The Claim
Creatine monohydrate supplementation increases body mass by approximately 1.4 kg in elite male basketball players over 28 days, primarily due to intramuscular water retention rather than lean tissue accretion, as confirmed by the absence of concurrent changes in lean mass or training load.
What the research says
Supports is higher
Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.
These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.
In elite male basketball players, taking creatine monohydrate for 28 days results in a 1.4 kg increase in body weight due to water being retained in muscle tissue, with no increase in lean muscle mass or change in training intensity.
See the scientific wording
Creatine monohydrate supplementation increases body mass by approximately 1.4 kg in elite male basketball players over 28 days, primarily due to intramuscular water retention rather than lean tissue accretion, as confirmed by the absence of concurrent changes in lean mass or training load.
Creatine enters muscle cells and pulls water along with it, making the muscles hold more water and increasing overall body weight without adding new muscle tissue.
What the research says
1 studyThis study found that elite basketball players who took creatine for 28 days gained exactly 1.4 kg in weight, which matches the claim. While it didn’t directly measure water in muscles, this weight gain is widely known to come from water being pulled into muscles, not from new muscle growth.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.