Effects of Short-term Acute Creatine Supplementation on Power, Speed and Muscular Strengths in Young Football Players

Creatine has been widely studies within the strength and conditioning background and has been seen to show positive effects on performance assess the effects of creatine on sports requiring a range of different fitness components to be successful such as football. Previous research has suggested benefits of creatine supplementation such as increasing PCr (phosphocreatine) stores to aid ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production, increasing muscle water retention resulting in enhanced protein synthesis, reduced muscle damage and anti-inflammation. Identifying supplements that are scientifically proved to aid performance can help optimise training and develop physical ability of athletes to enhance performance.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Performance Enhancement
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Placebo; Dietary supplement: Creatine Monohydrate

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 20
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Wiktor Dabrowski, Bsc; Phone Number: +447526985253; Email: wiktord839@gmail.com
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Alex Woodhead; Phone Number: 020-8240-4000; Email: alex.woodhead@stmarys.ac.uk

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • London, United Kingdom, TW1 4SX
    • St Mary's University Twickenham London
    • Contact: Reception Reception; Phone Number: 020824040000

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

The inclusion criteria require individuals:

• Male or female between the age of 18-45
• Trained individuals currently playing at a semi-professional (regional) level currently training and competing no more than three times a week
• Free of long-term injuries for the last six months
• Not supplementing creatine within the last 3 months.
• Able to swallow pills
• No medical conditions

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals will be excluded from participation if they are under the age of 18 or over the age of 45
• Not currently playing football at a semi-professional (regional) level.
• Train and/or compete more than three times per week
• Have any current injury or have experienced a long-term injury within the previous six months that may affect performance or increase the risk of injury during testing.
• Individuals who have supplemented with creatine within the last three months, - Any medical condition will not be eligible to take part in the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo	Dietary supplement: Placebo; Placebo
Active Comparator: Creatine Supplementation	Dietary supplement: Creatine Monohydrate; Creatine Monohydrate

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The effects of acute creatine supplementation on semi-pro football player speed test results following a seven-day supplementation period.	Participants will supplement creatine for a seven day period. Baseline testing will take place before supplementation using a 30m sprint test, it will be measured by the time it took to sprint the 30m (seconds). Participants will undergo the same test after following 7 days. The effects of creatine supplementation will be noted by the difference between sprint test scores (seconds).	7 days
The effects of acute creatine supplementation on semi-pro football player countermovement jump (power) results following a seven-day supplementation period.	Participants will supplement creatine for a seven-day period. Baseline testing for power will take place before supplementation using a countermovement jump. Participants will undergo the same test after following 7 days. The effects of creatine supplementation will be noted by the difference between countermovement jump scores (power).	7 days
The effects of acute creatine supplementation on semi-pro football player lower limb strength test results completed through a 5-RM leg press test following a seven-day supplementation period.	Participants will supplement creatine for a seven-day period. Baseline testing will take place before supplementation using a 5-RM leg press, it will be measured by the maximal amount of weight used to complete five reps on the leg press (kg). Participants will undergo the same test after following 7 days. The effects of creatine supplementation will be noted by the difference between the maximal amount of weight used to complete five reps on the leg press (kg)t test scores (seconds).	7 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: St. Mary's University, Twickenham

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 13, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 27, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 11, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 16, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 16, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 11, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins; Organic Chemicals; Amino Acids; Guanidines; Amidines; Creatine
• Other Study ID Numbers: SMU_ETHICS_2025-26_229

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No