29/11/2025
Is creatine effective? Should everyone use it?
These questions come from a common belief that creatine boosts every exercise for every person. A large new meta-analysis takes a closer look at that belief - using real numbers.
Creatine is one of the most researched performance supplements. But knowing which strength measures it improves, and in whom, is key to using it effectively. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 69 RCTs involving 1,937 adults compared creatine plus resistance training with placebo across major strength and power tests. Here’s what the pooled analysis found:
Creatine produced small but statistically significant improvements in high-power, multi-joint movements:
• Squat strength: +5.64 kg (p = 0.001)
• Bench/chest press: +1.43 kg (p = 0.002)
• Vertical jump: +1.48 cm (p = 0.01)
• Wingate peak power: +47.81 W (p = 0.004)
But the benefits weren’t uniform. Subgroup analyses showed that younger adults and males experienced the most consistent and significant improvements:
• Younger adults: Squat +6.46 kg (p = 0.001)
• Males: Leg press +9.79 kg (p = 0.001)
Older adults and females showed smaller or non-significant changes in many outcomes.
Takeaway:
Creatine works - but not for every exercise and not equally for every population. Its ergogenic effects are strongest in younger adult males and in high-power, multi-joint strength movements.
