Physical effects of α-methyl guanidine acetic-acid consumption A systematic review
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Abstract
Creatine, a natural compound extensively studied in exercise physiology and sports medicine, has proven to be effective in enhancing physical performance, especially in high-intensity and short-duration activities. Its supplementation promotes increased muscle strength, power, and accelerates post-exercise recovery. This review aims to analyse the most recent scientific advances regarding the use of creatine in sports, analysing its ergogenic efficacy and exploring its potential to optimize performance and muscle adaptation across many athletic disciplines. A systematic review was conducted on the benefits of creatine in physical performance, using Scopus and Web of Science databases due to their academic rigor and prestige. Starting with 1,696 publications, strict exclusion filters were applied: removal of duplicates, selection of studies from the past five years, filtering by language (English and Spanish), and document type. Ultimately, 9 relevant studies were retained, selected for their quality and ranking in the top quartile of the SJR index. These studies form the final corpus for analysis in this review. Creatine supplementation enhances high-intensity performance by improving ATP regeneration, strength, and endurance. It increases muscle power during fatigue, as observed in young athletes, and boosts performance in resistance exercises like bench press by increasing repetitions and total work. Creatine also reduces fatigue and improves recovery between sets. Additionally, it positively affects body composition and VO2 max, demonstrating its effectiveness in both strength and endurance sports. Creatine supplementation consistently enhances physical performance in high-intensity activities by accelerating ATP regeneration and reducing fatigue. It also increases muscular endurance, aerobic capacity, and muscle mass. These findings position creatine as a safe and effective ergogenic aid, supporting its use to optimize both performance and recovery across various athletic contexts.
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