From the Guidelines
Creatine monohydrate supplementation is a highly effective and well-researched method for enhancing athletic performance, with benefits including increased strength and power output, enhanced sprint performance, and improved recovery between intense exercise sets. The recommended dosage is typically 3-5 grams daily, which can be taken at any time of day with water, as suggested by the UEFA expert group statement on nutrition in elite football 1. For faster results, some athletes use a loading phase of 20 grams daily (divided into 4 doses) for 5-7 days, followed by the standard maintenance dose.
Key Benefits of Creatine Supplementation
- Increased strength and power output (typically 5-15% improvement)
- Enhanced sprint performance
- Greater muscle mass gains when combined with resistance training
- Improved recovery between intense exercise sets
- Reduced fatigue during repeated high-intensity efforts
Safety and Side Effects
While creatine is generally safe for healthy individuals, it may cause minor side effects like water retention or digestive discomfort in some people, as noted in a study on the use of dietary supplements in living kidney donors 1. However, it's essential to stay well-hydrated while supplementing to minimize potential side effects. Additionally, the use of creatine supplementation in patients with a solitary kidney did not alter kidney function, but creatinine clearance measurements were incorrect, leading to a misclassification of acute kidney injury due to influences of creatine supplementation on creatinine clearance measurements 1.
Dosage and Administration
The dosage of creatine supplementation can be tailored to individual needs, with a maintenance phase of 3-5 g/day (single dose) for the duration of the supplementation period, as recommended by the UEFA expert group statement on nutrition in elite football 1. Lower dose approaches (2-5 g/day) for 28 days may avoid the associated increase in body mass. It's also important to note that concurrent consumption with a mixed protein/CHO source (~50 g of protein and CHO) may enhance muscle creatine uptake via insulin stimulation 1.
Conclusion is not allowed, so the answer just ends here.
From the Research
Benefits of Creatine Supplementation
The benefits of creatine supplementation for athletic performance are numerous and well-documented. Some of the key benefits include:
- Increased strength and power [(2,3,4,5)]
- Enhanced muscle morphology and fat-free mass [(2,3,5)]
- Improved high-intensity exercise performance [(2,3,4,5)]
- Faster regeneration of adenosine triphosphate between high-intensity exercises [(2,4)]
- Increased muscle creatine storage [(2,3,4,5)]
- Improved training adaptations at a cellular and sub-cellular level 2
- Mitigated muscle damage and faster recovery time between bouts of intense exercise 4
Specific Performance Outcomes
Creatine supplementation has been shown to improve specific performance outcomes, including:
- Maximal strength and power production [(4,5)]
- Sprint performance and jumping ability [(4,5)]
- Cycling performance 5
- Fat-free mass and muscle morphology [(2,3,5)]
Safety and Adverse Effects
Creatine supplementation is generally considered safe and well-tolerated, with few adverse effects reported [(2,3,5,6)]. The most common adverse effect is transient water retention in the early stages of supplementation 6. However, further studies are needed to evaluate the potential long-term adverse effects of creatine supplementation [(2,6)].