Creatine is the only strength sports supplement that actually works. There is a lot of research into creatine supplementation, which is why we are learning more and more about the stuff. Most recently, a meta-analysis was published in which 23 studies were examined. The result was the following (new) facts.

THIS IS HOW MUCH STRONGER YOU BECOME

The average additional gain compared to training with a placebo was 5 kg for upper body exercises and 11 kg for lower body exercises, over 8 weeks. This is on the condition that you are a responder. One in four would be a non-responder. These people already have maximally saturated creatinine levels, so there is no point in taking extra creatine.

IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU DO LOADING PHASE OR NOT

Supplement providers often recommend starting creatine use with a loading phase of one week, in which you take a higher amount (20 grams/day instead of the usual 3-5 grams/day). This does not make a big difference. Yes, with a loading phase creatine starts working a bit faster and you can find out faster if you are a responder. But for the ultimate effect of creatine a loading phase is not necessary.

MORE THAN 5 GRAMS RESULT IN MORE STRENGTH GAINS

3-5 grams is generally the daily recommended amount of creatine. Does creatine really ‘do’ nothing if you consume more than 5 grams? Maybe it does. According to the meta-analysis, consumption of more than 5 grams could lead to greater strength gains in the lower body. For the upper body, the results were not statistically significant.

Don’t expect too much though. According to coach Menno Henselmans, the vast majority of people already benefit optimally from 3 grams per day, or you have to weigh more than 90 kilograms.

CREATINE WORKS BETTER IN MEN THAN IN WOMEN

Another novelty: creatine supplementation is significantly more effective in men than in women. This is probably because women have more type 2 muscle fibers, which gives them higher natural creatine levels. But this was also only found to be significant in the upper body and not in the lower body.