If you’re a regular gym goer, fitness fanatic or just into taking supplements, you probably already knew about creatine before it became the latest health trend on social media. But what you mightn’t have known is that despite GymTok influencers singing its praises, it might actually be doing diddly squat for your gains.
Sorry to disappoint.
Creatine is one of the most well-researched sports supplements available. Studies consistently show it can improve strength, muscle growth and performance during short, high-intensity exercise. But despite all the extensive past research, a recent UNSW study found that researchers have placed it on a bit of a pedestal.
@kelsey_mulcahy The new studies about creatines cognitive benefits have blown me away! We all naturally produce creatine (about 2g a day) but woman only have approx 70% of the stores that men have. Im taking my dose from 5g – 10g as of today to help cross the blood brain barrier and support my training too. I’m trialing @BSc Supplements purely because I came across it at Cole’s and it’s micronised creatine monohydrate which from my research has come back as the best type – but I’ve just started so I will report back. But as always – make sure you do your own research and talk to your doctor! #creatine #supplements
♬ original sound – Kelsey Mulcahy
Creatine vs muscle gains
The UNSW research team performed a 12-week clinical trial that saw 54 participants undertake a 12-week resistance training program, with half of the group taking the supplement at the recommended daily dose (five grams), and half raw dogging their workouts. At the end of the program, both groups had put on the same amount of muscle mass.
The treatment group (AKA the half that took the creatine), started taking the supplement one week prior to the workout program kicking off to that they had an accurate ‘wash in’ period. Previous trials have started supplementation and exercise programs on the same day, making it harder to seperate the effects of both the creatine and the workouts.
And when it came time to hit the gym? During the first week, the creatine group — particularly women — gained an average of 0.5kg more lean body mass than the control group. Yeah, the girls! However, those gains varied greatly, and very soon dropped back to match those of the control group, leading researchers to believe that ‘muscle growth’ was merely fluid retention.
“The people taking the creatine supplement saw changes before they even started exercising, which leads us to believe that it wasn’t actual real muscle growth,” UNSW’s School of Health Sciences Associate Professor Dr Mandy Hagstrom said in the report.
By the end of the trial, both groups had put on an average of two kilos of lean body mass.
“The benefits of creatine may have been overestimated in the past, due to methodological problems with previous studies,” Dr Hagstrom said.
She pointed out that people need to take more creatine than what’s originally been advised, but further research will need to go into exactly how much that amount is.
Results from past creatine studies
However, there’s a pretty important caveat. The participants in the UNSW study didn’t complete a traditional creatine “loading phase” before settling into their daily five-gram dose. Previous research has suggested that taking around 20 grams of creatine per day for five to seven days before switching to a maintenance dose can help saturate the muscles more quickly and may enhance the supplement’s effects.
In other words, the study doesn’t necessarily prove that creatine is ineffective. Rather, it raises questions about whether the commonly recommended dose is enough to significantly boost muscle growth when combined with resistance training.
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that acts like a quick-access energy source for your muscles. Your body already produces it, and it’s also found in foods like red meat and fish. Over the years, research has linked creatine supplements to everything from improved gym performance and muscle growth to potential cognitive benefits.
So while it doesn’t hurt to keep on taking the supplement, it might not be as effective as you think. If you’re lifting heavier weights at the gym and think its the result of taking creatine, turns out you might be responsible for those gains all on your own.
Image credit: Getty / @gillamfitness
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