Original Paper..

Biomedical Human Kinetics, 2, 47 - 50, 2010

DOI: 10.2478/v10101-010-0010-1

Effects of creatine supplementation on body mass and muscle

girths in bodybuilders
Władysław Jagiełło1, Marek Kruszewski 2, Jakub Banach 3
1 University School of Physical Education and Sports, Gdańsk; 2 University of Physical Education, Warsaw;
3 The College of Computer Science, Łódź, Poland

Summary
Study aim: To find out whether a 6-week creatine supplementation would significantly augment body mass and
muscle circumferences in male bodybuilders.
Material and methods: A group of 14 male bodybuilders aged 16 – 29 years were randomly divided into two groups:
experimental (E) and control (C), 7 subjects each. Group E received creatine monohydrate, Group C – placebo, 10 g
daily for 6 weeks without saturation phase. The experimental design was a double-blind one. All subjects were on
strictly controlled diet, the daily intakes amounting to 2.3 – 2.8 g of protein, 1.0 – 1.2 g of fat and 5 – 6 g/kg body
mass of carbohydrate, and 3200 – 4000 kcal. All subjects trained 3 days a week, each session lasting 120 min, in the
‘Power, Rep-Range, Shock’ mode. Chest, waist, arm, forearm, thigh and calf girths were measured in the relaxed
and contracted states, together with body mass, before and after the study.
Results: Significant, training-induced changes were noted in almost all body circumferences studied in both groups
and muscle states, those in the chest, biceps and thigh girths being the most pronounced ones and significantly
(p<0.05) greater in the experimental than in control group in the contracted muscle state. In the relaxed state the
between-group differences were significant for the chest and thigh girths. The increments in body mass were signifi-
cantly (p<0.01) higher in the experimental than in control group (4.3 ± 1.3 and 2.1 ± 0.7 kg, respectively).
Conclusions: The observed changes may have been brought about by creatine administration.

Key words: Training – Bodybuilding – Creatine – Somatic features

Introduction Beneficial effects of creatine administration were

observed in diverse exertions; Balsom et al. [1] reported
The principal objective of bodybuilding is to attain a an increased power output in repeated cycle ergometer
desired body build [3,9,23], those who practice such a exercises (10×6 s) separated by 30-s intermissions fol-
training being approached subjectively which is rare in lowing creatine intake (20 g daily for 6 days). Kreider et
sports [10,11]. The way to achieve that objective con- al. [9] applied 17.5 g of creatine daily for 28 days and
sists of well designed resistance training, appropriate noted increased work outputs in the first 5 out of 12 ex-
diet including supplementation and a rational recovery ertions lasting 6 s each and separated by 30-s intermis-
[11,16]; the final effect, i.e. perfect body build, is being sions. Even as short a supplementation as 4 days, 25 g
assessed by many criteria, based mainly on well shaped of creatine daily, significantly improved swimming time
musculature reflected by adequate muscle circumferences in 3 series of exercises - 10×50 m with one-minute in-
and body mass [8,15,19,22]. termissions, and 8×100 m or 15×100 m with 2-min inter-
Apart from properly designed training loads, dietary missions; a prolonged administration of creatine (5 g daily
supplements are an important component of bodybuild- for 2 months) brought about no further improvement
ing [12,20,21], the legally most widely used substance [11]. Also in endurance-related sports, e.g. repeated runs
for the last two decades being creatine. Administration (4×300 m with 3-min intermissions or 4×1000 m with
of creatine augments the resynthesis of phosphocreatine 4-min intermissions) an improvement was noted follow-
in the muscles, especially following high-intensity exer- ing a 6-day administration of creatine for 6 days [2].
tions, which contributes to an improved work capacity The use of creatine supplementation markedly ex-
and endurance, strength and muscle mass [2,6,7,13]. panded in recent years, especially in the cardiological

Author’s address Prof. Władysław Jagiełło, Izydy 28, 80-299 Gdańsk, Poland [email protected]
48 W. Jagiełło et al.

pharmacology; creatine has been considered an inducer after the session; on other days, 5 g was ingested in the
of protein synthesis (increased generation of actin and morning, in fasting state, and 5 g in the evening, between
myosin in cell cultures) apart from its role as an energy meals. No saturation phase was used.
transducer in the cells [9,11]. Nevertheless, the reports The protein-rich diet was strictly individually con-
on the effects of creatine administration in various sports trolled by an experienced dietician. The daily calorie
have not been sufficiently concordant so as to draw con- intake amounted to 3200 – 4000 kcal, that of protein –
clusions with respect to bodybuilding. Thus, the aim of 2.3 – 2.8 g, fat – 1.0 – 1.2 g, carbohydrate – 5 – 6 g/kg
this study was to find out whether a 6-week creatine sup- body mass. The subjects rigorously followed the rec-
plementation would significantly augment body mass ommendations and consumed no extra products and
and muscle circumferences in male bodybuilders. used no other supplementation.
The following girths were measured in the relaxed
Material and Methods and maximally contracted states [14]: chest, waist, arm
(biceps), forearm, thigh and calf, all before (‘Pre’) and
A group of 14 male subjects, aged 16 – 29 years, mem- after the study period (‘Post’) using a metal tape with an
bers of a recreational sport club, volunteered to partici- accuracy of 0.1 cm. Body mass was determined in the
pate in the study and submitted their written consents. morning, in the preprandial state, without clothing, with
The study was approved by the local Committee of Ethics. an accuracy of 0.1 kg. Chest girth was measured between
They had 3 training sessions a week, 120 min each, in the mesosternale and thelion points, that of the thigh and
the afternoons. The subjects were randomly assigned the calf at the respective highest thickness, the lower limb
into two groups: experimental (E), receiving creatine straight and both legs evenly loaded, that of the waist at
supplementation, and control (C). the level of the navel, that of the arm and of forearm at
Throughout the 6-week study, both groups were sub- the respective mid-length, the extremity straight along
jected to the same training protocol of the ‘Power (1), the body. The Post-Pre differences (increments) of all
Rep-Range (2), Shock (3)’ mode [18], every element measurements were computed.
dominating in weekly microcycles. The microcycles dif- The significances of the Post-Pre differences were
fered in the kinds of exercise (eccentric, concentric, mix- assessed using the Student’s t-test for dependent data
ed), intensities and intermission durations, as well as in and the between-group differences by applying that test
the so-called stick point isometric elements [9,22]. Thus, for independent data. The level of p≤0.05 was conside-
the three-week unit was repeated twice. Training loads red significant.
were computed ex post from individual, detailed records.
Subjects from the experimental group were given Results
micronised (250 mesh) creatine monohydrate (Vitalmax,
Poland) without carbohydrates, those from the control The basic data (age, training experience, body height
group receiving placebo. The experiment was conducted and body mass – initial and the study-induced increment)
in the double-blind mode. The following supplementa- of both groups of bodybuilders are presented in Table 1,
tion schedule was used: on training days (Monday, Wed- the results of anthropometric measurements in Table 2
nesday, Friday), 5 g of creatine (or placebo) was ingested and percent changes in measurements, related to the
30 min before the training session and 5 g immediately initial (Pre) ones – in Fig. 1.

Table 1. Mean values (±SD and ranges) of basic features of male bodybuilders

Group Experimental Control

Variable (n = 7) (n = 7)
Age (years) 21.0 ± 4.1 (17 – 29) 19.6 ± 4.0 (16 – 25)
Body height (cm) 181.9 ± 7.3 (174 – 194) 180.9 ± 5.2 (171 – 186)
Body mass (kg) Pre 88.9 ± 12.4 (64 – 102) 87.9 ± 9.3 (77 – 103)
Increment 4.3 ± 1.3 (2 – 6)*** ºº 2.1 ± 0.7 (1 – 3) ***
Training experience (years) 3.1 ± 1.6 (1.5 – 6) 2.7 ± 2.2 (1 – 7)

Legend: Significances of increments – * p<0.05; ** p<0.01; *** p<0.001; ºº Significantly (p<0.01) higher from the increment in
the control group
Creatine supplementation in bodybuilders 49

Table 2. Mean values (±SD) of anthropometric measurements in the relaxed and contracted states, before and after a
6-week study and respective increments in male bodybuilders

Muscle status Relaxed Contracted

Measurement Pre Increment Pre Increment
Experimental group (n = 7)
Chest 113.7 ± 10.6 2.1 ± 0.7*** ºº 120.3 ± 9.6 4.4 ± 0.7*** ººº
Waist 84.4 ± 5.7 0.9 ± 1.3 82.7 ± 5.3 1.0 ± 0.6**
Biceps 39.5 ± 4.5 1.0 ± 0.3*** 42.4 ± 4.1 1.9 ± 0.4*** º
Thigh 61.9 ± 5.5 1.7 ± 1.0** º 63.9 ± 5.2 2.6 ± 1.0*** ºº
Calf 39.1 ± 4.0 0.5 ± 0.4* 40.0 ± 3.5 1.1 ± 0.5***
Forearm 35.5 ± 3.7 0.6 ± 0.4* 37.1 ± 3.8 1.1 ± 0.5**
Control group (n = 7)
Chest 113.7 ± 10.6 1.2 ± 0.4*** 120.3 ± 9.6 2.0 ± 0.9***
Waist 84.4 ± 5.7 1.5 ± 0.8** 82.7 ± 5.3 0.6 ± 0.7
Biceps 39.5 ± 4.5 0.7 ± 0.4** 42.4 ± 4.1 1.3 ± 0.5***
Thigh 61.9 ± 5.5 0.7 ± 0.4** 63.9 ± 5.2 1.0 ± 0.3***
Calf 39.1 ± 4.0 0.2 ± 0.3 40.0 ± 3.5 0.6 ± 0.6*
Forearm 35.5 ± 3.7 0.4 ± 0.4* 37.1 ± 3.8 0.9 ± 0.6**

Legend. Significances of increments: * p<0.05; ** p<0.01; *** p<0.001; Significantly higher from the respective value in the
control group: º p<0.05; ºº p<0.01; ººº p<0.001

% Experimental creased in both groups, the relative increment being twice

5
Control * as high in the experimental as in the control group (4.8
* and 2.4%, p<0.01; cf. Table 1).
4 *

3 * Discussion
2 *
The 6-week training of bodybuilders brought about
1 significant increases in body mass; in the experimental
group under creatine supplementation, those increases
0
were twice as high as in control subjects. Although the
Ch W B T C F Ch W B T C F
Relaxed Contracted increases in body mass could have been attributed to a
Fig. 1. Percent changes in body and muscle girths higher muscle hydration, the fact that subjects from both
groups performed the same training is indicative of cre-
Legend: Ch – Chest; W – Waist; B – Biceps; T – Thigh; C –
Calf; F – Forearm; The changes represented by lighter-colour
atine as the causal factor. This view is supported by other
bars are non-significant; * Significant (p<0.05) between-group reports [1,4,21] and own studies [11] on larger groups
difference of subjects.
The mechanism of the creatine-induced increase in
Significant training-induced changes in all studied the chest girth is not clear. An increase in muscle hydra-
body circumferences were found in both groups in the tion may be suspected but water content had not been
relaxed and in contracted states except waist girth in the determined. In the thigh muscles, and especially in the
experimental (relaxed) and control (contracted) groups, quadriceps, white fibres prevail and their content in the
and calf and forearm girths (relaxed) in the control group. vastus lateralis muscle exceeds 80% [10,11,15,22,23].
The most pronounced relative (percent) changes were These fibres more easily undergo hypertrophy than the
found in case of the biceps, thigh and chest girths in both red ones and, therefore, are faster and more efficacious
states; these were significantly (p<0.05) greater in the [11,15,22,23] and the same is true for the triceps. This
experimental group (contracted state) than in the control may explain the predominance of the training- and
one while in the relaxed state the between-group differ- creatine-induced increases of arm and thigh girths in
ences were significant for the chest and thigh girths only contrast to e.g. forearm or calf girths in which the con-
(Fig. 1). Besides, body mass significantly (p<0.001) in- tent of red fibres is high.
50 W. Jagiełło et al.

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