Creatine consumption and ergogenic effects on muscle mass gain: a narrative review

Abstract

Creatine (methyl guanidino acetic acid) is a supplement widely used by athletes to enhance performance during training and competitions, gain lean mass, reduce fatigue, among other purposes. This compound is found in certain foods of animal origin, such as beef, pork and poultry; and, to a lesser extent, in eggs and milk. It can also be produced endogenously by a process that occurs in the liver, kidneys and pancreas and subsequently allocated to skeletal muscle to provide energy replacement in high-intensity activities. The objective is to explore the ergogenic effects of creatine supplementation on muscle hypertrophy and performance in high-intensity, short-duration activities, presenting consolidated evidence in the literature. Materials: a bibliographic search was performed in the following databases: PubMed, Scientific Electronic Library (SciELO) and Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (Lilacs), via the Virtual Health Library (VHL), with a time limit of articles published in the last 5 years. Inclusion criteria were considered to be articles with reliable methodologies, such as systematic studies and meta-analyses. For exclusion, the following criterion was adopted: articles older than 5 years and that did not address the proposed theme. The studies, in general, demonstrated that creatine supplementation in sports promoted an improvement in the development of muscle strength, and may also aid in the indirect growth of muscle tissue, preventing the degradation of amino acids that participate in tissue construction. However, further studies are needed to corroborate the current bibliographic statements.