The effects of creatine pyruvate and creatine citrate on performance during high intensity exercise

Ralf Jäger¹ , Jan Metzger² , Karin Lautmann² , Vladimir Shushakov² , Martin Purpura¹ , Kurt-Reiner Geiss³ and Norbert Maassen²

¹Increnovo LLC, 2138 E Lafayette Pl, Milwaukee, WI 53202, USA

²Department of Sports Physiology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany

³ISME, Weingartenstr. 2, D-64546 Mörfelden-Walldorf, Germany

author email corresponding author email

Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2008, 5:4doi:10.1186/1550-2783-5-4


Published:	13 February 2008

Abstract

Background

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study was performed to evaluate the effect of oral creatine pyruvate (Cr-Pyr) and creatine citrate (Cr-Cit) supplementation on exercise performance in healthy young athletes.

Methods

Performance during intermittent handgrip exercise of maximal intensity was evaluated before (pretest) and after (posttest) 28 days of Cr-Pyr (5 g/d, n = 16), Cr-Cit (5 g/d, n = 16) or placebo (pla, 5 g/d, n = 17) intake. Subjects performed ten 15-sec exercise intervals, each followed by 45 sec rest periods.

Results

Cr-Pyr (p < 0.001) and Cr-Cit (p < 0.01) significantly increased mean power over all intervals. Cr-Cit increased force during the first and second interval (p < 0.01) compared to placebo. The effect of Cr-Cit on force decreased over time and the improvement was not significant at the sixth and ninth interval, whereas Cr-Pyr significantly increased force during all intervals (p < 0.001). Cr-Pyr (p < 0.001) and Cr-Cit (p < 0.01) resulted in an increase in contraction velocity, whereas only Cr-Pyr intake significantly (p < 0.01) increased relaxation velocity. Oxygen consumption measured during rest periods significantly increased with Cr-Pyr (p < 0.05), whereas Cr-Cit and placebo intake did not result in significant improvements.

Conclusion

It is concluded that four weeks of Cr-Pyr and Cr-Cit intake significantly improves performance during intermittent handgrip exercise of maximal intensity and that Cr-Pyr might benefit endurance, due to enhanced activity of the aerobic metabolism.