Subjects

Supplementation Protocol

Test Protocol

Results

Performance

Body Composition

Burke et al.

32 (18 Male; 14

5g Creatine monohydrate + 2g sucrose

Preferred stroke

No significant performance

Not specified

1996

Female)

OR 5g polyglucose + 2g sucrose

1x25m sprint

changes in any of the trials in

17-25 yrs 

4 x per day, 5 Days 

1x50m sprint

either group

National level

Randomised, double blinded

1x100m sprint

 swimmers

10mins active recovery +

2-3mins passive recovery

between sprints

Havenetidis

21 (11 Male; 10

2 identical supplementation periods; 4

Stroke not specified

Significant improvement in race

Not specified

et al. 1996 

Female)

months apart

Official meet race

time (2.1%) following first

Elite swimmers 

performance

supplementation period for the

5g Creatine OR 5g placebo

creatine group only

5 x per day, 4 Days

Distance not specified 

Further improvements in race

No randomisation, double blinded 

times (3.0%) following second

supplementation period for the

creatine group only

Mujika et al.

20 (11 Male; 9

5g Creatine monohydrate OR 5g lactose

Preferred stroke

No significant performance

Significant increase in

1996

Female)

placebo

1x25m sprint

changes in any of the 3 trials

body weight (1%) in the

~ 20 yrs

4 x per day, 5 Days

1x50m sprint

or the sum of the 3 trials in

creatine group only

National or

Randomisation not specified, double

1x100m sprint

either group

international level

blinded

swimmers

300m active recovery +

Tendancy towards reduced

20-25 mins passive

performance in 25m and 50m

recovery between sprints

swims in the creatine group

Thompson et

10 (Female)

2g Creatine OR 2g placebo

Freestyle

No significant effect on swim time

No change to lean body

al. 1996

University

1 x per day, 6 Weeks

1x100m sprint

in either sprint for either group

mass

swimmers

Randomised, blinding not specified

1x400m sprint

Peyrebrune et

14 (Male)

3g Creatine + 1.5g maltodextrin + 1.5g

Preferred stroke

No effect on performance in either

Not specified

 al. 1998

~ 20-21 yrs

glucose OR 6g glucose

1x50yd sprint

group

 National level

3 x per day, 5 Days

swimmers

Randomised, double blinded

Dawson et al.

20 (10 Male; 10

Acute loading period: 5g creatine

Freestyle

No significant improvements

No significant body

2002

Female)

monohydrate + 1g glucose polymer OR

1x50m sprint

in performance for either

mass changes

~ 16 yrs

6g glucose polymer

1x100m sprint

group

Skinfold totals

Competitive

4 x per day; 5 days

3x100m recovery swims

decreased for both

swimmers

Maintenance period: 5g creatine

on a departure interval of

groups, but were not

monohydrate OR 5g glucose polymer; 1

1.5 mins

statistically different

x per day; 22 days

from the respective

Randomised, single blinded

baseline scores

Selsby et al.

15 (8 Male; 7

Acute loading period: 0.3g creatine / kg

Freestyle

Trend towards improved

No significant weight

2003

Female)

body weight OR varying doses of

1x50yd sprint

performance in both sprints in

gain within groups

~ 19 yrs

dextrose placebo

1x100yd sprint

the creatine group

Division III

5 x per day, 5 days

Trend towards reduced

collegiate

Maintenance period: 2.25g creatine OR

performance in both sprints in

swimmers

varying doses of dextrose

the placebo group

1 x per day, 9 days

Randomised, double blinded

Mendes et al.

18 (12 Male; 6

5g Creatine + 20g CHO OR 20g CHO

1 x 50m sprint

No effect on performance in

Significant increase in

2004

Female)

4 x per day, 8 Days

1 x 100m sprint

either group

total body mass, lean

~ 19 yrs

Double blind, placebo controlled

body mass and body

Competitive

water in the creatine

Swimmers

group only

No change in bone or