Creatine monohydrate supplementation enhances high-intensity exercise performance in males and females.

Creatine monohydrate supplementation has been shown to enhance high-intensi ty exercise performance in some but not all studies. Part of the controvers y surrounding the ergogenic effect(s) of creatine monohydrate supplementati on may relate to design issues that result in low statistical power. A furt her question that remains unresolved in the creatine literature is whether or not males and females respond in a similar manner to supplementation. We studied the effect of creatine supplementation upon high intensity exercis e performance in 24 subjects (n = 12 males, n = 12 females). Creatine monoh ydrate (Cr; 5g, 4x/d x 4d) and placebo (PI; glucose polymer x 4d) were prov ided using a randomized, double-blind crossover design (7 week washout). Ou tcome measures included: 2 x 30-s anaerobic cycle test, with plasma lactate pre- and post-test; dorsi-flexor: maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), 2-m in fatigue test, and electrically stimulated peak and tetanic torque; isoki netic knee extension torque and 1-min ischemic handgrip strength. Significa nt main effects of Cr treatment included: increased peak and relative peak anaerobic cycling power (up arrow3.7%; p < .05), dorsi-flexion MVC torque ( <up arrow>6.6%; p < .05), and increased lactate (<up arrow>20.8%: p < .05) with no gender specific responses. We concluded that short-term Cr suppleme ntation can increase indices of high-intensity exercise performance for bot h males and females.