The Study
Body composition changes in resistance-trained adults Following 8-Weeks of supplementation with a combination of plant protein and creatine monohydrate
This study tested if mixing plant protein with creatine makes you gain more muscle than regular protein or just sugar. It found that everyone got a little stronger and changed a bit from working out, but the supplements didn’t make a big difference — except maybe a tiny change in water inside muscles. That one tiny change might just be luck, not a real effect.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
People who lifted weights and took different supplements all got stronger and gained muscle, but the mix of plant protein and creatine didn't help them gain more muscle than just plant protein or whey protein.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 562 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The water increase is too small to matter for muscle growth or appearance — training alone was what really made the difference.
- 2All groups gained about the same amount of muscle.
- 3The plant protein + creatine group had a tiny increase in water inside their muscle cells (+0.86L) compared to placebo (+0.27L), but this wasn't the main goal of the study.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Year
2025
Authors
J. Krieger, Kevin F. Holley, Alex C. Schrautemeier, James L. Tice, Joshua M. Iannotti, A. Hagele, C. Gaige, Wyatt B. McLaughlin, Ralf Jäger, C. Kerksick
Related Content
Claims (6)
Taking 20 grams of creatine daily for 8 weeks leads to an increase in the size of thigh muscle tissue in humans.
In trained adults, doing resistance training for eight weeks without any protein or creatine supplements results in measurable increases in muscle mass and body water levels.
In adults who train with weights, taking a plant-based protein blend and creatine for eight weeks was linked to a measurable increase in water inside cells compared to a placebo, but this result was not originally planned and could be due to random chance.
In adults who train with weights, taking creatine with plant protein does not lead to greater changes in muscle or fat mass than taking plant protein alone over eight weeks.
Among adults who regularly lift weights four days a week for eight weeks, taking a blend of 48 grams of plant protein and creatine does not lead to greater changes in fat-free mass, fat mass, or body fat percentage than taking whey protein, plant protein alone, or a carbohydrate placebo.
Among adults who regularly do strength training, consuming 48 grams of plant-based protein daily results in the same changes in muscle and fat mass as consuming 49 grams of whey protein over eight weeks.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.