The Claim

In recreationally active young men undergoing 8 weeks of leg extension resistance training, supplementation with a blend of trisodium citrate, creatine monohydrate, leucine, and blueberry extract (TCLB) does not produce greater muscle growth than supplementation with creatine monohydrate alone.

Source: Effects of supplementation with a blend of trisodium citrate, creatine monohydrate, leucine, and blueberry extract on training-induced changes in leg extension strength, endurance, and muscle size

What the research says

Supports is higher

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

Supports
53score
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

Among young men who exercise regularly, taking a supplement combining trisodium citrate, creatine, leucine, and blueberry extract results in the same amount of muscle growth as taking creatine alone over eight weeks of leg extension training.

See the scientific wording

In recreationally active young men undergoing 8 weeks of leg extension resistance training, supplementation with a blend of trisodium citrate, creatine monohydrate, leucine, and blueberry extract (TCLB) does not produce greater muscle growth than creatine monohydrate alone.

Why this might work

Creatine increases the energy available in muscle cells during intense exercise, allowing more repetitions and heavier lifts. This extra workload directly activates the muscle-building pathway called mTOR, which tells muscle cells to make more protein and grow larger. Adding other ingredients like citrate, leucine, or blueberry extract does not make the muscles grow any more because creatine alone already fully activates the system needed for growth.

Verified mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: Effects of supplementation with a blend of trisodium citrate, creatine monohydrate, leucine, and blueberry extract on training-induced changes in leg extension strength, endurance, and muscle size

    In young men doing leg workouts, taking a fancy supplement with creatine and other stuff didn’t make their muscles grow any more than taking creatine by itself. Both worked about the same.

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

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