The Study
The effects of pre versus post workout supplementation of creatine monohydrate on body composition and strength
This study says that if you take creatine after working out, you might gain a little more muscle and get a little stronger than if you take it before — but it’s not sure, because only 19 people were in the study and no one was hidden from knowing which group they were in.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study tested if taking creatine before or after your workout makes you stronger or more muscular faster.
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 554 / 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 difference is small — about the weight of a large water bottle — and not proven to be real.
- 2Both timing methods work well.
- 3Both groups got stronger and gained muscle.
- 4Post-workout group gained 1.1kg more muscle and 1.2kg more bench press strength on average, but the difference wasn't big enough to be sure it wasn't just luck.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Year
2013
Authors
J. Antonio, Victoria Ciccone
Related Content
Claims (6)
If you're a young guy who lifts weights for fun, taking a 5-gram creatine supplement right after your workout might help you gain a little more muscle and get a bit stronger than taking it before your workout — but we're not super sure because the study was small and the results weren't clear-cut.
Taking 5 grams of creatine daily along with weight training for 4 weeks can help young male bodybuilders gain muscle and get stronger on the bench press, no matter if they take it before or after their workout.
Taking 5 grams of creatine every day for a month won’t help you lose fat, no matter if you take it before or after your workout—it mainly helps you build muscle instead.
This study didn’t have enough people and didn’t hide who was taking what, so we can’t really say if taking creatine before or after the gym is better—it’s just too uncertain.
People who lift weights and take creatine either before or after their workout eat about the same amount of protein and calories — so if one group gains more muscle or loses more fat, it’s probably because of the creatine timing, not what they ate.
Taking 3 to 5 grams of creatine every day can help your muscles store more energy, making you stronger, more powerful, and better at building muscle when you lift weights—without making you gain fat.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.