Creatine has long been hailed as a magic bullet for muscle growth, but new research from the University of New South Wales suggests it might not be as effective as we thought—at least at typical doses. In a 12-week clinical trial, participants taking five grams of creatine daily showed no significant muscle mass advantage over those who didn’t take it, despite both groups gaining muscle through resistance training. Researchers believe earlier studies may have overestimated creatine’s effects due to poor study design, and they suggest that either a higher dose or a longer duration of supplementation may be needed to see real benefits. As study researcher Mandy Hagstrom puts it, “Once they started exercising, they saw no additional benefit from creatine, which suggests that five grams per day is not enough if you’re taking it for the purposes of building muscle.” This doesn’t mean creatine is useless—it may still help athletes and those taking it long-term—but gym-goers might need to adjust their expectations.

Key Points:

• A study from the University of New South Wales found creatine didn’t significantly boost muscle gain beyond exercise alone.
• Participants who took five grams per day had similar lean body mass gains as those who didn’t supplement.
• Researchers believe past studies may have overestimated creatine’s effects due to study design flaws.
• The creatine group did gain a small amount of weight (about 0.5 kg) early on, likely due to fluid retention rather than muscle gain.
• Scientists suggest higher doses (such as 10 grams per day) or longer supplementation may still yield benefits.
• No "loading phase" (taking a higher dose initially) was used in this study, though it’s a common practice in creatine supplementation.
• The findings may help everyday gym-goers set more realistic expectations about creatine’s ability to build muscle.
• Professional athletes may still find it useful, but they may need to time their supplementation more strategically.

While this study doesn’t completely debunk creatine's role in muscle growth, it does raise important questions about dosage and how quickly results can be expected. If you’re already using creatine, you might want to reconsider your approach, and if you're on the fence, this research suggests that simply sticking to a solid training program may be just as effective! 🚀💪
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