Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Creatine supplementation prevents acute strength loss induced by concurrent exercise

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the effect of creatine (CR) supplementation on the acute interference induced by aerobic exercise on subsequent maximum dynamic strength (1RM) and strength endurance (SE, total number of repetitions) performance.

Methods

Thirty-two recreationally strength-trained men were submitted to a graded exercise test to determine maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max: 41.56 ± 5.24 ml kg−1 min−1), anaerobic threshold velocity (ATv: 8.3 ± 1.18 km h−1), and baseline performance (control) on the 1RM and SE (4 × 80 % 1RM to failure) tests. After the control tests, participants were randomly assigned to either a CR (20 g day−1 for 7 days followed by 5 g day−1 throughout the study) or a placebo (PL-dextrose) group, and then completed 4 experimental sessions, consisting of a 5-km run on a treadmill either continuously (90 % ATv) or intermittently (1:1 min at vVO2max) followed by either a leg- or bench-press SE/1RM test.

Results

CR was able to maintain the leg-press SE performance after the intermittent aerobic exercise when compared with C (p > 0.05). On the other hand, the PL group showed a significant decrease in leg-press SE (p ≤ 0.05). CR supplementation significantly increased bench-press SE after both aerobic exercise modes, while the bench-press SE was not affected by either mode of aerobic exercise in the PL group. Although small increases in 1RM were observed after either continuous (bench press and leg press) or intermittent (bench press) aerobic exercise in the CR group, they were within the range of variability of the measurement. The PL group only maintained their 1RM.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the acute interference effect on strength performance observed in concurrent exercise may be counteracted by CR supplementation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

1RM:

Maximum dynamic strength

ATv:

Anaerobic threshold velocity

Ca++ :

Calcium

CE:

Continuous aerobic exercise and strength endurance assessment condition

CM:

Continuous aerobic exercise and maximum strength assessment condition

CR:

Creatine

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

HRmax :

Maximum heart rate

IE:

Intermittent aerobic exercise and strength endurance assessment condition

IM:

Continuous aerobic exercise and maximum strength assessment condition

PL:

Placebo

SE:

Strength endurance

VE/VCO2 :

Ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide

VCO2 :

Carbon dioxide output

VO2 :

Oxygen consumption

VO2max :

Maximal oxygen consumption

vVO2max :

Maximal oxygen consumption velocity

References

  • Bentley DJ, Smith PA, Davie AJ, Zhou S (2000) Muscle activation of the knee extensors following high intensity endurance exercise in cyclists. Eur J Appl Physiol 81:297–302

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brown LE, Weir JP (2001) Asep procedures recommendation I: accurate assessment of muscular strength and power. JEP Online 4:1–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casey A, Constantin-Teodosiu D, Howell S, Hultman E, Greenhaff PL (1996) Creatine ingestion favorably affects performance and muscle metabolism during maximal exercise in humans. Am J Physiol 271:31–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox G, Mujika I, Tumilty D, Burke L (2002) Acute creatine supplementation and performance during a field test simulating match play in elite female soccer players. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 12:33–46

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Craig BW, Lucas J (1991) The effects of running, weightlifting and a combination of both on growth hormone release. J Appl Sport Sci Res 5:198–203

    Google Scholar 

  • De Souza EO, Tricoli V, Franchini E, Paulo AC, Regazzini M, Ugrinowitsch C (2007) Acute effect of two aerobic exercise modes on maximum strength and strength endurance. J Strength Cond Res 21:1286–1290

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Docherty D, Sporer BA (2000) Proposed model for examining the interference phenomenon between concurrent aerobic and strength training. Sports Med 30:385–394

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Greenhaff PL, Casey A, Short AH, Harris R, Soderlund K, Hultman E (1993) Influence of oral creatine supplementation of muscle torque during repeated bouts of maximal voluntary exercise in man. Clin Sci (Lond) 84:565–571

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Greenhaff PL, Bodin K, Soderlund K, Hultman E (1994) Effect of oral creatine supplementation on skeletal muscle phosphocreatine resynthesis. Am J Physiol 266:725–730

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenhalff P (2001) The creatine–phosphocreatine system: there’s more than one song in its repertoire. J Physiol 537:657

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gualano B, Roschel H, Lancha AH Jr, Brightbill CE, Rawson ES (2012) In sickness and in health: the widespread application of creatine supplementation. Amino Acids 43:519–529

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harris RC, Soderlund K, Hultman E (1992) Elevation of creatine in resting and exercised muscle of normal subjects by creatine supplementation. Clin Sci (Lond) 83:367–374

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Head SI, Greenaway B, Chan S (2011) Incubating isolated mouse EDL muscles with creatine improves force production and twitch kinetics in fatigue due to reduction in ionic strength. PLoS One 6:e22742

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hennessy LC, Watson AWS (1994) The interference effects of training for strength and endurance simultaneously. J Strength Cond Res 8:12–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickson RC (1980) Interference of strength development by simultaneously training for strength and endurance. Eur J Appl Physiol 45:255–263

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuehl RO (2000) Design of experiments: statistical principles of research design and analysis, 2nd edn. Duxbury-Thomson Learning, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Leveritt M, Abernethy PJ (1999) Acute effects of high-intensity endurance exercise on subsequent resistance activity. J Strength Cond Res 13:47–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Leveritt M, Abernethy PJ, Barry BK, Logan PA (1999) Concurrent strength and endurance training. Sports Med 28:413–427

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy RM, Stephenson DG, Lamb GD (2004) Effect of creatine on contractile force and sensitivity in mechanically skinned single fibers from rat skeletal muscle. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 287:1589–1595

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson AG, Arnall DA, Loy SF, Silvester LJ, Conlee RK (1990) Consequences of combining strength and endurance training regimens. Phys Ther 70:287–294

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robbins DW, Marshall PW, McEwen M (2012) The effect of training volume on lower-body strength. J Strength Cond Res 26:34–39

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roschel H, Gualano B, Marquezi M, Costa A, Lancha AH Jr (2010) Creatine supplementation spares muscle glycogen during high intensity intermittent exercise in rats. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 7:6

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Scagliusi FB, Polacow VO, Artioli GG, Benatti FB, Lancha AH Jr (2003) Selective underreporting of energy intake in women: magnitude, determinants, and effect of training. J Am Diet Assoc 103:1306–1313

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sooneste H, Tanimoto M, Kakigi R, Saga N, Katamoto S (2013) Effects of training volume on strength and hypertrophy in young men. J Strength Cond Res 27:8–13

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sporer BC, Wenger HA (2003) Effects of aerobic exercise on strength performance following various periods of recovery. J Strength Cond Res 17:638–644

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Terjung RL, Clarkson P, Eichner ER, Greenhaff PL, Hespel PJ, Israel RG, Kraemer WJ, Meyer RA, Spriet LL, Tarnopolsky MA, Wagenmakers AJ, Williams MH (2000) American college of sports medicine roundtable. The physiological and health effects of oral creatine supplementation. Med Sci Sports Exerc 32:706–717

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Leemputte M, Vandenberghe K, Hespel P (1999) Shortening of muscle relaxation time after creatine loading. J Appl Physiol 86:840–844

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vandenberghe K, Goris M, Van Hecke P, Van Leemputte M, Vangerven L, Hespel P (1997) Long-term creatine intake is beneficial to muscle performance during resistance training. J Appl Physiol 83:2055–2063

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wallimann T, Tokarska-Schlattner M, Schlattner U (2011) The creatine kinase system and pleiotropic effects of creatine. Amino Acids 40:1271–1296

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Whipp BJ (1994) The bioenergetic and gas exchange basis of exercise testing. Clin Chest Med 5:173–192

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to all subjects who participated in the study. Vitor de Salles Painelli is supported by FAPESP (Grant 2013/04806-0). CU was supported by CNPq (Grant 304205/2011-7). The authors are grateful to Probiótica for the donation of Creapure®.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physical Education and Sport, University of Sao Paulo, Av Prof. Mello Moraes, 65-Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-030, Brazil

    Vítor de Salles Painelli, Victor Tavares Alves, Carlos Ugrinowitsch, Fabiana Braga Benatti, Guilherme Giannini Artioli, Antonio Herbert Lancha Jr, Bruno Gualano & Hamilton Roschel

Authors
  1. Vítor de Salles Painelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Victor Tavares Alves
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Carlos Ugrinowitsch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Fabiana Braga Benatti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Guilherme Giannini Artioli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Antonio Herbert Lancha Jr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Bruno Gualano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Hamilton Roschel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hamilton Roschel.

Additional information

Communicated by Michael Lindinger.

V. de Salles Painelli and V. T. Alves contributed equally.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

de Salles Painelli, V., Alves, V.T., Ugrinowitsch, C. et al. Creatine supplementation prevents acute strength loss induced by concurrent exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 1749–1755 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2903-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2903-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation