Creatine supplementation in soccer players: a systematic review

Soccer places repeated demands on short-duration, high-intensity performance, including sprints, accelerations, jumps, and technical actions performed over the course of a match. Because these efforts depend heavily on rapid adenosine triphosphate (ATP) resynthesis, creatine is a plausible ergogenic aid for soccer players. However, findings in soccer-specific studies have been inconsistent, and previous reviews have addressed narrower questions using smaller evidence sets. This systematic review therefore examined the effects of creatine supplementation on performance, body composition, and recovery/fatigue-related outcomes in soccer players.