Long-term Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Exercise Training on Bone Mineral Density and Bone Strength in Postmenopausal Women

Osteoporosis is an important health problem, costing the Canadian health care system over $2 billion per year. Loss of bone mineral and bone fragility is especially prevalent in postmenopausal women. Of all osteoporotic fractures, hip fractures are the most traumatic. Creatine monohydrate is a nutritional supplement that is often combined with strength training to increase strength and muscle mass. The investigators recently completed a pilot study in a small number of postmenopausal women (n=33) that showed that creatine monohydrate significantly improved hip bone mineral density during a 1-year resistance training program. In our current proposal the investigators want to determine whether creatine combined with strength training can have an even larger effect on bone mineral density at the hip if given over 2 years in a large group of postmenopausal women (n=240). The investigators also want to determine whether this leads to reduced fractures in these women for up to a year after completing the creatine and strength training program.