Creatine could help you build muscle even without exercise, study suggests

It seems like everyone is suddenly obsessed with creatine, a naturally occurring compound used as a sports supplement.

Gym bros vow that the dissolvable substance can help your muscles swell and get fuller; track and field specialists claim it will help enhance athletic performance by releasing glucose, which Harvard Health described as ‘one of the best sources of instant energy’.

But can taking a daily three to five gram scoop of creatine help you build muscle and see results without ever setting foot in the house of gains?

Well, experts from the United States have concluded that it may be the case—but the results may have you reaching for the dumbbells anyways.

Sedendatry vs active adults: the creatine test

Researchers at Texas A&M University (TAMU) recently collected a 64-strong cohort of test subjects aged 45-65 to see whether the white powder could help sedentary adults pack on lean mass.

Experts have studied if you need to exercise to feel the benefits of creatine (Getty Stock Image)

The study, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, detailed how 38 participants opted to work out as part of a three-day supervised training program. On non-training days, the candidates were instructed to walk at least 10,000 steps.

The remaining 26 subjects chose not to exercise for the duration of the 12-week trial.

Each participant was also instructed to take either a creatine supplement or a replacement placebo twice per day and advised to follow an American Heart Association–guided diet.

The study suggested subjects eat in a 300-500 calorie deficit while consuming around 55 percent carbs, 15 percent protein, and 30 percent fat every day.

Creatine worked with or without the gym

At the end of the study, experts found that those who remained sedentary and took creatine gained about 2.4 pounds of lean tissue, as stated by Medical News Today.

Those who worked out with creatine added around 3lbs of lean mass (Getty Stock Image)

Not only that, but they also had greater strength on bench presses and leg presses after the 12-week mark.

Naturally, those who completed the study, exercised three times per week, and walked 10,000 steps built more muscle—but not much.

The study suggested that those who took creatine and completed the exercise program gained around three pounds of lean tissue.

They, too, had greater bench and leg press strength. The participants also improved their time to exhaustion, meaning they could exericse at their highest intensity for longer.

Other benefits included losing body fat mass, reducing their body fat percentage, and ‘favourable changes’ in certain blood fats, cognitive function, and glucose control.

Experts weigh in on positive creatine study

Speaking about the surprising creatine results, lead author of the study, Richard Kreider, professor and director of the Exercise and Sport Nutrition Lab at Texas A&M, told the publication that creatine ‘increases energy in the muscle’.

“Non-exercise physical activity and functional activities may increase correspondingly. If you feel better and daily activities are less demanding, you are more apt to do physical activity.”

Be aware of creatine's side effects (LADbible)

He added that after the study, he and his team are convinced that creatine scoops may have ‘important implications for middle-aged and older individuals seeking to reduce body fat while maintaining muscle mass and cognitive function’.

“I think this study adds useful evidence for creatine as part of a healthy aging strategy, particularly because improvements in lean mass were seen even without structured exercise,” explained Sebnem Ünlüişler, a genetic engineer and chief longevity officer at the London Regenerative Institute.

“However, the participants were middle-aged rather than elderly, the sample was relatively small, and DXA measured lean tissue rather than muscle directly.”

She added to Medical News Today that a further study with a ‘more controlled or focused approach to diet’ would be of interest.

Researchers at Texas A&M added that they would also like to explore creatine’s metabolic and cognitive impacts further.

For now, it’s something to think about during your next wellness-oriented splurge, right?