SWIM PERFORMANCE FOLLOWING CREATINE SUPPLEMENTATION IN DIVISION III ATHLETES

Abstract

The role creatine (Cr) supplementation may play on performance enhancement for swimming events has yielded inconsistent results. To date, most investigations have utilized only elite level swimmers, and have concluded that Cr supplementation was ineffective as an ergogenic aid. When lower caliber swimmers have been studied, Cr supplementation was shown to enhance performance. Therefore, the aim of the present investigation was to further define the role of Cr in swimming and to determine the most efficient loading dose for competitive swimming. We tested the hypothesis that compared with a placebo group, Cr supplemented Division III swimmers would demonstrate enhanced swimming performance. Eighteen male and 13 female swimmers were assigned in a double blind, random manner to either a high supplementation group (0.3g Cr/kg body mass), a low supplementation group (0.07g Cr/kg body mass), or a placebo group. The Cr supplementation regimens consisted of a 5-day loading period for both high and low groups, which was followed by a 9-day maintenance phase where subjects consumed 2 g. Cr per day. The placebo group consumed an equivalent number of dextrose capsules over the 2-week period. Pre- and post-supplementation testing included a timed 50- and 100-yard sprint, four 50-yard sprints during a 2 minute interval, and a 20 second maximal effort bout on a swim bench ergometer. Compared with the placebo and low dose groups, the high dose group improved significantly in the 50-and 100-yard sprints. There were no improvements between supplementation groups for either the four repeat fifty-yard sprints or maximal effort swim bench ergometer test. In conclusion, partial support of the hypothesis suggests that Cr supplementation for the improvement of performance times during swimming events is only effective for singular effort sprints but not for interval swimming or work output on a swim bench ergometer. Supported by Copeland Memorial Fund.