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Updated: Apr 12, 2026

Lower Limb Biomechanical Analysis of Healthy Participants
Published on: April 15, 2020
Creatine Supplementation and Lower Limb Strength Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses
Charlotte Lanhers1, Bruno Pereira2, Geraldine Naughton3
1Preventive and Occupational Medicine, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand (CHU), 58 rue Montalembert, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Creatine supplementation significantly enhances lower limb strength performance in exercises under three minutes. This effect is consistent across various populations, training regimens, and dosages, making creatine a reliable performance enhancer.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Sports Nutrition
- Biomechanical Performance
Background:
- Creatine is a popular supplement for enhancing strength.
- Previous meta-analyses are outdated and have methodological limitations.
- Conflicting results exist regarding creatine's efficacy in recent studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the effects of creatine supplementation on lower limb strength.
- To address limitations of previous meta-analyses by focusing on randomized controlled trials.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- Included studies measured lower limb strength in exercises < 3 minutes.
- Analyzed effects based on creatine loading, dose, duration, and participant characteristics.
Main Results:
- Creatine supplementation showed significant positive effects on squat (ES=0.336) and leg press (ES=0.297) performance.
- Overall lower limb strength improvement (ES=0.235) and quadriceps strength (ES=0.266) were observed.
- Efficacy was independent of population characteristics, training, and supplementation details.
Conclusions:
- Creatine supplementation effectively improves lower limb strength for short-duration exercises (< 3 min).
- The benefits of creatine are consistent regardless of individual factors or supplementation protocols.
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