Does creatine work?
Yes: creatine monohydrate reliably adds a few percent to strength and 1–2 kg of bodyweight, and it is the most replicated supplement in sport.
Creatine works by refilling phosphocreatine between efforts. Buy monohydrate. The other forms (HCl, ethyl ester, buffered) cost more and have never outperformed it in a head-to-head trial.
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- Kreider, R.B. et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14. Reviews hundreds of trials; the reference document.
- Branch, J.D. (2003). Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 13(2). Largest effects on short-duration, high-intensity work.