Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 24, 2026
08:33
Induction and Assessment of Exertional Skeletal Muscle Damage in Humans
Published on: December 11, 2016
7.9K
Creatine supplementation does not alter neuromuscular recovery after eccentric exercise
Kellie E Boychuk1, Joel L Lanovaz1, Joel R Krentz2
1College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, 87 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5B2, Canada.
Muscle & Nerve
|March 2, 2016
Summary
Creatine (CR) supplementation did not enhance recovery from eccentric exercise (ECC). Creatine did not improve strength, voluntary activation, or muscle damage indicators in the 48-hour recovery period.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Sports Nutrition
- Muscle Metabolism
Background:
- Eccentric exercise (ECC) induces muscle damage and requires a recovery period.
- Creatine (CR) supplementation is popular among athletes for performance enhancement and recovery.
- Understanding CR's effects on recovery from ECC is crucial for training and rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of creatine supplementation on recovery following eccentric exercise (ECC).
- To determine if creatine enhances physiological markers of recovery after strenuous muscle contractions.
Main Methods:
- Fourteen male participants underwent ECC (6 sets of 8 repetitions).
- Participants were randomly assigned to creatine (CR) or placebo (PL) supplementation (0.3 g/kg) during a 48-hour recovery period.
- Measurements included maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), voluntary activation (VA), muscle thickness (MT), electromyography (EMG), contractile properties, and soreness.
Main Results:
- Both groups showed decreased MVC and torque immediately post-ECC, with recovery at 48 hours.
- Muscle thickness (MT) increased in both groups, indicating muscle swelling.
- Electromyography (EMG) activation was only higher in the CR group at 48 hours; no significant differences in strength or muscle damage indicators were observed.
Conclusions:
- Creatine (CR) supplementation did not significantly affect strength recovery or indicators of muscle damage after eccentric exercise (ECC).
- While EMG activation showed a slight increase at 48 hours with CR, overall recovery markers were not improved.
- These findings suggest CR may not be beneficial for enhancing recovery from ECC in the short term.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Muscle Recovery and Fatigue
4.8K
Muscle fatigue refers to the decline in a muscle's ability to maintain the force of contraction after prolonged activity. It primarily stems from changes within muscle fibers. Even before experiencing muscle fatigue, one may feel tired and have the urge to stop the activity. This response, known as central fatigue, occurs due to changes in the central nervous system, namely the brain and spinal cord. While there is no single mechanism that induces fatigue, it may serve as a protective...
4.8K
01:25Energy Supply for Muscle Contraction
6.2K
Skeletal muscle fibers have the unique ability to switch between rest and contraction states, using different sources of ATP for energy. The contraction cycle and Ca2+ transport back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum for relaxation require significant ATP. However, the ATP reserves in muscle fibers are limited and can only sustain contractions for a few seconds. Additional ATP production becomes necessary for prolonged contractions. As a result, muscle fibers generate ATP through various sources,...
6.2K
01:27Exercise and Muscle Performance
3.7K
Exercise induces a range of adaptations in muscle tissue, depending on the type and duration of activity. Such physical training can be broadly categorized into two types: endurance exercises and resistance exercises.
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
3.7K
01:29Relaxation of Skeletal Muscles
7.3K
The period of muscle contraction primarily influences the duration of stimulation at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), the presence of free calcium ions in the sarcoplasm, and the availability of energy or ATP to support contractions.
When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it depolarizes the membrane and opens voltage-gated sodium channels. Sodium ions enter the cell, further depolarizing the presynaptic membrane. This depolarization causes voltage-gated calcium channels to open....
When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, it depolarizes the membrane and opens voltage-gated sodium channels. Sodium ions enter the cell, further depolarizing the presynaptic membrane. This depolarization causes voltage-gated calcium channels to open....
7.3K
01:21Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Adverse Effects
1.0K
Skeletal muscle relaxants are widely used for muscle paralysis and relieving pain following any muscle injury or stiffness. However, depending on the drug type, they can have adverse effects that range from mild to severe. Usually, nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockers have minimal side effects. For example, drugs like d-tubocurarine, cisatracurium, and rocuronium cause hypotension, whereas drugs like baclofen, when stopped abruptly, can lead to the recurrence of spastic conditions.
Unlike...
Unlike...
1.0K
01:26Cross-bridge Cycle
124.6K
As muscle contracts, the overlap between the thin and thick filaments increases, decreasing the length of the sarcomere—the contractile unit of the muscle—using energy in the form of ATP. At the molecular level, this is a cyclic, multistep process that involves binding and hydrolysis of ATP, and movement of actin by myosin.
124.6K