Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Creatine is a popular nutritional supplement for athletes.
• Emerging research suggests potential therapeutic applications for creatine.
• Over 500 studies have investigated creatine's effects on muscle physiology and exercise capacity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review research on creatine supplementation's ergogenic value.
• To examine effects on exercise performance and training adaptations.
• To assess creatine's efficacy in healthy, trained, and clinical populations.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of approximately 300 studies on creatine supplementation.
• Analysis of effects on muscle physiology and exercise capacity.
• Evaluation of ergogenic value for various exercise tasks.

Main Results:

• Short-term creatine supplementation increases muscle creatine and phosphocreatine stores (10-40%).
• Approximately 70% of studies report statistically significant performance improvements.
• Reported benefits include enhanced maximal power/strength (5-15%) and work capacity.

Conclusions:

• Creatine supplementation is generally an effective ergogenic aid for diverse exercise tasks.
• It promotes greater gains in strength, fat-free mass, and high-intensity exercise performance during training.
• The scientific evidence supports creatine's efficacy across athletic and clinical populations.