A recent study published in the Nutrients journal has shed light on the impact of creatine monohydrate (CrM) supplementation on lean body mass (LBM), particularly in women. Researchers examined the effects of CrM on LBM when taken alone and in combination with resistance training (RT), with findings revealing notable gender-specific differences.
The study, which lasted 13 weeks, initially investigated the effects of a seven-day CrM supplementation phase (5 grams per day) without exercise. Participants, who were healthy but inactive adults, were separated into CrM and control groups. Results showed that the CrM-only group experienced significant gains in LBM, particularly in the trunk region, a result that may be linked to water retention rather than muscle growth. Notably, women in this group showed enhanced LBM, suggesting a gender-specific response to CrM supplementation.
However, when CrM was combined with RT over a 12-week period, the researchers found no significant difference in LBM growth between the supplement and control groups. This indicates that RT alone was effective in increasing LBM, and the addition of CrM did not provide any additional benefits.
Study Design and Methodology
The study was a component of a larger trial exploring the relationship between gut microbiota and LBM. A total of 33 participants were included in each group, with assessments conducted at three points: baseline, after the seven-day CrM phase, and after 12 weeks of RT. Participants were instructed to fast for eight hours before assessments and avoid exercise for 12 hours prior to testing.
Lean body mass and fat mass were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The supervised RT program included three full-body workouts per week, with intensity tailored to participants’ perceived exertion. Adherence to the program was high, with 95% of participants following the supplementation regimen and 91.92% attending the sessions consistently.
Key Findings
The study’s findings indicate that while CrM supplementation led to a significant increase in LBM during the wash-in phase, this effect did not extend to the full 12-week RT period. After the seven-day supplementation, the CrM group showed greater gains in trunk LBM, but there were no differences in arm or leg LBM between the supplement and control groups.
After 12 weeks of RT, both groups gained approximately two kilograms of LBM, with no significant differences between them. However, a closer look at gender-specific data revealed that women in the CrM group had significantly greater gains in total and trunk LBM compared to their male counterparts, who showed no response to CrM supplementation.
Limitations
The study concluded that a seven-day CrM supplementation phase can increase LBM without exercise, particularly in women. However, the combination of CrM with RT did not result in greater LBM gains than RT alone. The findings also highlighted that CrM may influence LBM through water retention, which is not always distinguishable through DXA measurements.
While the study provided valuable insights, it also had limitations. These included the lack of tracking menstrual cycles and hydration levels, which could have influenced body water distribution and LBM assessments. Furthermore, the self-reported dietary intake may not have accurately reflected actual consumption, and the ingestion of CrM was not directly supervised.
Future research will need to explore different dosing strategies, as well as incorporate more detailed hydration tracking and menstrual cycle data, to better understand how CrM affects LBM and whether its effects are primarily due to fluid shifts.
Implications for Health and Fitness
The results suggest that CrM supplementation, especially when combined with resistance training, can be an effective way to enhance lean body mass, with a notable benefit for women. However, individuals looking to optimize their LBM gains may want to focus on proper resistance training techniques, as CrM alone may not provide a significant advantage in the long term.
This study adds to the growing body of research supporting the use of creatine monohydrate as a supplement for enhancing physical performance, while also emphasizing the importance of personalized approaches based on gender and other factors.
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