Abstract
A typical Creatine (Cr) loading protocol of 20g/day for 5 days has been shown to increase muscle Cr and Phosphocreatine (PCr) by 20–50% and to improve strength, power, sprint performance, and work performed during multiple sets of maximal effort. Evidence also indicates that PCr stores are elevated within 2 days of Cr supplementation but little information exists concerning exercise performance following 2 days of supplementation. The purpose of this study was to determine if a short duration 2 day creatine loading protocol would enhance exercise performance during a 1 minute anaerobic cycling test. Twenty-two active volunteer males were randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to either an experimental (creatine monohydrate) group or placebo (maltodextrin) group for 5 full days. Doses were taken four times a day at evenly spaced intervals. To simulate a high intensity bout of exercise subjects performed a 1 minute anaerobic cycling test; before supplementation, following 2 days and again following 5 days of supplementation. Lactate measurements were taken at 1, 3, and 5 minutes post exercise. Results: Peak power significantly increased by 7.1% following 2 days and 9.9% following 5 days of supplementation. There was also a significant 6.38% increase in total work after 2 days and 10.35 % increase in total work after 5 days. There were no significant differences in any of the measurements for the placebo group after 2 or 5 days. The rate of power decline (measured in 5 sec intervals) and post exercise blood lactates were not significantly different following 2 or 5 days of Cr supplementation in either group. These results suggest that 2 days of Cr supplementation similar to a 5 day protocol in active males is effective in increasing peak power output and total work in high intensity anaerobic exercise lasting up to 1 minute in duration.
Published Version
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