From the Guidelines
Creatine monohydrate supplementation is effective in aiding muscle hypertrophy, with a recommended dose of 3-5 g/day, and a loading phase of 20 g/day for 5-7 days is optional but can help saturate muscles faster. The most recent and highest quality study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2021 1, supports the use of creatine supplementation for muscle hypertrophy. The study suggests that a loading phase of 20 g/day for 5-7 days, followed by a maintenance phase of 3-5 g/day, can be effective in increasing muscle creatine levels and promoting muscle glycogen resynthesis.
Key points to consider when using creatine supplementation for muscle hypertrophy include:
- The importance of consistent daily use, with or without food, as timing is less important than regular use
- The need for adequate hydration while supplementing with creatine
- The potential for creatine to draw water into muscle cells, causing cell volumization that may trigger protein synthesis
- The fact that most healthy adults tolerate creatine well, with few reported side effects
It is also important to note that creatine works by increasing phosphocreatine stores in muscles, which helps regenerate ATP (energy) during high-intensity exercise, allowing for more reps or sets during strength training, and ultimately leading to greater muscle growth over time. Results from creatine supplementation typically become noticeable after 2-4 weeks of consistent use combined with resistance training, as supported by the study published in 2021 1.
From the Research
Creatine Supplementation and Muscle Hypertrophy
- Creatine supplementation is widely used amongst athletes and exercising individuals to improve muscle mass, performance, and recovery 2.
- Research suggests that creatine supplementation can increase muscle performance in short-duration, high-intensity resistance exercises, which rely on the phosphocreatine shuttle for adenosine triphosphate 3.
- A scoping review of randomized clinical trials found that creatine supplementation is effective for muscle growth in healthy young populations with adequate training, but more research is needed in older and muscular disease-related populations 4.
Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Muscle Strength and Weightlifting Performance
- Studies have shown that creatine supplementation combined with resistance training can increase muscle strength and weightlifting performance more effectively than resistance training alone 5.
- The average increase in muscle strength following creatine supplementation plus resistance training was 8% greater than the average increase in muscle strength following placebo ingestion during resistance training 5.
- Creatine supplementation has also been shown to increase lean body mass, enhance fatigue resistance, and improve performance of activities of daily living in older adults 6.
Safety and Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation
- Creatine supplementation is generally considered safe and well-tolerated, especially at recommended dosages (i.e., 3-5 g/day or 0.1 g/kg of body mass/day) 2, 3.
- However, high doses or prolonged use of creatine supplementation may be associated with adverse effects such as liver and renal complications 3.
- More research is needed to fully understand the effects of creatine supplementation on muscle hypertrophy and to determine the optimal dosage and duration of supplementation for different populations 4.