Creatine Works, But Does Training Experience Matter?

Does creatine work better in experienced lifters than in beginners? A new systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis attempts to answer this question by comparing outcomes between trained and untrained individuals.

Overview

What did they test? The researchers examined whether creatine supplementation combined with resistance training increases body composition outcomes differently in trained versus untrained individuals.
What did they find? Creatine increased fat-free mass, but there was no difference between trained and untrained participants.
What does it mean for you? Creatine is effective across training statuses, and claims that it preferentially benefits advanced lifters are not strongly supported by the data.

What’s the Problem?

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most extensively studied supplements in sports nutrition and is considered one of the best ergogenic aids alongside caffeine. Over the past three decades, multiple meta-analyses have shown that creatine supplementation, when paired with training, leads to greater increases in strength and fat-free mass than resistance training alone 2 3.

The first study to look at training status as a moderator was completed by Branch (2003), who found positive effects of creatine on body mass and body composition when analyzing ~100 studies, but no difference between trained and untrained participants 1. In line with this finding, a more recent meta-analysis also found no difference between untrained and trained participants 4. However, neither of these studies (or any others) have taken a dose-response approach to determine how creatine affects body composition.

Purpose

This systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of controlled trials evaluated the effects of creatine supplementation combined with resistance training on body composition, with particular focus on the differences between trained and untrained individuals.