Creatine can help quickly
A new study shows that creatine can improve strength performance during resistance training after just a few days. In practice, better performance was seen in the bench press and squat—both more repetitions and higher lifting velocity.
What the study did
In this double-blind, randomized crossover study, 10 young men with some training experience but no prior creatine use participated. They received creatine monohydrate at a dose of 0.3 grams per kilogram of body weight per day for three days, with the first dose two hours before testing. They then performed bench press and squat tests at 60, 70, and 80 percent of 1RM. (1RM stands for One Repetition Maximum. It is the absolute heaviest weight you can lift for a single repetition with strict technique in a specific exercise, but that you fail to perform for two repetitions.
The results
Compared with placebo, creatine increased the number of repetitions in both the bench press and squat at several load levels. Creatine also improved lifting velocity at all tested intensities and reduced certain signs of physiological strain. There were also indications of better recovery between sessions.
How fast creatine works
What’s interesting about this study is that the effect appeared much faster than many expect. You don’t always have to wait several weeks to notice anything, even though the body’s full creatine effect often builds up over time.
What this means in practice
For those who do resistance training, the study suggests that creatine may be one of the fastest-acting performance supplements. It can help you get a little more out of each set, especially when you train with moderate to heavy weights.
How to interpret the study
This is a small study, so the results shouldn’t be oversold. But the findings are in line with the broader research on creatine, which has long shown improvements in strength, power, and training performance.
