The effect of continuous low dose creatine supplementation on force, power, and total work

Dietary supplementation (SUP) has become a significant part of athletic tra ining. Studies indicate that creatine (Cr) can enhance short-duration, high -intensity activities. This study examined the effect of 21 days of low dos e Cr SUP (similar to 7.7 g/day) and resistance training on force output, po wer output, duration of mean peak power output, and total work performed un til fatigue. A double-blind protocol was used, where an individual, who was not part of any other aspect of the study, randomly assigned subjects to c reatine and placebo groups. Forty-one male university athletes were randoml y assigned to either Cr (n = 20) or placebo (n = 21) SUP. On the first and last day of the study, subjects were required to perform concentric bench p ress movements until exhaustion on an isokinetic dynamometer. The dynamomet er was hard-wired to a personal computer, which provided force, velocity, a nd duration measures. Force and power output until fatigue, were used to de termine total work, force-time, and power-time relationships. ANOVA results revealed that the Cr subjects performed more total work until fatigue, exp erienced significantly greater improvements in peak force and peak power, a nd maintained elevated mean peak power for a longer period of time. These r esults indicate that Cr SUP can significantly improve factors associated wi th short-duration, high-intensity activity.