Creatine is a popular supplement that helps build muscle, but Australian researchers have questioned its effectiveness.
Investigators at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney found that individuals who took creatine during their three-month performance were Weightlifting Regimen Place the same amount of muscle as those who did not take supplements while lifting.
That’s according to their recent research published in the journal Nutrients.
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“We have shown that taking five grams of creatine supplements a day doesn’t make a difference in the amount of fat muscle mass a person puts. Resistance Training“Dr. Mandy Hagstrom, senior author and exercise scientist at UNSW’s Faculty of Health Sciences, said in a news release on the study.
Creatine is a popular supplement that helps build muscle, but Australian researchers have questioned its effectiveness. (istock)
In clinical trials, we investigated relatively 54. Healthy participants The 18-50 year old ranged into two groups.
Both groups completed the same 12 weeks of resistance training. It consists of three monitored trainings per week.
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The Creatine Group took the supplement one week before starting a training regimen called “wash in” and continued taking five daily doses for a total of 13 weeks while carrying out an exercise routine. Control groups did not receive creatine or placebo during the workout period.
“This is the first creatine study to utilize the wash-in-phase, the standard in other clinical trial designs,” Hagstrom told Fox News Digital.

Investigators found that individuals who took creatine while performing a three-month weightlifting regimen put on the same amount of muscle as those who did not take supplements during lifting. (istock)
“This will allow for the effect of Creatine supplements It is separated from the effects of resistance training. ”
She noted that previous exams began supplemental and exercise programs on the same day, making it difficult to determine the impact of each.
The researchers looked at the mass of lean muscle in both groups at baseline and then looked at the completion of a 12-week weight loss program after seven days of wash-in.
“Even if you take 5 grams of creatine supplements per day, it doesn’t make a difference in the amount of lean muscle mass you wear during resistance training.”
They used “dual energy x-ray absorption measurements” (non-invasive imaging techniques) to measure bone density and body composition.
The creatine-added group (especially women) showed a 1 pound increase in lean body mass compared to the uncompensated group at the 7-day mark, while both groups showed an increase of 4.4 pounds after conducting a 12-week resistance training program.
Research showed that there was no difference between the two groups when it comes to body mass growth.

“Our study found that creatine supplements are not effective in building lean weight with strength training when taken at the recommended maintenance dose, but there are many other benefits of creatine that were not evaluated in our study,” the researcher told Fox News Digital. (istock)
“People taking it” Creatine supplements As they saw the change before they started exercising, it leads to believe it is not actual actual muscle growth and potentially not fluid retention,” Hagstrom said.
Once participants began the exercise, they saw no additional benefits from creatine, she said — “This suggests that 5 grams a day is not enough if you are taking it with the aim of building muscle.”
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Participants did not undergo the typical creatine loading phase. This includes taking 20-25 grams a day for a week to saturate the muscle creatine store.
It is common to start with a loading phase dose, but it can cause Gastrointestinal problemsthey pointed out.
More research is needed, the author says
The Hagstrom team said more research is needed to determine whether a high dose, such as 10 mg, is necessary to achieve the desired lean mass growth effect. (This high dose shows the benefits of bone Brain health. )
“Our study found that creatine supplements are not effective in building lean weight with strength training when taken at the recommended maintenance dose, but there are many other benefits of creatine that were not evaluated in our study,” Hagstrom told Fox News Digital.

The creatine group took the supplement one week before starting the training regimen and continued taking five daily doses for a total of 13 weeks while performing an exercise routine. (istock)
Another area of interest for future research is creatine. Long-term benefitsaccording to one of the research authors, Dr. Imtias Desai.
“When you start weight training, you start to tapere and slow down around the 12-week mark, so support from creatine may come at a later stage,” Desai said in a news release.
“Food-first” approach
Makenzi Mollitor, Registered Sports Nutritionist at TSI: The Schwartz Institute in Masapequa, New York commented on the Fox News Digital study.
She said she liked it “Food-first” approach When I’m going to take supplements.
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“Wearing muscles requires a combination of nutrition and resistance training,” Moriter, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
She advised that anyone looking to build muscle should prioritize nutrition, focusing on their resistance training schedule.
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Eat a combination of ” Protein and Carbohydrates Working with Division 1 athletes at Long Island University in New York, Moriter helps her workouts promote muscle growth and repair within an hour.
“By prioritizing proteins, creatine is also consumed because it is naturally found in protein sources such as meat, chicken and fish,” she added.
“If you’re someone who doesn’t eat a lot of animal protein or is a vegan/vegetarian, supplements can help fill those gaps.”
However, experts say the supplement has its location.
“If you don’t eat a lot of animal protein or are Vegan/Vegetariansupplements may help to bridge those gaps,” she said.
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For those who choose to supplement creatine, Moritar recommends consuming a dose of creatine just before or after training.
To ensure the safety and purity of the ingredients, she also emphasized the importance of choosing supplements tested by third parties.