Does creatine supplementation improve strength and power in physically active individuals on a vegan diet? a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Authors

Miguel López-Moreno, Alejandro Muñoz, Millán Aguilar-Navarro, Jorge Gutiérrez-Hellín, Arturo Franco-Andrés, Pilar López-López, Almudena Crespo-Cañizares, Paula Marrero-Fernández, Scott C Forbes

Published in

European journal of applied physiology. Jul 02, 2026. Epub Jul 02, 2026.

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the impact of four weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation on strength and power performance in physically active individuals following a vegan diet.
Twenty physically active vegan adults (18-45 years) were enrolled in a triple-blind, placebo-controlled study. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either creatine monohydrate (0.1 g·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹; 5 females and 5 males) or a placebo (5 females and 5 males), while adhering to a normocaloric vegan diet. Body composition, physical performance (countermovement jump test (CMJ), sprint, repeated jumps, handgrip strength, and isometric mid-thigh pull), and renal biomarkers were assessed at baseline and after a 4-week supplementation period.
After 4 weeks, the creatine group showed significant increases in skeletal muscle mass (+ 0.3 kg), total body water (+ 1.4 kg), and BMI (+ 0.3 kg/m²), along with reduced body fat (-1.4 kg) compared to controls (p < 0.05). Serum creatinine and creatine levels significantly increased in the creatine group (p < 0.001-0.03). Performance improvements were observed in lower-body explosive performance, particularly in CMJ, as well as in maximal height and flight time during repeated jumps (p < 0.001-0.04), with no changes in sprint or strength tests.
Four weeks of creatine supplementation in individuals following a vegan diet enhances muscle strength and lower-body muscular power. Longer-term studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness and safety of creatine supplementation in this population.
NCT06483321. https//clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06483321.

PMID:
42390589
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 02 Jul 2026.

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