Short-term creatine supplementation does not alter the hormonal response to resistance training

• Published in: Medicine and science in sports and exercise Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 449 - 453
• Main Authors: EIJNDE, Bert Op 'T, HESPEL, Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01-03-2001
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Creatine - administration & dosage; Creatine - pharmacology; Cross-Over Studies; Dietary Supplements; Double-Blind Method; Drug Administration Schedule; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Growth Hormone - analysis; Growth Hormone - biosynthesis; Humans; Hydrocortisone - analysis; Hydrocortisone - biosynthesis; Hypertrophy; Male; Muscle, Skeletal - cytology; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Space life sciences; Task Performance and Analysis; Testosterone - analysis; Testosterone - biosynthesis; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Weight Lifting; Weight-Bearing; Short term; Human; Physical training; Somatotropin hormone; Creatine; Hydrocortisone; Feeding; Testosterone; Adenohypophyseal hormone; Diet; Hormonal regulation; Supplementation; Food supplement
• ISSN: 0195-9131; 1530-0315
• DOI: 10.1097/00005768-200103000-00018

In this study, the effect of short-term creatine supplementation on the growth hormone, testosterone, and cortisol response to heavy resistance training was investigated.
According to a double-blind crossover study design, 11 healthy young male volunteers underwent a 1-h standardized heavy resistance training session (3 series of 10RM; 12 exercises), both before (pretest) and after (posttest) 5 d of either placebo (P, maltodextrine) or creatine (CR; 20 g.d-1, 5 d) supplementation. A 5-wk washout period separated the treatments. Thirty minutes before each training session, CR subjects ingested 10 g of creatine monohydrate (CR) while P subjects received placebo. Venous blood was sampled before, immediately after, and 30 and 60 min after the training session.
The exercise-induced increase (P < 0.05) of serum growth hormone was not altered by acute creatine intake and was similar in P and CR. The weight training session, either or not in conjunction with acute or chronic creatine intake, did not significantly impact on serum testosterone. However, serum cortisol during recovery tended to be higher in CR than in P.
It is concluded that short-term creatine supplementation does not alter the responses of growth hormone, testosterone, and cortisol to a single bout of heavy resistance training.