Effect of creatine and turmeric on muscle and non-muscle cells

Abstract

Creatine is important for energy storage and is widely used as a supplement to improve muscle strength. Turmeric is a potential therapeutic agent, and used in the management of oxidative, and inflammatory conditions. There has been an immense interest in creatine and turmeric research over the years and they have been extensively studied. However, there have been no studies available on their combined effect at the cellular level. The purpose of this study was to investigate the individual and combined effects of creatine and turmeric on muscle and non-muscle (fibroblast) cells. The differential effect was observed on both cell line in the presence of creatine alone and turmeric alone treatment. When creatine and turmeric were tested separately, creatine increases the proliferation rate of muscle cells and decreases proliferation rate of non-muscle cells at tested concentrations (3.25µg/mL, 32.5µg/mL, and 325µg/mL). On the other hand, turmeric increases the proliferation rate of non-muscle cells compared to muscle cells at tested concentrations (4.62µg/mL, 23.1µg/mL, and 46.2µg/mL). Non-muscle cells showed a decreased proliferation with creatine (325µg/mL) and increased proliferation with turmeric (46.2µg/mL) at maximum tested concentrations. Hence, for testing their combined effect on both cell lines higher concentrations (650µg/mL and 925µg/mL) were used. The combined concentrations of creatine and turmeric at 650µg/mL and 925µg/mL did not show a significant effect on muscle cells. However, the same concentrations increased the proliferation of non-muscle (fibroblast) cells compared to muscle cells. Although creatine alone or turmeric by itself was found to be more effective on the proliferation of non-muscle cells than combining both of them together. The results of this study suggest that creatine and turmeric supplementation together may not be beneficial for post-workout recovery. However, both of them together may be used in skin cosmetics formulation to improve skin cells.