Effect of creatine feeding on maximal exercise performance in vegetarians
Abstract
The effect of creatine supplementation on exercise performance in vegetarians was examined. Creatine was ingested for 1 week by a group of vegetarians (VC) and meat-eaters (MC); a control group of meat-eaters was fed only glucose (MG). Exercise performance during three, 20-s maximal cycling tests (modified Wingate anaerobic test, WAnT) was determined before and after creatine supplementation. Blood samples were also drawn before and after exercise prior to and after supplementation. Basal plasma creatine (after an overnight fast) averaged (SE) 11 (2) microM in VC, and 24 (2) and 23 (7) microM in MG and MC, respectively (P < 0.05 for VC vs meat-eaters). These findings were expected, since most of the body's exogenous creatine source is meat. There was no significant difference in any other parameter between groups prior to supplementation. Creatine feedings significantly increased body mass (approximately 1 kg) and mean power output during the WAnTs (approximately 5%) to a similar extent in the VC and MC groups (P < 0.05-0.001). These parameters were not affected by supplementation in the MG group. Peak power output was also significantly increased by supplementation in MC (approximately 5%, P < 0.05), but not in VC. It is concluded that vegetarians and meat-eaters respond to creatine feedings with similar increases in mean power output during short-term, maximal exercise.
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Vegetarians have lower total body creatine stores than omnivores, which demonstrates that regular meat eating has a significant effect on human creatine status.
“Vegetarians have lower total body creatine stores than omnivores, which demonstrates that regular meat eating has a significant effect on human creatine status [186].”
From International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise (2017) · cites this paper as [186]
Due to the lack of creatine in the vegan diet, vegan and vegetarian individuals have lower plasma (30% to 50%) and intramuscular (~12%) creatine levels compared with omnivores.
“Due to the lack of creatine in the vegan diet, vegan and vegetarian individuals have lower plasma (30% to 50%) [179,180] and intramuscular (∼12%) [181] creatine levels compared with omnivores.”
From Nutritional Considerations for the Vegan Athlete (2023) · cites this paper as [180]
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“Vegetarians have lower total body creatine stores than omnivores, which demonstrates that regular meat eating has a significant effect on human creatine status [186].”
BackgroundInternational Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise
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Nutritional Considerations for the Vegan Athlete
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“(30% to 50%) [179,180] and intramuscular (~12%) [181] cre-”
- Authors
- Shomrat, A., Weinstein, Y., & Katz, A.
- Affiliations
- Tel Aviv University (IL)
- Wingate Institute (IL)
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- Venue
- European Journal of Applied Physiology
- Published
- 2000-07-24
- Volume
- 82
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 321-325
- ISSN
- 0020-9376 (ISSN-L)
- 1439-6319
- 1439-6327
- OpenAlex
- W2060162491
- Cited by
- 53
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 2 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 1.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- European Journal of Applied Physiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Biochemical effects in animals
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Keywords
- creatine supplementation, vegetarians, meat-eaters, exercise performance, anaerobic power, cycling performance, plasma creatine, weight gain
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Blood Glucose, Creatine, Exercise Test, Humans, Male, Placebos, Diet, Vegetarian, Exercise, Pyruvic Acid, Lactic Acid
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