The Claim

Creatine monohydrate supplementation increases maximal leg press strength by +18.6 kg in elite male basketball players after 28 days, indicating enhanced neuromuscular force production independent of muscle hypertrophy.

Source: Effects of Short-Term Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation on Anaerobic Power, Repeated-Sprint Capacity, and Maximal Strength in Elite Iraqi Basketball Players: A Randomised Double-Blind Parallel-Group Trial

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
69score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Cause and effect
1 study reviewed
In plain English

Elite male basketball players who take creatine monohydrate for 28 days can lift 18.6 kilograms more on a leg press than before, and this improvement is due to stronger nerve-to-muscle signaling, not larger muscles.

See the scientific wording

Creatine monohydrate supplementation significantly increases maximal leg press strength by +18.6 kg in elite male basketball players after 28 days, indicating enhanced neuromuscular force production independent of muscle hypertrophy.

Why this might work

Creatine lets muscles make more ATP quickly during hard efforts, so they can keep pushing hard without getting tired. It also makes the muscle fibers respond more strongly to the signal that tells them to contract, so each nerve signal produces more force. Together, this allows the muscles to generate more power without getting bigger.

Verified mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: Effects of Short-Term Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation on Anaerobic Power, Repeated-Sprint Capacity, and Maximal Strength in Elite Iraqi Basketball Players: A Randomised Double-Blind Parallel-Group Trial

    The study found that basketball players who took creatine for 28 days could lift 18.6 kg more on the leg press, just like the claim says. It also got better at jumping and sprinting, which suggests their nerves and muscles worked better together—not just because they got bigger.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

Fit Body Science verdict — we translate health claims into clear verdicts backed by peer-reviewed research.

Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.