The 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
This study gave one group of basketball players creatine pills and another group fake pills, then saw who got better at jumping and sprinting. Because they didn't know who got what, and they were randomly assigned, we can say the creatine probably caused the improvement — not just luck or other stuff.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Creatine is a natural substance that helps muscles recover quickly between short, explosive moves like sprints and jumps.
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 569 / 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.
- 1Yes — these improvements are large enough to make a real difference in basketball games, where small gains in speed, power, and recovery can decide wins.
- 2After taking creatine for 28 days, players jumped 3.8 cm higher, lifted 18.6 kg more on leg press, sprinted 0.14 seconds faster on average, and slowed down less during repeated sprints (fatigue dropped by 2.4%).
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Al-Malwiya Journal of Sport and Movement Sciences
Year
2026
Authors
Muthanna Harith Ekrayyem
Related Content
Claims (6)
Elite male basketball players who take creatine monohydrate for 28 days jump 3.8 centimeters higher in a countermovement jump compared to before supplementation, showing greater explosive power in vertical movements.
In elite male basketball players, taking creatine monohydrate for 28 days results in a 1.4 kg increase in body weight due to water being retained in muscle tissue, with no increase in lean muscle mass or change in training intensity.
In elite male basketball players aged 18–30, a 28-day creatine monohydrate supplementation protocol increases peak anaerobic power, mean anaerobic power, repeated-sprint speed, jump height, and leg press strength, while reducing sprint performance decline.
Elite basketball players who take creatine monohydrate show a 2.4% smaller drop in sprint performance across six 20-meter sprints, due to faster recovery of phosphocreatine between sprints.
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.
Taking creatine supplements increases muscle performance in humans.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.