Supplementing with creatine monohydrate or creatine hydrochloride at a dose of 0.03 g/kg/day alongside eight weeks of resistance training in young men aged 18–25 years increases muscle strength, skeletal muscle mass, and muscular cross-sectional area while reducing percent body fat compared to placebo, with no significant difference between the two creatine forms.

Creatine enters muscle cells and helps make more energy quickly during intense workouts, allowing more repetitions and heavier lifts. This extra work causes muscle cells to swell with water, which signals the body to build more muscle and stop breaking it down. At the same time, the body produces more growth-promoting hormones and less stress-related hormones, further boosting muscle growth and reducing fat.