Acute creatine loading increases fat-free mass, but does not affect blood pressure, plasma creatinine, or CK activity in men and women.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized, double-blind controlled trial
PubMed 10694109 · doi:10.1097/00005768-200002000-00007
What was done
Thirty participants (15 men and 15 women) were evaluated in a randomized, double-blind study examining the effects of acute creatine monohydrate loading (20 g per day for 5 days) versus placebo. Measured outcomes included systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure, plasma creatinine, estimated creatinine clearance, plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity, body composition, and ischemic isometric handgrip strength.
What was found
Creatine loading significantly increased fat-free mass and total body mass compared to placebo (P < 0.05), with greater gains in men than women, while body fat did not change. No significant differences were observed for blood pressure, plasma creatinine, estimated creatinine clearance, plasma CK activity, or handgrip strength (P > 0.05). No exact numerical values or effect sizes were reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This paper demonstrates that short-term high-dose creatine supplementation enhances lean mass without acutely impairing blood pressure, renal function markers, or muscle damage indicators in healthy men and women.
Limits
The sample size was small (30 participants total across both sexes) and the intervention was very short (5 days). The abstract omits numerical values, baseline participant characteristics, and measures of longer-term safety or varied athletic performance outcomes.
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- supports Creatine supplementation does not increase blood pressure or cause hypertension.