Key findings from detailed records
Population: 69 trials involving 1,937 participants Findings: Pooled results improved for bench/chest press, squat, jump and Wingate outcomes. Overall analyses of handgrip and leg press were not significant.
KNOWLEDGE RECORD
- Category
- Strength and exercise
- Last Reviewed
Names and related search termsCreatine / Creatine monohydrate / Creatine monohydrate
Study type: meta-analysis.
OUTCOME-SPECIFIC EVIDENCE
Scientific Evidence Profile
Assessment pending
An outcome-specific assessment has not yet been completed. This is not a finding that the ingredient is ineffective. The study records below remain available.
This profile concerns the stated outcome and population, not the ingredient as a whole. It is not a probability of benefit, a safety rating, a product efficacy rating or an indication of product adoption.
How we assess evidenceIngredient Profile
- What is it?
- Creatine is a nitrogen-containing compound derived from glycine. It is not a protein, even though it is often discussed alongside protein supplements. [1]
Sources for this profile
Compound properties and formulation properties are different. These sources do not establish the efficacy of a finished supplement.
- PubChem — Creatine (CID 586) Chemical identity reference. Maintained by NCBI, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Database record; not a clinical trial.
Profile sources checked:
Read the evidence in context
- Evidence: what was measured in the stated population or experimental model.
- Inference: an interpretation connecting findings; its applicability depends on the study conditions.
- Hypothesis: a proposed explanation or effect that remains to be tested.
Why It Matters #
Which measures showed an additional strength benefit? Check the detailed records for study conditions and use the literature map to compare other populations and outcomes.
What Was Studied #
69 trials involving 1,937 participants Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs. Outcomes: Upper- and lower-body strength and power[1]
What Was Found #
Pooled results improved for bench/chest press, squat, jump and Wingate outcomes. Overall analyses of handgrip and leg press were not significant.[1]
What the Evidence Means #
Exercise conditions, age, sex and measurement methods varied. Greater consistency in young men does not establish lack of effect in other groups.[1]
Comparing similar populations, formulations, durations and outcomes helps identify where findings agree and where they differ.
What We Can Learn #
Alongside trial numbers, check which exercise measures improved. Evidence for strength is not evidence for lifespan extension.
What Remains Unknown #
Further questions include reproducibility across populations and formulations, and the long-term balance of benefits and harms. Use the literature map as a starting point for these questions.
LITERATURE MAP / 10 PAPERS
Compare papers by conditions and findings.
A literature map covering different populations, outcomes and formulations. Read alongside detailed records to avoid treating one trial as the conclusion for an entire ingredient.
Selected: 2026-09-21. Bibliographic information checked against Europe PMC / PubMed. Editorial selection considered major papers and a range of populations and questions. This is not a systematic search covering all recent research.
10 RECORDS
A dash marks fields outside the bibliographic record. Use detailed records to compare findings and design records to connect mechanisms.
No papers match. Change the search conditions.
The literature map is an index of research questions and references. Individual assessment of results, doses, funding and COI is limited to the detailed study records. Related reports from the same trial may be included; paper counts are not counts of independent trials.
Explore the research Study Records
Listed doses describe study conditions, not recommended intake.
The Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Upper- and Lower-Body Strength and Power: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
PubMed 40944139DOI: 10.3390/nu17172748
- Authors
- Kazeminasab F, Kerchi AB, Sharafifard F, Zarreh M, Forbes SC, Camera DM, Lanhers C, Wong A, Nordvall M, Bagheri R, Dutheil F.
- Journal
- Nutrients
- Publication year
- 2025
- Study design
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs
- Participants
- 69 trials involving 1,937 participants
- Dose and intervention
- Varied by trial. The analysis does not determine a single recommended dose.
- Duration
- Varied by trial. Searches covered studies through September 21, 2024.
- Outcomes and their role in the study
- Upper- and lower-body strength and power
- Findings
- Pooled results improved for bench/chest press, squat, jump and Wingate outcomes. Overall analyses of handgrip and leg press were not significant.
- Limitations
- Exercise conditions, age, sex and measurement methods varied. Greater consistency in young men does not establish lack of effect in other groups.
- Funding
- The review received no external funding.
- Conflict of Interest
- Forbes disclosed creatine-industry advisory roles, donated creatine for studies, educational sales and ISSN advisory work. The remaining authors declared no conflicts.
- Scope of source review
- Primary review methods, relevant results and disclosures checked on 2026-10-24. The review is not an additional trial independent of its included studies.
Cite this page
LÍFSVARÐA. Creatine: Which measures showed an additional strength benefit? Version 1.1 / Updated 2026-10-24
https://lifsvarda.com/knowledge/creatine/Edited by LÍFSVARÐA (product brand).Editorial policy
Safety and use context
Creatine can cause gastrointestinal discomfort and water-related weight gain. People with existing kidney or liver disease should discuss use with their clinician; safety findings in healthy exercisers should not be automatically extended to these conditions.
Sources and updates
- Kazeminasab F, Kerchi AB, Sharafifard F, Zarreh M, Forbes SC, Camera DM, Lanhers C, Wong A, Nordvall M, Bagheri R, Dutheil F. (2025). The Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Upper- and Lower-Body Strength and Power: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Primary review methods, relevant results and disclosures checked on 2026-10-24. The review is not an additional trial independent of its included studies.
First published: 2026-09-21 / Version 1.1. Updated 2026-09-23: Added a research comparison table and links to design records. Source notes identify the scope of verification when the full paper has not been reviewed. Research summaries and LÍFSVARÐA’s interpretation are distinguished.