Question: My personal trainer says creatine is overrated and that you can get just as good results by training hard and taking a multivitamin. What do you think?
Answer: I think your personal trainer’s an idiot. If there’s one supplement that has lived up to the hype and then some, it’s creatine monohydrate. And those aren’t just my sentiments.
Recently, creatine researchers Paul Greenhaff, Ph.D., Mark Tarnopolsky, M.D., Ph.D., and Ronald Terjung, Ph.D., FACSM, joined nine other authorities on creatine supplementation in a roundtable discussion commissioned by the American College of Sports Medicine. The experts addressed questions related to biochemical, physiological, exercise performance and potential health effects as well as clinical applications of creatine supplementation.
The panelists were unanimous in their agreement that short-term creatine supplementation of around 20 grams per day for 5 to 7 days can lead to improved exercise performance. Write the panelists, “Most of the studies indicate that creatine supplementation significantly enhances the ability to produce higher muscular force and/or power output during short bouts of maximal exercise in healthy, young adults.”
Baylor University researcher Dr. Richard Kreider, concurs, writing in a recent review of the scientific literature, “Numerous studies have examined the effects of short-term creatine supplementation (5 to 7 days) on exercise performance. The majority of initial studies suggested that creatine supplementation can significantly increase strength, power, sprint performance and/or work performed during multiple sets of maximal-effort muscle contractions. More recent studies have supported these observations.”
Dive into the journey of Sam Sulek, the 22-year-old from Ohio who's redefining fitness influence with his raw, unfiltered content. Unlike traditional fitness gurus, Sam's authenticity has catapulted him to over three million YouTube subscribers in under a year. Explore how his real-life approach to bodybuilding, diet, and personal reflection is reshaping the fitness narrative towards genuine progress over polished perfection. Learn about his impact on fitness culture, his potential in competitive bodybuilding, and why his commitment to being himself resonates so deeply in today's digital landscape.
Why Critics of Mike Mentzer and Dorian Yates Get It Wrong About HIT Training Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty and Dorian Yates’ High-Intensity Training (HIT) built some of the most jaw-dropping physiques in bodybuilding history. Yet, exercise scientists and fitness influencers who couldn’t match their results in a thousand lifetimes still line up to critique their methods. These so-called experts cite studies on high-volume training, conveniently ignoring that these studies often use untrained subjects and lack the intensity Mentzer and Yates demanded. Meanwhile, the comments sections of YouTube videos defending HIT are packed with lifters swearing by its effectiveness, saying, “The proof is in the pudding.” When it comes to real results, no one questions the legends who dominated the stage with efficiency, precision, and unparalleled intensity. Read on to discover why Mentzer and Yates’ methods are still the gold standard for serious lifters.