Creatine for combat sports athletes 💥🥊

Boxing, martial arts and more.

Creatine Supplementation in Combat Sport Athletes: A Narrative Systematic Review

Study Details

This new systematic review compiled the scientific evidence on creatine use in combat sports athletes🥋

19 studies were included in the review 📚

Here are the key findings ⬇️

Key Findings

Creatine supplementation can significantly…

⚖️ Increase body mass (≥6 wk) or when combined with resistance training

💪 Increase fat-free mass

💥 Improve muscular power and strength

Increased body mass does not appear to impair rapid weight-cutting strategies…

…as FFM-related water can be manipulated during acute weight loss phases 📉

Creatine does not appear to affect…

❌ Sport-specific endurance

❌ Recovery

❌ Fatigue

There were also limited to no side effects reported from creatine supplementation ✅

Conclusion

Combat sports athletes may want to consider creatine supplementation to support power, strength and fat free mass gains 📈

Plus there may be neuroprotective benefits associated with creatine supplementation 🧠

If combat sports athletes struggle to make weight, creatine may not be the most appropriate strategy‼️

(although with athletes that struggle to make weight, going up a weight class may be a worthwhile consideration)

Reference

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40755023/

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