Is creatine supplementation beneficial for individuals engaging in resistance training and weightlifting?

From the Guidelines

Creatine supplementation is beneficial for individuals engaging in resistance training and weightlifting, with a recommended dose of 3-5 g/day, and no necessary loading phase, as supported by the most recent and highest quality study 1. The benefits of creatine supplementation for individuals engaging in resistance training and weightlifting are well-established, with improvements in strength, power output, and muscle mass gains when combined with resistance training.

• Key benefits of creatine supplementation include:
  • Increased phosphocreatine stores in muscles, which helps regenerate ATP during high-intensity, short-duration activities like weightlifting and sprinting
  • Improved strength and power output
  • Enhanced recovery between sets, allowing for greater training volume
  • Excellent safety profile for healthy individuals According to the study by Collins et al. 1, a loading phase of ~20 g/day for 5-7 days can be used, but it is not necessary, and a maintenance phase of 3-5 g/day can be effective.
• The study also suggests that concurrent consumption with a mixed protein/CHO source (~50 g of protein and CHO) may enhance muscle creatine uptake via insulin stimulation. It is essential to note that individuals with pre-existing kidney conditions should consult a healthcare provider before supplementing with creatine, as supported by the study 1.
• Overall, creatine supplementation is a well-established and safe way to improve performance and recovery in individuals engaging in resistance training and weightlifting, and the recommended dose and protocol should be followed to maximize its benefits.

From the Research

Benefits of Creatine Supplementation

• Creatine supplementation has been shown to increase strength, fat-free mass, and muscle morphology with concurrent heavy resistance training more than resistance training alone 2
• It can also improve high-intensity exercise performance, leading to greater training adaptations 2, 3
• Creatine supplementation may speed up recovery time between bouts of intense exercise by mitigating muscle damage and promoting the faster recovery of lost force-production potential 4

Effects on Endurance Performance

• The effects of creatine supplementation on endurance performance are less known, but it may be beneficial for sports that require multiple surges in intensity and/or during end spurts 5
• Creatine supplementation can increase time to exhaustion during high-intensity endurance activities, likely due to increasing anaerobic work capacity 5
• However, creatine supplementation may not be effective for all types of endurance activities, and its effects may be offset by increased body mass 5

Safety and Efficacy

• Creatine supplementation is considered safe and well-tolerated in healthy individuals and in a number of patient populations ranging from infants to the elderly 3
• Significant health benefits may be provided by ensuring habitual low dietary creatine ingestion (e.g., 3 g/day) throughout the lifespan 3
• The typical dosage of creatine supplementation is 3-5 g per day, and it is safe for long-term use 6

Mechanisms of Action

• Creatine supplementation elevates skeletal muscle phosphocreatine (PCr) stores, facilitating a greater capacity to rapidly resynthesize ATP and buffer hydrogen ion accumulation 5
• It can also enhance glycogen resynthesis and content, an important fuel to support high-intensity aerobic exercise, when co-ingested with carbohydrates 5
• Creatine supplementation may lower inflammation and oxidative stress and has the potential to increase mitochondrial biogenesis 5