The aim of this master’s thesis was to comprehensively and critically evaluate, through a systematic review of the literature, the effects of creatine monohydrate supplementation combined with resistance training on muscle mass, muscle strength, and functional performance in adults over 50 years of age. Particular emphasis was also placed on the analysis of factors that may influence creatine monohydrate effectiveness, such as the loading phase, dosage, sex, timing and frequency of intake, and characteristics of the training program.
This master’s thesis is monographic in nature and is based on a systematic review of scientific literature using a descriptive method. The literature review followed the methodological guidelines of the PRISMA framework, and the systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus databases. A total of 13 randomized controlled trials examining the effects of creatine monohydrate in combination with resistance training in adults older than 50 years were included in the final analysis.
The results of the review indicate that creatine monohydrate combined with resistance training in adults over 50 often leads to greater gains in lean and muscle mass compared with resistance training alone. Eight of the twelve studies that assessed body composition reported a statistically significant greater increase in muscle mass in the creatine monohydrate group. The evidence base was even more consistent for muscle strength, as all included studies reported at least one statistically significant positive effect of creatine compared with placebo, with the most pronounced effects observed in the muscles of the lower limbs. Functional performance was less frequently examined as a primary outcome; therefore, findings in this area were less consistent.
The analysis of effectiveness factors showed that the extent of creatine monohydrate effects is influenced by dosing strategy, the presence of a loading phase, sex, timing of intake, and the quality of the resistance training program. The effects of creatine monohydrate were most consistently observed when supplementation was combined with appropriately designed, sufficiently intense, and supervised resistance training; however, due to the heterogeneity of protocols, intervention duration, and study samples, it is still not possible to formulate completely uniform recommendations for all adults over 50 years of age.
Based on the reviewed literature, it can be concluded that creatine monohydrate supplementation is a safe and effective supportive strategy when combined with resistance training in adults over 50, particularly for improving muscle mass and muscle strength. Future research should include more long-term randomized controlled trials directly comparing different dosing strategies, ensuring better representation of women, and treating functional performance as one of the primary outcomes.
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