Health
Creatine may not build more muscle after all, study suggests
Creatine is a popular supplement used to help build muscle, but researchers in Australia are questioning its effectiveness.
Investigators from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney found that individuals who took creatine while performing a three-month weightlifting regimen put on the same amount of muscle as those who did not take the supplement while lifting.
That’s according to their recent study, which was published in the journal Nutrients.
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“We’ve shown that taking 5 grams of creatine supplement per day does not make any difference to the amount of lean muscle mass people put on while resistance training,” senior author Mandy Hagstrom, PhD, an exercise scientist from UNSW’s School of Health Sciences, said in a news release about the study.
The clinical trial looked at 54 relatively healthy participants ranging from 18 to 50 years old who were divided into two groups.
Creatine is a popular supplement used to help build muscle, but researchers in Australia are questioning its effectiveness. (iStock)
Both groups completed the same 12-week resistance training, comprised of three supervised workouts a week.
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The creatine group took the supplement one week prior to beginning the training regimen, referred to as a “wash-in,” and continued taking the 5-gram dose each day for a total of 13 weeks while performing the exercise routine.
The control group received no creatine or placebo during the workout period.
“This is the first creatine study to utilize a wash-in phase, which is standard in other clinical trial designs,” Hagstrom told Fox News Digital.
Investigators found that individuals who took creatine while performing a three-month weightlifting regimen put on the same amount of muscle as those who did not take the supplement while lifting. (iStock)
“This allows the effect of the creatine supplement to be separated from the effect of resistance training.”
Previous trials have started supplementation and exercise programs on the same day, she noted, which made it difficult to determine the impact of each.
The researchers looked at lean muscle body mass in both groups at baseline, then after the seven-day wash-in and after completion of the 12-week weight-lifting program.
“Taking 5 grams of creatine supplement per day does not make any difference to the amount of lean muscle mass people put on while [doing] resistance training.”
They used “dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry” — which is a non-invasive imaging technique — to measure bone mineral density and body composition.
While the creatine-supplemented group (particularly the women) showed about a one-pound gain in lean body mass compared to the non-supplemented group at the seven-day mark, both groups showed a 4.4-pound gain after performing the 12-week resistance training program.
There was no difference between the two groups when it came to lean body mass growth, according to the study.
“Our research found that creatine supplements are not effective for building lean body mass with strength training when taken at the recommended maintenance dose, but there are many other benefits of creatine that were not assessed in our study,” a researcher told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“The people taking the creatine supplement saw changes before they even started exercising, which leads us to believe that it wasn’t actual real muscle growth, but potentially fluid retention,” Hagstrom said.
Once the participants started exercising, they saw no additional benefit from creatine, she said — “which suggests that 5 grams per day is not enough if you’re taking it for the purposes of building muscle.”
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The participants did not do a typical creatine-loading phase, which involves taking 20 to 25 grams a day for up to a week to try to saturate the muscles’ creatine stores, the study authors stated in the news release.
While it is common to start with a loading phase dose, it can cause gastrointestinal issues, they noted.
More research needed, authors say
Hagstrom’s team said more research is needed to determine whether a higher dose, such as 10 mg, is needed to achieve the desired lean body mass growth effect. (This higher dose has shown benefits for bone and brain health.)
“Our research found that creatine supplements are not effective for building lean body mass with strength training when taken at the recommended maintenance dose, but there are many other benefits of creatine that were not assessed in our study,” Hagstrom told Fox News Digital.
The creatine group took the supplement one week prior to beginning the training regimen and continued taking the 5-gram dose each day for a total of 13 weeks while performing the exercise routine. (iStock)
Another area of interest for future studies is whether creatine may have a long-term benefit, according to Imtiaz Desai, one of the study authors.
“When you start weight training, you have those beginner gains in strength, which start tapering off around the 12-week mark and become slower, so it’s possible the support from creatine might come at a later stage,” Desai said in the news release.
‘Food-first’ approach
Makenzi Mollitor, a registered sports dietitian at TSI: The Schwarz Institute in Massapequa, New York, commented on the study to Fox News Digital.
She said she prefers a “food-first” approach when it comes to taking supplements.
“Putting on muscle takes a combination of nutrition and resistance training,” Mollitor, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
Those looking to build muscle should prioritize nutrition around their resistance training schedule, she advised.
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“Eating a combination of protein and carbohydrates almost immediately after training — ideally within the hour — will help to promote muscle growth and repair,” said Mollitor, who works with Division 1 athletes at Long Island University in New York.
“By prioritizing protein, you will also be consuming creatine, because creatine is naturally found in protein sources such as meat, poultry and fish,” she added.
“If you are someone who doesn’t eat a lot of animal protein or is vegan/vegetarian, a supplement could help fill those gaps.”
Supplements do have their place, however, according to the expert.
“If you are someone who doesn’t eat a lot of animal protein or is vegan/vegetarian, a supplement could come in handy to help fill those gaps,” she said.
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For those who choose to supplement with creatine, Mollitor recommended consuming a dose of creatine either immediately before or after training.
To ensure the safety and purity of ingredients, she also emphasized the importance of choosing a supplement that has been tested by a third party.
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Almost every forest bird species in Hawaii is spreading avian malaria, posing an increasing threat to wildlife in the popular honeymoon destination, according to a new study published in Nature Communications.
The research revealed a potential explanation for why the disease shows up almost everywhere mosquitoes are found on the Hawaiian Islands.
Scientists from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa and the University of California analyzed blood samples from over 4,000 birds across 64 sites across the state, a press release revealed.
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Next, they conducted feeding trials where they allowed mosquitoes to feed on infected birds, and tracked whether those insects spread the disease at various temperatures.
The team found that both native and “introduced” species of forest birds can infect mosquitoes when the insects feed on them. Even when the birds have only small amounts of the parasites, they can carry the disease for months or years.
The scientists conducted feeding trials where they allowed mosquitoes to feed on infected birds, and tracked whether those insects spread the disease at various temperatures. (iStock)
“Avian malaria has taken a devastating toll on Hawaii’s native forest birds, and this study shows why the disease has been so difficult to contain,” Christa M. Seidl, who conducted the research as part of her PhD at the University of California, Santa Cruz, stated in the release.
“When so many bird species can quietly sustain transmission, it narrows the options for protecting native birds and makes mosquito control not just helpful, but essential,” she added.
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In many ecosystems, a disease continues circulating even if only a handful of animal species are spreading it, but this study found that avian malaria appears to spread more broadly across many bird species.
Mosquitoes, which are not native to Hawaii, could increase the forest birds’ risk of extinction, says the National Park Service. The ʻakikiki, a Hawaiian bird native to Kauai, is now considered extinct in the wild due to the disease.
The Kauai creeper is considered critically endangered by some groups, while others consider it extinct in the wild. (Eric J. Franke for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
While avian malaria is from the same family of protozoa that causes malaria in humans, the bird-specific strains cannot be transmitted to people, according to the National Audubon Society.
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Even when avian malaria isn’t fatal to birds, it can shorten their telomeres, an element of DNA that influences lifespan, the above source states.
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In addition to affecting the infected birds, the altered DNA can be passed onto chicks, creating a new generation of birds with shorter lifespans.
Researchers examined blood samples from more than 4,000 birds across Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island. (iStock)
The researchers noted a few caveats with the study. First, they primarily used lab-controlled canaries to determine transmission for different parasite levels, which may not be an exact match for every wild bird species.
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They also faced technical hurdles in measuring exactly how much malaria-carrying saliva a mosquito produces at various temperatures, though their models largely account for this, the study stated.
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Finally, as researchers can’t realistically track every mosquito bite in the wild, they used infection patterns as an indirect way to estimate insects’ feeding preferences. If a species is infected more often, that suggests mosquitoes are biting them more frequently.
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Researchers in Australia are raising flags about GLP-1 weight-loss medications potentially raising the risk of a rare disease.
Scurvy — historically called a “pirate disease” due to long voyages at sea without nutritious food — is caused by a lack of vitamin C. If left untreated, scurvy can cause severe symptoms, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Those symptoms include anemia, loosened teeth that may fall out, bleeding under the skin, bruising, swollen legs, rough and scaly skin, dry and brittle hair that coils, and the re-opening of wounds that do not heal. Swollen, bleeding gums are another common result.
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The disease could surface as the result of not properly providing the body with nutrient-rich foods, leading to malnourishment. New research suggests that GLP-1 drug users may be at greater risk.
A systematic review by the Hunter Medical Research Institute in Australia found that although diabetes and obesity medications support significant improvements in weight loss, clinical trials have “failed to report what people are actually eating while taking them.”
Weight-loss medications could lead to diseases caused by vitamin deficiencies, such as scurvy. (iStock)
“A reduction in body weight does not automatically mean the person is well-nourished or healthy,” Clare Collins, laureate professor of nutrition and dietetics at The University of Newcastle, Australia, wrote in a press release statement. “Nutrition plays a critical role in health, and right now it’s largely missing from the evidence.”
These findings raise “major concerns about the risk of malnutrition, including macro and micro-nutrient deficiencies, with adverse metabolic and nutritional effects being reported,” Collins told Fox News Digital.
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Certain GLP-1 and GIP medications have a “major impact” on appetite and satiety, which leads to overall reduced food intake, according to the researcher.
The signs can be missed because they overlap initially with side effects of the medications.
“While this mechanism drives weight loss, it also increases the risk of inadequate protein, fiber, vitamin and mineral intakes if diet quality and nutritional adequacy are not carefully monitored,” she cautioned.
British pop singer Robbie Williams was diagnosed with scurvy in 2025, previously sharing with The Mirror that he experienced symptoms of the “17th-century pirate disease” after he’d been taking “something like Ozempic.”
British pop singer Robbie Williams was diagnosed with scurvy in 2025, previously sharing with The Mirror that he experienced symptoms of the “17th-century pirate disease” after he’d been taking “something like Ozempic.” (Sam Corum/PA Images via Getty Images)
Collins noted that nutrient deficiencies are “not specific” to scurvy.
“There are other nutrients that, if not consumed in adequate amounts, can lead to deficiencies,” she said.
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Iron deficiency can cause anemia, for example, and vitamin B1 deficiency leads to beriberi (a disease that can damage the nerves and heart) and Wernicke’s encephalopathy (a potentially life-threatening brain disorder), according to Collins.
“A reduction in body weight does not automatically mean the person is well-nourished or healthy,” one expert said. (iStock)
Nutrition in focus
For GLP-1 users who are losing weight quickly, Collins emphasized the importance of adequate intake of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
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“The signs can be missed because they overlap initially with side effects of the medications, including fatigue, lethargy, nausea, poor appetite and irritability,” she said.
To ensure proper nutrition, Collins recommends seeking professional help from an accredited dietitian.
For GLP-1 users who are losing weight quickly, experts emphasized the importance of adequate intake of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. (iStock)
“It is challenging to assess whether your nutrient intake is adequate by yourself,” she said. “People may also require a specific multivitamin or mineral supplement, along with medical nutrition therapy support.”
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Future clinical trials should include “validated dietary assessment tools” and “transparent reporting of food and nutrient intakes,” Collins suggested.
“This will help improve the nutrition-related health and wellbeing outcomes for individuals prescribed these medications, while supporting adherence and long-term health,” she said.
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“We’re calling for greater attention to nutrition when these medications are being prescribed in order to avoid malnutrition risk.”
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