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BSc (Hons) Sports Science and Coaching

Scientific Laboratory Report – The

Effects Of Creatine On Repeated

Sprint Performance, Maximum

Strength And Power.

SPO033-3 Ergogenic Aids and Sports Performance

Group 15

I declare that this is our own work and should this declaration

be found to be untrue we acknowledge that we may be guilty of

committing an academic offence.

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Introduction

There are a number of substances that are nutritionally or pharmaceutically to aid for a better

performance; creatine is the most popular substance to date. Creatine is produced

endogenously, predominately in the liver, kidneys and pancreas (Cooper et al, 2012). It is

found that 95% of the bodies’ creatine stores are found in the skeletal muscles whilst the

remaining 5% is distributed in the brain, liver, kidney and testes (Persky & Brazeau, 2001).

Creatine is also present in the diet from meats, therefore, it is said vegetarians have lower

forms of creatine in their body (Burke, et al. 2008). Creatine is a substance that helps enhance

sport performance on short durations, predominately anaerobic exercises. It is important for

exercise performance as creatine can aid sport performance as a supplement to an athlete’s

diet (Buford et al. 2007). Creatine Monohydrate (CM) is seen as the most widely used

supplement orally (Volek et al. 1996). Ingested, CM has then shown to increase fat free mass,

strength, and the ability to recover more effectively during exercise (Cooper et al 2012).

Throughout this assignment it will discuss and examine the effects of creatine on 15

participants who carried out sprints, maximum strength and power performance under the

influence of either a creatine substance or a placebo.

Statistical Analyses

Data was collected from sixteen subjects (n = 16). Statistical analysis was conducted using

SPSS statistic 19 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Independent t-test was used to

assess changes within subjects in both 15m sprint trials for creatine and placebo groups. All

data was reported as the mean values ± standard deviations (SD). The normal distribution was

established using Q-Q plots. The significant difference was accepted p ≥ 0.05. Data equality

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(SD) between the pre and post 15m sprints for both groups was examined using dot plots. The

data is presented with a 95% confidence interval.

Results

Pre-Sprint and Post-Sprint time

Employing independent t-test for achieved results is indicated in table 1 that no significant

difference (p ≥ 0.05) occurs in the 15m Pre-Sprint trials for both Creatine and Placebo

groups.

Table 1. Pre-Sprint time (s) for Creatine and Placebo groups (mean ± SD).

Trials Pre-Sprint (Creatine Group) Pre-Sprint (Placebo Group)

Trial 1 2.693 ± 0.130 2.736 ± 0.172

Trial 2 2.633 ± 0.089 2.730 ± 0.216

Trial 3 2.679 ± 0.153 2.676 ± 0.152

Trial 4 2.705 ± 0.162 2.699 ± 0.189

Trial 5 2.695 ± 0.163 2.715 ± 0.187

Trial 6 2.674 ± 0.166 2.676 ± 0.181

Trial 7 2.684 ± 0.186 2.698 ± 0.180

Trial 8 2.685 ± 0.203 2.723 ± 0.218

Trial 9 2.675 ± 0.165 2.719 ± 0.227

Trial 10 2.678 ± 0.185 2.738 ± 0.217

Trial 11 2.674 ± 0.187 2.723 ± 0.201

Trial 12 2.706 ± 0.307 2.750 ± 0.216

Trial 13 2.696 ± 0.191 2.711 ± 0.195

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Trial 14 2.679 ± 0.212 2.736 ± 0.194

Trial 15 2.658 ± 0.198 2.714 ± 0.216

No significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) was observed in the 15m Post-Sprint trials between both

groups (Table 2).

Table 2. Post-Sprint time (s) for Creatine and Placebo groups (mean ± SD).

Trial Post-Sprint (Creatine Group) Post -Sprint (Placebo Group)

Trial 1 2.708 ± 0.492 2.721 ± 0.147

Trial 2 2.680 ± 0.143 2.700 ± 0.164

Trial 3 2.663 ± 0.084 2.681 ± 0.125

Trial 4 2.651 ± 0.818 2.699 ± 0.207

Trial 5 2.678 ± 0.130 2.680 ± 0.157

Trial 6 2.698 ± 0.225 2.694 ± 0.148

Trial 7 2.680 ± 0.177 2.680 ± 0.140

Trial 8 2.648 ± 0.146 2.688 ± 0.110

Trial 9 2.669 ± 0.146 2.686 ± 0.145

Trial 10 2.630 ± 0.123 2.671 ± 0.136

Trial 11 2.685 ± 0.164 2.731 ± 0.194

Trial 12 2.639 ± 0.150 2.719 ± 0.178

Trial 13 2.665 ± 0.157 2.674 ± 0.153

Trial 14 2.628 ± 0.155 2.723 ± 0.142

Trial 15 2.651 ± 0.165 2.671 ± 0.112

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In the pre-sprint the creatine group showed a decrease in time of 0.59% and by 0.81% in the

placebo group. For post-sprint trials the creatine group showed a decrease in time of 1.11% in

comparison to Placebo group (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Average decrease in time (s ± SD) in pre-sprint and post-sprint 15 trials in creatine

and placebo groups.

Pre-Sprint and Post-Sprint RPE

There was a similarity of results when using Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) this was used

in all 15m pre-sprint and post-sprint trials (Table 3). No significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) was

found in all 15m sprint trials.

Table 3. Pre-Sprint RPE for Creatine and Placebo groups (mean ± SD).

Trial Pre-Sprint RPE (Creatine Group) Pre-Sprint RPE (Placebo Group)

Trial 1 6.50 ± 1.414 8.38 ± 2.825

Trial 2 6.75 ± 1.389 9.00 ± 2.976

2.680 ± 0.180

2.716 ± 0.198

2.664 ± 0.169

2.694 ± 0.150

2.6300

2.6400

2.6500

2.6600

2.6700

2.6800

2.6900

2.7000

2.7100

2.7200

2.7300

Pre-Sprint

(Creatine

Group)

Pre-Sprint

(Placebo Group)

Post-Sprint

(Creatine

Group)

Post-Sprint

(Placebo Group)

Tim

e (

s)

Group

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Trial 3 7.50 ± 1.414 9.13 ± 2.532

Trial 4 8.25 ± 1.669 9.63 ± 2.387

Trial 5 9.13 ± 2.295 10.25 ± 2.493

Trial 6 9.63 ± 2.669 10.88 ± 2.696

Trial 7 10.63 ± 2.615 11.13 ± 2.748

Trial 8 11.25 ± 2.915 11.88 ± 2.295

Trial 9 11.75 ± 2.964 12.25 ± 2.659

Trial 10 12.25 ± 2.964 12.75 ± 2.375

Trial 11 12.38 ± 3.114 13.00 ± 2.563

Trial 12 12.75 ± 2.816 13.50 ± 2.726

Trial 13 13.38 ± 2.722 13.88 ± 2.696

Trial 14 13.50 ± 2.878 14.13 ± 2.800

Trial 15 14.00 ± 2.777 14.50 ± 2.976

Also in the 15m post-sprint trials the RPE had no significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) (Table 4).

Table 4. Post-Sprint RPE for Creatine and Placebo groups (mean ± SD).

Trial Post -Sprint RPE (Creatine Group) Post -Sprint RPE (Placebo Group)

Trial 1 6.63 ± 1.408 7.50 ± 1.414

Trial 2 6.88 ± 1.356 7.63 ± 1.506

Trial 3 7.63 ± 1.685 7.88 ± 1.356

Trial 4 8.13 ± 1.808 8.50 ± 1.604

Trial 5 8.75 ± 1.753 8.88 ± 1.808

Trial 6 9.38 ± 1.598 9.38 ± 1.996

Trial 7 9.63 ± 1.923 9.88 ± 1.808

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Trial 8 10.50 ± 2.070 10.25 ± 1.982

Trial 9 11.25 ± 2.375 10.63 ± 1.598

Trial 10 12.00 ± 2.138 11.63 ± 1.923

Trial 11 12.25 ± 2.375 12.13 ± 1.885

Trial 12 12.63 ± 2.387 12.50 ± 1.927

Trial 13 13.50 ± 2.777 12.88 ± 1.808

Trial 14 14.13 ± 3.091 13.63 ± 2.326

Trial 15 14.88 ± 3.271 14.13 ± 2.642

For the 15m pre-sprint trials the creatine group showed a decrease in RPE of 0.94% where as

the placebo group showed an increase of 9.72%. For 15m post-sprint trials the placebo group

indicated a decrease in RPE by 0.47% than in comparison to the creatine group (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Average decrease in RPE (mean ± SD) in Pre-Sprint and Post-Sprint 15 trials in

Creatine and Placebo groups.

10.64 ± 2.441

11.62 ± 2.650

10.54 ± 2.13410.49 ± 1.839

9.80

10.00

10.20

10.40

10.60

10.80

11.00

11.20

11.40

11.60

11.80

Pre-Sprint RPE

(Creatine Group)Pre-Sprint RPE

(Placebo Group)Post-Sprint RPE

(Creatine Group)Post-Sprint PE

(Placebo Group)

RP

E

Group

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Pre- and Post- Concentric and Eccentric Peak Torque and Height in Height Jumps

No significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) was observed in concentric and eccentric peak torque in

Pre- and Post- trials in both groups (Table 5).

Table 5. Pre- and Post- Concentric and Eccentric Peak Torque (N*m) in Height Jump.

Height Jump Creatine Group Placebo Group

Pre-Concentric Peak

Torque

1003.000 ± 254.966 944.375 ± 328.443

Post-Concentric Peak

Torque

1113.625 ± 230.136 971.250 ± 332.290

Pre-Eccentric Peak Torque 1181.875 ± 206.983 1206.500 ± 423.799

Post-Eccentric Peak

Torque

1200.125 ± 240.351 1138.375 ± 435.762

There was no significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) found in all 3 jumps in pre and post trials for

both creatine and placebo groups (Table 6).

Table 6. Pre- and Post- Jump Height (cm) in Height Jumps.

Height Jump Creatine Group Placebo Group

Pre- Jump Height, Trial 1 47.003 ± 6.343 46.169 ± 6.100

Pre- Jump Height, Trial 2 49.620 ± 5.644 46.181 ± 6.029

Pre- Jump Height, Trial 3 47.623 ± 4.350 48.761 ± 9.400

Pre- Jump Height, Mean 48.083 ± 5.093 47.038 ± 6.412

Post- Jump Height, Trial 1 44.279 ± 9.880 44.233 ± 6.488

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Post- Jump Height, Trial 2 45.334 ± 8.866 44.851 ± 5.818

Post- Jump Height, Trial 3 45.503 ± 10.017 46.696 ± 7.298

Post- Jump Height, Mean 45.039 ± 9.482 45.260 ± 6.093

Figure 3. Concentric and Eccentric Peak Torque (N*m) in Height Jump in Pre- and Post-

trials in Creatine and Placebo groups.

In figure 3 there is an increase in concentric peak torque by 9.93% and 2.77% in post- trials

for both creatine and placebo groups. The same tendency occurred in eccentric peak torque

for creatine group. Post-trial measurements are higher by 1.52% in the creatine group. The

decrease in eccentric peak torque for post-trials in placebo group was 5.65%. Measurements

for post-concentric and eccentric trials were higher in the creatine group in comparison with

the placebo group 12.78% and 5.15% for post-concentric and eccentric peak torque

respectively (Figure 4).

0.000

200.000

400.000

600.000

800.000

1000.000

1200.000

1400.000

Pe

ak T

orq

ue

(N

*m)

Creatine group

Placebo group

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Figure 4. Jump Height (cm) in Height Jumps in Pre- and Post-3 trials in Creatine and Placebo

groups.

Overall the jump height decreased in both the creatine and placebo groups by 6.33% and

3.77% in pre and post- trials respectively (Figure 5). Jump height increased in the creatine

group during the pre- trials by 2.17% and post-trial difference by 0.49%.

41.000

42.000

43.000

44.000

45.000

46.000

47.000

48.000

49.000

50.000

51.000

Pre-

Jump

Height,

Trial 1

Pre-

Jump

Height,

Trial 2

Pre-

Jump

Height,

Trial 3

Post-

Jump

Height,

Trial 1

Post-

Jump

Height,

Trial 2

Post-

Jump

Height,

Trial 3

He

igh

t (c

m)

Creatine group

Placebo group

48.083 ± 5.093

47.038 ± 6.412

45.039 ± 9.48245.260 ± 6.093

43.500

44.000

44.500

45.000

45.500

46.000

46.500

47.000

47.500

48.000

48.500

Creatine group Placebo group

Jum

p h

eig

ht

(cm

)

Pre- Jump Height, Mean

Post- Jump Height, Mean

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Figure 5. Average Jump Height (cm) in Height Jumps in Pre- and Post- trials in Creatine and

Placebo groups.

Discussion

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of creatine supplementation on

repeated sprint performance, maximum strength and power. The main findings indicated that

there were no significant findings in pre and post creatine and placebo sprints, jumps and leg

contraction trials. From these findings we can state that creatine supplementation did not have

a profound effect on enhancing physical performance.

Supporting our findings, (Glaister, et al. 2006), conducted at study on 42 physically active

men on repeated sprint performance on short-term creatine monohydrate supplementation.

The major findings of this study were that creatine supplementation had no significant effect

on all measures; fastest time, mean time, fatigue or posttest and bloody lactate concentration.

On the other hand, Gutierrez-Sancho, et al (2006), found that creatine supplementation

consistently showed biomechanical, body composition and power changes in humans during

a meto analyses. They also found the placebo group showed further improvement in

performance. This states that not only does creatine enhance performance but equally the

placebo can influence participant’s performance.

Our results supported the statement that effects of oral creatine supplementation have no

influence on performance (Lee, et al. 2011). In contrast by Bemben and Lamont (2005), they

state that creatine supplementation considerably effects strength irrespective of an

individual’s sport, sex or age. Additionally, the effects of short term creatine supplementation

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enhanced maximal anaerobic power and sprinting ability (Schneiker et al. 2006); this

however, is not well addressed by other researchers. Specifically creatine monohydrate (CM)

is a limitation to enhancing performance in anaerobic activities, as stated by Jäger et al.

(2011), as it is not stable enough to show any significant differences. Creatine is an

ampholytic amino acid which has low solubility in water and is one of its main restraints

(Miller-Keane and O'Toole, 2003). Creatine easily mixes with phosphate to form

phosphocreatine or creatine phosphate; this is located in the skeletal muscle (Miller-Keane

and O'Toole, 2003). Therefore, muscle contraction is essential for aiding storage of high-

energy phosphate bonds, this gives us reasoning to why our study obtained a particular set of

results.

Mechanical reliability of the Kin-Com test in both static and dynamic modes has been

examined by other researchers. However, the reliability for concentric and eccentric peak

torque (PT) values at angle-specific torques has currently not been agreed (Arnold, et al.

1993). Similarly, Tredinnick and Duncan (1988) states there is variability whenever testing

and retesting the peak torque values of the participants. This is shown due to the participants

feeling fatigued from powerful short executions or a combination of being unfamiliar with

the methods used as part of the Kin-Com dynamometer testing. Based on these factors,

Wilhite et al (1992) suggested using the Kin-Com test there should be intervals of minimising

and maximising speeds for the participants to get a greater understanding of the process

needed to measure their concentric and eccentric performances. However, within our

investigation it involved a familiarisation testing protocol so that all participants from both

creatine and placebo group had the necessary experience.

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Glaister et al. (2006) suggests that the availability of creatine in the skeletal muscle will not

influence the onset of fatigue on repeated sprints. The Rate of Perceived Excretion (RPE) is

used for the participants to rate their own intensity on the repeated sprints. RPE is individual

to the participants and therefore will vary. In addition, Oliver (2009) states the RPE has no

significant value when measuring fatigue, due to the ongoing research. Thus to improve

reliability of fatigue measurements are done through developing a familiarisation protocol.

Conclusion

In summary the study was not significant due to the creatine having no effect on physical

performance. Within the study the limitations that were found were that both males and

females were measured together. Also the sample groups were smaller which affected the

way the results were recorded as both these factors can decrease reliability. Creatine and

placebo substances were taken orally; the substances can have a disadvantage to each group

as each individuals training regimes can be different and can progress quicker than others,

participant’s diet plans differ to each other which can have an unbalance within the results.

Intake of the supplement can have a effect on the study if not taken when required, this in

turn makes the study non reliable if the other participants have been strict with the intake of

the supplement. Further research suggests that athletes are doubtful in the effects of creatine

supplementation on several anaerobic performances as little enhancement is shown (Terjung,

2000). The limitations that are stated should be in place before the study is conducted. These

factors are splitting genders apart as this gives more data to compare results giving a greater

outcome, sample groups to be made bigger as the results will be easier to compare and

stricter guidelines should be in place.

Word Count: 1,500

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