Health

Creatine may not build more muscle after all, study suggests

Published

11 months ago

April 13, 2025

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.)

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.”

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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.

Amy McGorry is a contributing health writer for Fox News Digital. Follow her on Twitter @amymcgorry.

Health

Common nighttime noise exposure may trigger heart problems, study suggests

Published

9 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Common nighttime noise exposure may trigger heart problems, study suggests

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Living near heavy traffic could negatively impact your heart health.

A European study, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that exposure to nighttime road traffic noise is linked to changes in the blood, leading to worsened cholesterol and cardiovascular risks.

The researchers considered data from the U.K. Biobank, Rotterdam Study, and Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, including more than 272,000 adults over the age of 30, according to a press release.

Nighttime road noise exposure was estimated at all participants’ homes based on national noise maps. Researchers also took blood samples to measure the participants’ metabolic biomarkers for disease, then mapped the link between nightly noise levels and existence of biomarkers.

Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers. (iStock)

The study found that people exposed to louder noise at night — especially sounds above 55 decibels — showed changes in 48 different substances in their blood. Twenty of these associations “remained robust” throughout all cohorts.

Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers, especially LDL “bad” cholesterol, IDL (intermediate-density lipoprotein) and unsaturated fatty acids.

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As noise levels increased, starting at around 50 decibels, cholesterol markers rose steadily, the release stated.

The authors concluded that this study “provides evidence that nighttime road traffic noise exposure from 50 dB upward is associated with alterations in blood cholesterol and lipid profiles in adults.”

Researchers noted a link between traffic noise and cardiometabolic disease. (iStock)

Study co-author Yiyan He, doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu in Finland, noted that in this type of research, small effect sizes are expected, and environmental exposures such as traffic noise are “typically modest.”

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“Despite this, we observed statistically robust and consistent associations across many biomarkers, especially those related to LDL and IDL lipoproteins,” she told Fox News Digital.

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“We also identified a clear exposure-response pattern starting at around 50 dB, suggesting that metabolic changes become more evident as noise levels increase.”

This aligns with public health guidance, as the World Health Organization recommends lower nighttime noise limits at around 40 to 45 dB, Yiyan He added.

“This finding may clarify the association between traffic noise and cardiometabolic diseases,” the researchers wrote. (iStock)

“The 55 dB level is often used as an interim benchmark associated with substantial noise annoyance and sleep disturbance,” she said. “In our study, we observed associations not only at 55 dB, but also indications of effects emerging at around 50 dB.”

The strength and consistency of the cholesterol-related associations were surprising, as these changes are usually “subtle.”

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“Instead, we found consistent associations across multiple large European cohorts, which strengthens confidence that the findings may reflect real biological patterns,” Yiyan He went on. “We were also interested to see that effects were minimal below ~50 dB, suggesting a possible threshold-like pattern.”

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The researcher noted that these findings were consistent across genders, education levels and obesity status.

The study was restricted to White Europeans, which posed a limitation. There was also a lack of information on the fasting status in the UK Biobank.

Changes in cholesterol levels were more severe than researchers expected. (iStock)

“Fasting can influence levels of certain metabolites, particularly fatty acids,” Yiyan He said. “However, based on UK Biobank documentation, fewer than 10% of participants were fasting for at least eight hours, and our main findings focused on cholesterol-related biomarkers, which are generally less sensitive to short-term fasting.”

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The researchers also lacked information on bedroom location, indoor noise exposure and time spent at home.

“These factors may introduce non-differential exposure misclassification,” Yiyan He said. “Additionally, noise exposure estimates were based on participants’ temporary residential addresses at the time of blood sampling, without considering the duration of residence.”

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“Many of these limitations would tend to bias results toward the null, so the consistent associations we observed remain noteworthy.”

Experts recommend taking measures to limit traffic noise at night. (iStock)

Based on this latest research, Yiyan He noted that nighttime noise is a “health-relevant exposure,” not just “an annoyance.”

“Our findings suggest that nighttime traffic noise may subtly but consistently affect metabolic health,” she said. “While the changes in cholesterol and lipid levels for any one individual are small, traffic noise affects a very large number of people, which means the potential public health impact could be substantial.”

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The researcher recommends taking measures like improving sound insulation, using noise-reducing strategies and placing bedrooms on the quieter side of the home when possible.

“Because sleep is a key pathway linking noise to health, protecting the nighttime sleep environment is especially important,” she added.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism

Published

20 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and Fat Burn | Woman’s World

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