Table 2. The effect of creatine supplementation on repeated interval swim set performance.

 

Subjects

Supplementation Protocol

Test Protocol

Results

 

 

 

 

 

Performance

Body Composition

Havenetidis et

21 (11 Male; 10

2 identical supplementation periods; 4

Stroke not specified

Greater improvements in

Not specified

al. 1996

Female)

months apart

10x50m sprints at 1min

performance for the creatine group

 

 

Elite swimmers

5g Creatine OR 5g placebo

intervals

compared to the placebo group

 

 

 

5 x per day, 4 Days

8x100m sprints at 2min

following the first

 

 

 

No randomisation, double blinded

intervals

supplementation period.

 

 

 

 

15x100m sprints at 1min

Further improvements in

 

 

 

 

40sec intervals

performance following the second

 

 

 

 

 

supplementation period for the

 

 

 

 

 

creatine group.

 

Grindstaff et

18 (7 Male; 11

21g Creatine monohydrate + 4.2g

Freestyle

Swim 1 and 2: Improved performance for the creatine group oOnly.
Swim 3: No changes in
performance in either group
Trend towards reduced cumulative
sprint time in the creatine group.

 

No significant differences between groups in changes in total body mass and percent body water. Changes in fat free mass tended to be greater in the creatine group. Changes in fat mass and percent body fat tended to be lower in the creatine group.

al. 1997

Female)

maltodextrin OR 25.2g maltodextrin

3x100m sprints

 

~ 15 yrs

9 Days

60sec passive rest between

 

Regionally/nationally

Randomised, double blinded

sprints

 

competitive amateur

 

 

 

swimmers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peyrebrune et

14 (Male)

3g Creatine + 1.5g maltodextrin + 1.5g

Preferred stroke

Significant reduction in

Not specified

al. 1998

~ 20-21 yrs

glucose OR 6g glucose

8x50yd sprints at 1min

cumulative swim time (2%) in the

 

 

National level

3 x per day, 5 Days

30sec intervals

creatine group.

 

 

swimmers

Randomised, double blinded

 

 

 

Theodorou

12 (8 Males; 4

Acute loading period: 5g creatine

Stroke not specified

Significant improvements in mean

Not specified

and Cooke

Females)

5 x per day, 4 days

10x50m sprints; 60sec -

swim time (2%) after acute

 

1998

~ 17 yrs

Maintenance period: 5g creatine OR 5g

swim time recovery

Loading.

 

 

Elite Swimmers

placebo

8x100m sprints; 2min -

No significant difference in mean

 

 

 

1 x per day, 8 weeks

swim time recovery

swim time between post acute

 

 

 

Randomised, blinding not specified

 

loading and the end of 2 months.

 

Leenders et al.

32 (18 Male; 14

Acute loading period: 4 x 5g creatine

Preferred stroke

Significant improvement in

No significant changes

1999

Female)

dissolved in 150ml 6% maltodextrin solution

6x50m sprints at 3min

velocity (2%) over 6x50m interval

in body mass, fat free

 

~ 19 yrs

OR 150ml 6% maltodextrin solution

intervals

set in males only following

mass and percent body

 

Competitive

4 x per day, 6 days

 

creatine supplementation.

fat.

 

university swimmers

Maintenance period: 5g Creatine dissolved in

10x25yd sprints at 60s

No improvements in velocity over

 

 

 

150ml 6% maltodextrin solution OR 150ml

intervals

10x25y interval set in males or

 

 

 

maltodextrin solution

 

females following creatine

 

 

 

2 x per day, 7 days

 

supplementation.

 

 

 

Randomised, double blinded

 

 

 

Theodorou et

22 (12 Male; 10

Acute loading period: 5g creatine

 Stroke not specified

Significant improvements in mean

Significant increase in

al. 1999

Female)

monohydrate

10x50m sprints; 60sec -

swim time (1.5%) after acute

body mass (0.6%)

 

~ 19 yrs

5 x per day, 4 days

swim time recovery

Loading.

following acute

 

National level

Maintenance period: 5g creatine

8x100m sprints; 2min -

No significant difference in mean

creatine loading.

 

swimmers

monohydrate OR 5g polythene glycol 4000

swim time recovery

swim time between post acute

 

 

 

1 x per day, 8 weeks

15x100m sprints; 2min -

loading and the end of 2 months

 

 

 

Randomised, blinding not specified

swim time recovery

maintenance for either group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mendes et al.

18 (12 Male; 6

5g Creatine + 20g CHO OR 20g CHO

Preferred stroke

No effect on performance in either

Significant increase in

2004

Female)

4 x per day, 8 Days

3 x 3 x 50m sprints

Group.

total body mass, lean

 

~ 19 yrs

Double blind, placebo controlled

30 second intervals

 

body mass and body

 

Competitive

 

between sprints

 

water in the creatine

 

swimmers

 

150 second intervals

 

group only.

 

 

 

between sets

 

No change in bone or

 

 

 

 

 

muscle mass.

Mero et al.

16 (8 Male; 8

5g Creatine OR 5g maltodextrin 

Freestyle

Increase in swim time between the

No significant changes

2004

Female)

4 x per day, 6 Days

2 x 100m sprints

2 sprints was greater in the

in body weight or

 

~ 17-18 yrs

0.3g Maltodextrin OR 0.3g Sodium

10 minutes passive rest

placebo group than the

percent body fat.

 

National level

Bicarbonate per kg of body weight on the

between sprints

combination creatine and sodium

 

 

swimmers

test day

 

bicarbonate group.

 

Theodorou et
al. 2005

10 (6 Male; 4
Female)
~ 17-18 yrs
High performance
swimmers

5g Creatine OR 5g creatine + 500ml glucose
syrup
5 x per day, 4 Days
Randomised, blinding not specified

Preferred stroke
10x50m sprints; 60sec -
swim time recovery
8x100m sprints; 2min -
swim time recovery

Significant improvements in swimming velocity for both
groups (2% Cr only group; 0.7%
Cr + CHO group)
No significant difference in the
magnitude of improvement
between groups

 

 

Most swimmers
gained weight.
Mean weight gain was larger in the creatine + carbohydrate group than the creatine only group. Significant and positive correlation between
increase in mean
velocity and increase
in mean body mass in creatine and carbohydrate group only.