Creatine supplementation and endurance performance: surges and sprints to win the race

Figures & data

Figure 1. Potential mechanisms of how creatine supplementation can enhance endurance performance. Created with BioRender.Com.

Figure 2. The effects of creatine supplementation to enhance different exercise intensities.

Table 1. Summary of studies examining creatine supplementation on time to exhaustion or time trial performance.

First Author, Year	Population	Supplement Protocol	Endurance Test	Results
Anomasiri et al. 2004	N = 19; Trained swimmers	CR: 10 g/day (split into 2 doses) for 7 days or PLA	400 m swim	CR ↑ final 50 m (i.e. swimmers were faster in the final 50 m).
Balsom et al. 1993	N = 18; Well-trained males	CR: 20 g/day for 6 days or PLA	6-km TT; TTE at 120% vVO2max	CR ↓ (i.e. slower) TT (23.36 ± 0.82 vs 23.79 ± 0.85 min); TTE ↔
Chwalbinska-Moneta et al. 2003	N = 16; Elite male rowers	CR: 20 g/day for 5 days or PLA	GXT TTE and anaerobic capacity test (7 Watts/kg)	CR ↔ on GXT peak power (trend for CR to be superior). CR ↑ power output at LT; CR ↑ TTE during anaerobic test by 12.1 sec
Engelhardt et al. 1998	N = 12regionally competitive triathletes	CR: 6 g/day for 5 days or PLA	30-min at 3 mmol/L followed by 5 × 15 sec @ 7.5W/kg with 45 seconds of rest then 120 seconds of rest, then 5 × 15 sec followed by 30 min of aerobic exercise	CR ↑ interval work by 18%; ↔ on aerobic performance; In participants unable to complete the final 30 minutes of exercise at baseline, CR ↑ TTE by 4 min
Jacobs et al. 1997	N = 26; Healthy recreational and competitive athletes	CR: 20 g/day for 5 days or PLA	TTE at 125% VO2max	CR ↑ TTE (+9%)
McNaughton et al. 1998	N = 16males; Elite surf-ski or white-water kayak paddlers	CR: 20 g/day for 5 days or PLA	90 sec, 150 sec, 300 sec tests.	CR ↑ work completed compared to PLA
Prevost et al. 1997	N = 18(n = 10males, n = 8 females); healthy	CR: 18.75 g/day for 5 days and 2.25 g on the 6th day or PLA	TTE at 150% VO2peak continuously, intermittently (60 sec on/120 sec rest or 20 sec on/40 sec rest or 10 sec on/20 sec rest).	CR ↑ work in all trials
Rico-Sanz et al. 2000	N = 14trained cyclists	CR: 20 g/day for 5 days or PLA	TTE alternating every 3 min between 30 and 90% MPO	CR ↑ TTE at 90% MPO
Rossiter et al. 1996	N = 38(n = 28males, n = 10 females); Competitive rowers	CR: 0.25 g/kg for 5 days or PLA	1000 m rowing performance	CR ↑ performance (2.3 seconds), PLA ↔
Schaffer et al. 2019	N = 11; Recreationally active males	CR: 20 g/day for 5 days followed by 2 g/day	TTF above CP	CR ↑ TTF (11%)
Tomcik et al. 2018	N = 18; Well-trained male cyclists (~65 mL/kg/min)	CR: 20 g/day for 5 days followed by 3 g/day for 9 days or PLA with a moderate (6 g CHO/kg) and a high (12 g CHO/kg) diet in a cross over design	120-km time trial interspersed with alternating 1 and 4-km sprints followed by a TTE incline (8%) ride at 90% VO2peak.	CR ↑ final sprints. ↔ 120-km and incline TTE
Vandebuerie et al. 1998	N = 12; Elite male cyclists	CR: 25 g/day for 4 days or PLA	2.5 hr ride followed by a TTE (at blood lactate of 4 mmol/L) and Sprints (5 × 10 sec)	CR ↑ sprint performance (8–9%); TTE ↔
Van Loon et al. 2003	N = 20; Healthy young males	CR: 20 g/day for 5 days followed by 2 g/day for 37 days or PLA	20 min TT and sprints (12 × 12 sec)	CR ↑ supramaximal sprints; ↔ on 20 min TT

CR = creatine; PLA = placebo; TTE = Time to exhaustion; TT = time trial; TTF = time to fatigue; CP = critical power; MPO = maximal power output; VO2max = maximal oxygen consumption; GXT = graded exercise test; LT = lactate threshold; ↓ = significantly reduced or was detrimental; ↑ = significantly increased or was of benefit; ↔ = no effect compared to placebo.