Creatine Supplementation Patterns and Perceived Effects in Select Division I Collegiate Athletes
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe patterns of creatine use in select Division I collegiate athletes based on recommended dosages according to body weight. Further, to report the perceived effects noted with creatine supplementation. DESIGN: Anonymous open-ended self-report descriptive questionnaire. SETTING: National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I institution. PARTICIPANTS: Two-hundred and nineteen male and female collegiate athletes representing eight varsity sports. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): An open-ended questionnaire was administered to determine patterns of creatine use during the loading and maintenance phases of this nutritional supplement. In addition, perceived positive, negative, and no effects associated with creatine usage patterns were determined from athlete responses on this self-report measure. RESULTS: Considering this select group of collegiate athletes, highly variable patterns of creatine supplementation were noted for loading/maintenance phases based on recommended dosages/days and body weight. Of the 219 athletes surveyed, 90 (41%) reported using creatine, while creatine supplementation was more prevalent among men than women. Creatine users (80 athletes, 89%) reporting perceived positive effects were primarily at or below recommended dosages for the loading phase but above recommended dosages in the maintenance phase. Creatine users (34 athletes, 38%) reporting perceived negative effects were primarily at or below recommended dosages in the loading phase but noticeably above recommended dosages in the maintenance phase. Ironically, all creatine users who reported negative side effects also reported positive effects. Creatine users (10 athletes, 11%) reporting no effects were below recommended loading dosages but above recommended maintenance dosages. CONCLUSIONS: The perceived positive effects noted support current research (strength/weight gains), while the perceived negative effects (cramping/gastrointestinal distress) were consistent with anecdotal reports surrounding creatine supplementation. Apparently, collegiate athletes in this study are in need of education regarding the proper use of creatine supplementation. Additional studies are needed to ascertain creatine supplementation patterns of collegiate athletes in various settings.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Creatine supplementation does not increase the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries.
“showing that creatine supplementation does not increase the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries [22, 111, 112, 241]”
From International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine (2017) · cites this paper as [241]
Creatine supplementation does not increase the incidence of gastrointestinal upset.
“or gastrointestinal upset [22, 111, 112, 241].”
From International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine (2017) · cites this paper as [241]
In a survey involving 219 athletes, 90 participants reported using creatine, with 34 of them (38%) reporting perceived negative effects such as cramping (27%).
“For example, in a survey involving 219 athletes, 90 participants reported using creatine with 34 of them (38%) reporting perceived negative effects such as cramping (27%) [77].”
From Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? (2021) · cites this paper as [77]
These self-report surveys failed to control for the use of other supplements and the dosage of creatine ingested; Greenwood et al. noted that 91% of participants exceeded the recommended creatine maintenance dose of 5 g/day.
“Importantly, these studies failed to control for the use of other supplements and the dosage of creatine ingested. Greenwood et al. [77] noted that 91% of participants exceeded the recommended creatine maintenance dose of 5 g/day.”
From Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? (2021) · cites this paper as [77]
Other studies found that creatine supplementation did not increase the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries, dehydration, muscle cramping, gastrointestinal issues, renal dysfunction, or long-term detrimental effects.
“Other studies directly assessed the merit of anecdotal reports of side effects and found that creatine supplementation did not increase the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries [84–87], dehydration [85,86,91–96], muscle cramping [80,85,86,92,97], gastrointestinal issues [84–87], promote renal dysfunction [87,89,98–107], or have long-term detrimental effects [50,87,106,108,109].”
From Safety of creatine supplementation: analysis of the prevalence of reported side effects in clinical trials and adverse event reports (2025) · cites this paper as [84]
Present findings are consistent with other safety studies on creatine supplementation and the long-term study conducted in Parkinson's patients.
“They are also consistent with other safety studies on creatine supplementation [50,80,84–87,89,91–109] and the long-term study conducted in Parkinson’s patients [74].”
From Safety of creatine supplementation: analysis of the prevalence of reported side effects in clinical trials and adverse event reports (2025) · cites this paper as [84]
Cites
Long-term creatine intake is beneficial to muscle performance during resistance training
Vandenberghe, K., Goris, M., Van Hecke, P., Van Leemputte, M., Vangerven, L., & Hespel, P. (1997) · Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1152/jappl.1997.83.6.2055 · Cited by 430 · see citing works
Effects of creatine supplementation on body composition, strength, and sprint performance
KREIDER, R. B., FERREIRA, M., WILSON, M., GRINDSTAFF, P., PLISK, S., REINARDY, J., CANTLER, E., & ALMADA, A. L. (1998) · Medicine &amp Science in Sports &amp Exercise · doi:10.1097/00005768-199801000-00011 · Cited by 430 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Kreider, R. B., Kalman, D. S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Wildman, R., Collins, R., Candow, D. G., Kleiner, S. M., Almada, A. L., & Lopez, H. L. (2017) · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z · Cited by 854 · see citing works
“Unsubstantiated anecdotal claims described in the popular media as well as rare case reports described in the literature without rigorous, systematic causality assessments have been refuted in numerous well-controlled clinical studies showing that creatine supplementation does not increase the incidence of musculoskel…”
BackgroundSelf-citationPrevalence of dietary supplement use by athletes: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Knapik, J. J., Steelman, R. A., Hoedebecke, S. S., Austin, K. G., Farina, E. K., & Lieberman, H. R. (2016) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.1007/s40279-015-0387-7 · Cited by 452 · see citing works
Antonio, J., Candow, D. G., Forbes, S. C., Gualano, B., Jagim, A. R., Kreider, R. B., Rawson, E. S., Smith-Ryan, A. E., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Willoughby, D. S., et al. (2021) · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · doi:10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w · Cited by 231 · see citing works
“Some anecdotal evidence indicates that creatine users perceive supplementation to result in some adverse effects [77].”
BackgroundInfluentialSelf-citationKreider, R. B., Melton, C., Rasmussen, C. J., Greenwood, M., Lancaster, S., Cantler, E. C., Milnor, P., & Almada, A. L. (2003) · Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry · doi:10.1023/a:1022469320296 · Cited by 181 · see citing works
Self-citationDietary Supplementation of High-performance Canadian Athletes by Age and Gender
Erdman, K. A., Fung, T. S., Doyle-Baker, P. K., Verhoef, M. J., & Reimer, R. A. (2007) · Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine · doi:10.1097/jsm.0b013e31815aed33 · Cited by 126 · see citing works
Potential Ergogenic Effects of Arginine and Creatine Supplementation
Paddon-Jones, D., Børsheim, E., & Wolfe, R. R. (2004) · The Journal of Nutrition · doi:10.1093/jn/134.10.2888s · Cited by 119 · see citing works
When Food Becomes a Drug: Nonanabolic Nutritional Supplement Use in Athletes
Schwenk, T. L., & Costley, C. D. (2002) · The American Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1177/03635465020300062701 · Cited by 106 · see citing works
Influence of performance level on dietary supplementation in elite Canadian athletes
ERDMAN, K. A., FUNG, T. S., & REIMER, R. A. (2006) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000187332.92169.e0 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
Oral creatine supplementation and skeletal muscle metabolism in physical exercise
Mesa, J. L. M., Ruiz, J. R., Gonz??lez-Gross, M. M., Guti??rrez S??inz, ?., & Castillo Garz??n, M. J. (2002) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.2165/00007256-200232140-00003 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
Kreider, R. B., Jäger, R., & Purpura, M. (2022) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu14051035 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
Self-citationGreenwood, M., Kreider, R. B., Melton, C., Rasmussen, C., Lancaster, S., Cantler, E., Milnor, P., & Almada, A. (2003) · Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry · doi:10.1023/a:1022413202549 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Self-citationCreatine supplementation in young soccer players
Ostojic, S. M. (2004) · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · doi:10.1123/ijsnem.14.1.95 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Putting the Myth of Creatine Supplementation Leading to Muscle Cramps and Dehydration to Rest
Dalbo, V. J., Roberts, M., Kerksick, C., & Stout, J. (2008) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsm.2007.042473 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Use of Dietary Supplements by Elite Figure Skaters
Ziegler, P. J., Nelson, J. A., & Jonnalagadda, S. S. (2003) · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · doi:10.1123/ijsnem.13.3.266 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Safety of Creatine Supplementation
Persky, A. M., & Rawson, E. S. (2007) · Subcellular Biochemistry · doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-6486-9_14 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Ostojic, S. M., & Ahmetovic, Z. (2008) · Research in Sports Medicine · doi:10.1080/15438620701693280 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
de Guingand, D. L., Palmer, K. R., Snow, R. J., Davies-Tuck, M. L., & Ellery, S. J. (2020) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu12061780 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Kreider, R. B., Gonzalez, D. E., Hines, K., Gil, A., & Bonilla, D. A. (2025) · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · doi:10.1080/15502783.2025.2488937 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Physiological Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Hydration: A Review
Sobolewski, E. J., Thompson, B. J., Smith, A. E., & Ryan, E. D. (2011) · American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine · doi:10.1177/1559827611406071 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
- Authors
- Greenwood, M., Farris, J., Kreider, R., Greenwood, L., & Byars, A.
- Affiliations
- Arkansas State University (US)
- University of Memphis (US)
- Hardin–Simmons University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Greenwood, Mike
- Greenwood, Lori
- ORCID
- Kreider, Richard
- Venue
- Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine
- Published
- 2000-07
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 191-194
- ISSN
- 1050-642X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2060400916
- Cited by
- 80
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 4
- FWCI
- 3.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Doping in Sports
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Keywords
- creatine supplementation, collegiate athletes, weight-based dosing, cramping, gastrointestinal distress, nutrition education
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Creatine, Female, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sports, Dietary Supplements
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
