Cook, C. B., Theodorou, A., King, R. F., Gibbon, W., & Frain, M. (1999). The effects of a creatine maintenance dosage on muscle metabolites and anaerobic performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 31(5), Supplement abstract 354.

Two months of creatine maintenance was measured by metabolites (creatine, creatine phosphate, and total creatine, as revealed by a muscle biopsy) and anaerobic performance on a Wingate Test. Ss (N = 8) were male physical education students.

Baseline measures were taken, followed by four days of five doses of 5 g of creatine, after which Ss were split into a creatine and placebo group. The creatine group reduced creatine intake to 5 g/day and the placebo group ingested a similar amount of placebo for two months. Measures were taken at four and eight weeks.

The initial acute loading significantly increased the metabolites and anaerobic performance in both groups. During the maintenance period, at the end of the first month in the placebo group, metabolites returned to baseline but average anaerobic power was still significantly elevated. By the end of the second month, all measures were at baseline in the placebo group but remained at elevated levels in the creatine group.

Implication. The gain in anaerobic performance following acute creatine ingestion can be sustained by daily maintenance with creatine, but is lost if creatine ingestion is not maintained.

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