuscular diseases, mitochondrial diseases, muscular dystrophy, and neuroprotection), and depression.[37][citation needed]



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine

squeak.
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Neuroprotective Agent Study: Creatine

Study Title:

A multicenter, double-blind, parallel group, placebo controlled study of creatine in subjects with treated Parkinson’s disease (NETPD LS-1)

Description:

The major goal of this clinical trial is to institute a multicenter study to evaluate the efficacy of neuroprotective agents in Parkinson’s disease. The study is in the third phase of the NETPD project, called LS-1. The aim of this phase is to determine if creatine slows the progression of the disease defined by a combination of cognitive, physical, and quality of life measures. Active treatment with creatine will be compared to placebo control.

The study began in 2007 and is currently in the follow-up phase of the trial. The project is funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The NETPD group selected creatine based on their previous results from the NETPD FS-1 study sponsored by the NIH. This study investigated the safety and effectiveness of minocycline (an antibiotic) and creatine (a food supplement) as neuroprotective agents in people with early, untreated Parkinson’s disease and determined that creatine performed better than the futile threshold. The current study LS-1 intends to determine if there is any long term benefit.

**Please note - this study has been terminated. For more information please see the Statement on Termination here**
----------------
Statement on the Termination of NET-PD LS-1 Study

On September 11, 2013, the NINDS stopped the NET-PD LS-1 study of creatine for treatment of early stage Parkinson's disease, acting on the recommendation of the study's Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). During the most recent DSMB review, the results of an interim analysis showed that it was futile to complete the study because longer patient follow-up was not likely to demonstrate a statistically significant difference between creatine and placebo. To date, the investigators have not found any safety concerns related to creatine at dosages of 5 grams twice daily for up to 5 years of treatment. Site investigators and coordinators have informed participants of the study's closure and have encouraged each participant to schedule a final study visit.

The LS-1 study enrolled 1,741 patients with early Parkinson's disease at 52 sites throughout North America. Participants were randomized to receive either a highly purified form of creatine or matching placebo twice daily. Creatine is hypothesized to support and stabilize mitochondrial function and act as an antioxidant. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress have both been implicated as contributors to Parkinson's disease.

The principal investigators are in the process of conducting a detailed analysis of the complete data set from the LS-1 study and plan to publish these results in a scientific journal in an expedited manner.

“This is one of the largest studies of Parkinson’s disease to date,” said Petra Kaufmann, M.D., NINDS Associate Director for Clinical Research. “This effort reflects a remarkable achievement of a group of investigators who were able to recruit and retain a large group of patients for up to five years, as well as the commitment of the Parkinson’s patient community to such studies. The results will be invaluable to the planning of future trials.”

“Although the finding of lack of benefit is disappointing, the work of the study investigators and participants throughout this long-term study reflects an impressive dedication to the goal of improving the lives of patients with Parkinson’s disease,” said Walter Koroshetz, M.D., Deputy Director of NINDS. “NINDS stands committed to fund discovery science and translational research to slow the progression of PD and we are encouraged by recent biological advances that have identified compelling new treatment strategies.

Last updated September 11, 2013
http://parkinsontrial.ninds.nih.gov/...ermination.htm

We tried this when we first read about it helping ALS patients several years ago. We ordered the creatine powder, and dutifully took it. Our experience (yours may be different):

1. did not help our PD that we could tell in any way, and we were really hoping for improvement, any improvement in any area;

2. we got wicked muscle cramps, and I mean, worse than we had ever experienced (drinking ALOT of water helped.....but then we had issues with peeing all the time!)...the cramps stopped when we quit taking the creatine;

3. we were early in the PD journey, maybe 3-4 years post-dx, when we started trying the creatine;

4. we took it for several months, but just could not handle the muscle cramps.

That is just our experience. If you decide to try this for yourself, be watchful for the muscle cramps.