Effects of Whey Isolate, Creatine, and Resistance Training on Muscle Hypertrophy
Open accessAbstract
PURPOSE: Studies that have attributed gains in lean body mass to dietary supplementation during resistance exercise (RE) training have not reported these changes alongside adaptations at the cellular and subcellular levels. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two popular supplements--whey protein (WP) and creatine monohydrate (CrM) (both separately and in combination)--on body composition, muscle strength, fiber-specific hypertrophy (i.e., type I, IIa, IIx), and contractile protein accrual during RE training. METHODS: In a double-blind randomized protocol, resistance-trained males were matched for strength and placed into one of four groups: creatine/carbohydrate (CrCHO), creatine/whey protein (CrWP), WP only, or carbohydrate only (CHO) (1.5 g x kg(-1) body weight per day). All assessments were completed the week before and after an 11-wk structured, supervised RE program. Assessments included strength (1RM, three exercises), body composition (DEXA), and vastus lateralis muscle biopsies for determination of muscle fiber type (I, IIa, IIx), cross-sectional area (CSA), contractile protein, and creatine (Cr) content. RESULTS: Supplementation with CrCHO, WP, and CrWP resulted in significantly greater (P < 0.05) 1RM strength improvements (three of three assessments) and muscle hypertrophy compared with CHO. Up to 76% of the strength improvements in the squat could be attributed to hypertrophy of muscle involved in this exercise. However, the hypertrophy responses within these groups varied at the three levels assessed (i.e., changes in lean mass, fiber-specific hypertrophy, and contractile protein content). CONCLUSIONS: Although WP and/or CrM seem to promote greater strength gains and muscle morphology during RE training, the hypertrophy responses within the groups varied. These differences in skeletal muscle morphology may have important implications for various populations and, therefore, warrant further investigation.
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The addition of creatine to whey protein supplementation appears to further augment adaptations.
“The addition of creatine to whey protein supplementation appears to further augment these adaptations [27, 72, 95]”
From International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise (2017) · cites this paper as [27]
Paragraph 21 states that creatine-containing supplements produced greater strength and hypertrophy improvements than carbohydrate, but not than whey protein alone. The paper therefore does not find that adding creatine further augments those adaptations relative to whey protein supplementation. (LLM, conf=0.90)
Checked by a reasoning model — may be wrong.
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe average RET-induced increase in 1RM strength was 27 kg.
“The average RET-induced increase, with all measures of 1RM included, was 27 kg (mean±SD; 27±22 kg22 32).”
From A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults (2018) · cites this paper as [32]
The 1RM strength-results passage (paragraph 15; page unavailable) reports that all groups improved on bench press, pulldown and squat after resistance training. It does not report an average increase of 27 kg across the 1RM measures or the cited 27 ± 22 kg statistic. (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredCo-ingesting creatine with different types of protein may have differential effects on gains in fat-free mass and/or training adaptations.
“Additionally, co-ingesting creatine with different types of protein may have differential effects on gains in fat-free mass and/or training adaptations (Kerksick et al. 2007; Cribb et al. 2007b).”
From Analysis of the efficacy, safety, and regulatory status of novel forms of creatine (2011) · cites this paper as Cribb et al. 2007b
The Abstract describes a creatine–whey protein group and measures lean mass and training adaptations. But the study did not compare creatine co-ingested with different types of protein: its other creatine group received carbohydrate. The Body composition section reports no significant lean-mass difference between those two groups, so this paper does not establish the proposed differential effect. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredMany published investigations report that protein supplementation results in significant improvements in lean body weight/cross-sectional areas compared to placebo treatments.
“many published investigations report that protein supplementation results in significant improvements in lean body weight/cross-sectional areas as compared to placebo treatments [15, 17, 21–23, 26, 27, 33, 37].”
From International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise (2017) · cites this paper as [27]
Ten of the 17 reviewed studies showed superior muscular benefits of a higher protein intake over control.
“Ten of the 17 studies [1-10] showed superior muscular benefits of a higher protein intake over control (Figure 1).”
From Dietary protein to maximize resistance training: a review and examination of protein spread and change theories (2012) · cites this paper as [4]
Evidence weighs heavily toward muscular benefits from increased protein.
“Evidence weighs heavily toward muscular benefits from increased protein [1-10].”
From Dietary protein to maximize resistance training: a review and examination of protein spread and change theories (2012) · cites this paper as [4]
An appreciable volume of human clinical data supports increased dietary protein for greater gains from resistance training.
“An appreciable volume of human clinical data supports increased dietary protein for greater gains from resistance training, but not all findings are in agreement.”
From Dietary protein to maximize resistance training: a review and examination of protein spread and change theories (2012) · cites this paper as [4]
Cribb et al. and Demling et al. involved changes in habitual protein intake of 97-98% and led to greater muscular benefits.
“As two of six examples, the studies by Cribb et al. and Demling et al. which also supported protein spread theory involved changes in habitual protein intake of 97-98% [4,5]. This led to greater muscular benefits in both studies.”
From Dietary protein to maximize resistance training: a review and examination of protein spread and change theories (2012) · cites this paper as [4]
Cribb et al. found that resistance-trained men consuming 3.15 g/kg/day protein via whey protein isolate during an 11-week resistance training program gained significantly greater strength and myofibrillar protein in the quadriceps than controls consuming 1.65 g/kg/day.
“Cribb et al. had resistance trained men consume 3.15 g/kg/day or 1.65 g/kg/day protein during an 11 wk resistance training program. The higher intake was achieved via whey protein isolate supplementation and this group gained significantly greater strength and myofibrillar protein in the quadriceps than control [4].”
From Dietary protein to maximize resistance training: a review and examination of protein spread and change theories (2012) · cites this paper as [4]
In several studies, controls consumed protein at ~1.5-2.5 times the current RDA, in line with current strength/power recommendations, yet in many cases, adding additional protein produced significantly greater muscular benefits.
“In several studies, controls consumed protein at ~1.5-2.5 times the current RDA, in line with current strength/power recommendations, yet in many cases, adding additional protein produced significantly greater muscular benefits [1,2,4,6,9].”
From Dietary protein to maximize resistance training: a review and examination of protein spread and change theories (2012) · cites this paper as [4]
Data continually show contrary to the view that recommending increased dietary protein would be of little benefit.
“However, recommending an increased dietary protein would be deemed of little benefit by many nutrition professionals, yet data continually show contrary [1-7,9,10,17,28,38].”
From Dietary protein to maximize resistance training: a review and examination of protein spread and change theories (2012) · cites this paper as [4]
The 'lay' recommendation to consume 1 g protein/lb of bodyweight/day (2.2 g/kg/day) while resistance training aligns well with research that assesses applied outcome measures of strength and body composition in studies of duration > 4 weeks.
“However, as this review shows, this “lay” recommendation aligns well with research that assesses applied outcome measures of strength and body composition in studies of duration > 4 weeks [1-7,9,10,17,28,38].”
From Dietary protein to maximize resistance training: a review and examination of protein spread and change theories (2012) · cites this paper as [4]
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- Authors
- CRIBB, P. J., WILLIAMS, A. D., STATHIS, C. G., CAREY, M. F., & HAYES, A.
- Affiliations
- Victoria University (AU)
- University of Tasmania (AU)
- Venue
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
- Published
- 2007-02
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 298-307
- ISSN
- 0195-9131 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2096008312
- Cited by
- 165
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 6.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- vuir.vu.edu.au
- Locations
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UTAS Research Repository (acceptedVersion)
- Victoria University Research Repository (Victoria University) (submittedVersion)
- eCite Digital Repository (University of Tasmania) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
- Keywords
- whey protein isolate, creatine monohydrate, resistance training, muscle hypertrophy, dietary supplementation, muscle fiber type, cross-sectional area, contractile proteins, muscle strength, body composition, lean body mass, creatine, vastus lateralis, squatting
- MeSH terms
- Whey Proteins, Adult, Contractile Proteins, Creatine, Humans, Male, Milk Proteins, Muscle Contraction, Weight Lifting, Muscle, Skeletal, Muscle Fibers, Skeletal, Dietary Supplements
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