Strategic Ingestion of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training in Trained Young Adults

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Strength; Muscle
• Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Placebo; Dietary Supplement: Creatine monohydrate

• Registration Number: NCT06438887
• Lead Sponsor: University of Regina

Brief Summary

Creatine supplementation improves measures of muscle accretion and performance compared to placebo during a resistance training program. However, the optimal creatine supplementation protocol for maximizing these improvements is unknown.

Detailed Description

Creatine is a naturally occurring nitrogen containing compound endogenously produced in the body through reactions involving the amino acids arginine, glycine and methionine. Alternatively, creatine can be consumed in the diet (primarily from red meat and seafood) or through commercially manufactured creatine. It has been proposed that the strategic ingestion of creatine supplementation may be an important factor to consider during a resistance training program to increase muscle growth and performance. There is evidence that creatine supplementation only on training days has greater muscle benefits compared to placebo in healthy older adults. However, the effects of creatine on training days (compared to creatine on non-training days or placebo) in healthy young adults is unknown. Further, pre- and post-exercise creatine supplementation appears to produce similar muscle benefits (compared to placebo) in healthy older adults. It remains to be determined whether the timing of creatine ingestion (immediately before vs. immediately following training sessions) influences the physiological adaptations from resistance training compared to placebo in young healthy adults. It is also unknown whether differences exist in supplementing with creatine immediately before, during or immediately following resistance training sessions in young healthy adults.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2024-05
• Study Start: 2024-05-15
• Study First Submitted: 2024-05-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-05-29
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-05-29
• Study First Posted: 2024-06-03
• Last Update Posted: 2024-06-03
• Primary Completion: 2024-12-30
• Study Completion: 2025-08-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 52

Inclusion Criteria

• Physically active (performing structured resistance training > 2x/week for ≥ 4 weeks)
• Males and females (age 18-39)

Exclusion Criteria

• Pregnant or nursing
• Have consumed creatine monohydrate within 30 days prior to the start of the study
• Pre-existing allergies to the placebo

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Creatine After Training	Placebo	5 grams of creatine monohydrate + 3 grams of placebo immediately after training sessions; 8 grams of placebo immediately before training sessions; 8 grams of placebo on non-training days.
Creatine Before Training	Creatine monohydrate	5 grams of creatine monohydrate + 3 grams of placebo immediately before training sessions; 8 grams of placebo immediately after training sessions; 8 grams of placebo on non-training days.
Creatine After Training	Creatine monohydrate	5 grams of creatine monohydrate + 3 grams of placebo immediately after training sessions; 8 grams of placebo immediately before training sessions; 8 grams of placebo on non-training days.
Creatine Non-Training	Placebo	5 grams of creatine monohydrate + 3 grams of placebo on non-training days; 8 grams of placebo immediately before training sessions; 8 grams of placebo immediately after training sessions.
Creatine Non-Training	Creatine monohydrate	5 grams of creatine monohydrate + 3 grams of placebo on non-training days; 8 grams of placebo immediately before training sessions; 8 grams of placebo immediately after training sessions.
Placebo	Placebo	8 grams of placebo immediately before training sessions; 8 grams of placebo immediately after training sessions; 8 grams of placebo on non-training days
Creatine Before Training	Placebo	5 grams of creatine monohydrate + 3 grams of placebo immediately before training sessions; 8 grams of placebo immediately after training sessions; 8 grams of placebo on non-training days.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Strength	baseline, week 16	1-repetition maximum leg press and chest press (kg)
Body Composition	baseline, week 16	Whole-body lean mass (kg) using bioelectrical impedance analysis
Endurance	baseline, week 16	Repetitions to fatigue for leg press and chest press (total number)
Muscle Hypertrophy	baseline, week 16	Muscle thickness of the biceps, triceps, quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscle using B-mode ultrasound (cm)
Power	baseline, weekn 16	Vertical jump (watts)
Hydration	baseline, week 16	Total body water (kg) using bioelectrical impedance analysis

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Regina; 🇨🇦 Regina, Canada