Acute Effects of Creatine and L-Arginine Co-Supplementation on Anaerobic and Cognitive Performance in Recreationally Active Males

NCT07548541 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: INU-CRLA-2025-01Approval No: 2025/6879
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 18
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized, double-blind, four-period crossover trial investigates the acute effects of creatine monohydrate, L-arginine, and their combined administration on anaerobic performance, jump performance, and cognitive reaction time in recreationally active adult males. Eighteen healthy male participants complete four experimental conditions in randomized order: placebo, creatine, L-arginine, and creatine plus L-arginine, with at least 72 hours between sessions. Sixty minutes after supplementation, participants perform the Stroop Color-Word Test, countermovement jump test, and Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Test. Primary outcomes include peak power, average power, countermovement jump height, and incongruent Stroop reaction time. The study aims to determine whether acute co-supplementation produces greater ergogenic and cognitive benefits than either supplement alone or placebo.

Conditions

Anaerobic Performance; Cognitive Performance; Healthy Volunteers

Keywords

Creatine; L-Arginine; Dietary Supplementation; Countermovement Jump; Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Test; Stroop Test; Reaction Time; Recreational Athletes; Crossover Trial

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• RAST Average Power

  Average power during the Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Test following acute supplementation.

  60 minutes after supplementation, during the testing session

• RAST Peak Power

  Peak power during the Running-Based Anaerobic Sprint Test following acute supplementation.

  60 minutes after supplementation, during the testing session

• Countermovement Jump Height

  Best countermovement jump height measured using the Optojump system following acute supplementation.

  60 minutes after supplementation, during the testing session

• Stroop Incongruent Median Reaction Time

  Median reaction time in the incongruent condition of the computerized Stroop Color-Word Test following acute supplementation.

  60 minutes after supplementation, during the testing session

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• RAST Minimum Power

  60 minutes after supplementation, during the testing session

• RAST Fatigue Index

  60 minutes after supplementation, during the testing session

Study Arms (4)

Placebo

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants received 6 g sucrose dissolved in 250 mL of water as the placebo condition.

Other: Placebo

Creatine

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants received a single acute dose of creatine monohydrate at 0.3 g/kg dissolved in 250 mL of water.

Dietary Supplement: Creatine Monohydrate

L-Arginine

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants received a single acute dose of 6 g L-arginine dissolved in 250 mL of water.

Dietary Supplement: L-Arginine

Creatine + L-Arginine

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants received combined acute supplementation with creatine monohydrate at 0.3 g/kg plus 6 g L-arginine in 250 mL of water.

Dietary Supplement: Creatine Monohydrate; Dietary Supplement: L-Arginine

Interventions

Creatine Monohydrate DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Acute oral creatine monohydrate supplementation at 0.3 g/kg body mass.

Creatine; Creatine + L-Arginine

L-Arginine DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Acute oral L-arginine supplementation at a dose of 6 g.

Creatine + L-Arginine; L-Arginine

Placebo OTHER

Placebo beverage containing 6 g sucrose dissolved in 250 mL of water.

Placebo

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 30 Years
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Male recreational athletes aged 18 years or older
• At least 2 years of regular participation in organized sport
• Apparently healthy and able to complete high-intensity exercise testing

You may not qualify if:

• Known orthopedic, neurological, cardiovascular, pulmonary, or metabolic disorders
• Use of anabolic steroids or performance-enhancing drugs within the previous 3 months
• Use of psychoactive or stimulant substances during the study

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Inonu University: lead
• Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Inonu University, Faculty of Sport Sciences

Malatya, Malatya, 44280, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (6)

• d'Unienville NMA, Blake HT, Coates AM, Hill AM, Nelson MJ, Buckley JD. Effect of food sources of nitrate, polyphenols, L-arginine and L-citrulline on endurance exercise performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18:76. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00472-y

  BACKGROUND

• Nyawose S, Naidoo R, Naumovski N, McKune AJ. The Effects of Consuming Amino Acids L-Arginine, L-Citrulline (and Their Combination) as a Beverage or Powder, on Athletic and Physical Performance: A Systematic Review. Beverages. 2022;8:48. https://doi.org/10.3390/beverages8030048

  BACKGROUND

• Meixner B, Stegmaier J, Renner P, Koehler K, Yang W-H, Sperlich B. Supplementation of Creatine Monohydrate Improves Sprint Performance but Has no Effect on Glycolytic Contribution: A Nonrandomized, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial in Trained Cyclists. Curr Dev Nutr. 2025;9:104561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.104561

  BACKGROUND

• Vargas-Molina S, García-Sillero M, Kreider RB, Salinas E, Petro JL, Benítez-Porres J, et al. A randomized open-labeled study to examine the effects of creatine monohydrate and combined training on jump and scoring performance in young basketball players. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2022;19:529-42. https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2022.2108683

  BACKGROUND

• Fernández-Landa J, Santibañez-Gutierrez A, Todorovic N, Stajer V, Ostojic SM. Effects of Creatine Monohydrate on Endurance Performance in a Trained Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2023;53:1017-27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01823-2

  BACKGROUND

• Kerksick CM, Wilborn CD, Roberts MD, Smith-Ryan A, Kleiner SM, Jäger R, et al. ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0242-y

  BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Creatine; Arginine

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Guanidines; Amidines; Organic Chemicals; Amino Acids; Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins; Amino Acids, Basic; Amino Acids, Diamino; Amino Acids, Essential

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: An independent researcher prepared coded supplement beverages, and both participants and outcome assessors were blinded to treatment allocation. All drinks were matched for color, flavor, and appearance.
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Inonu University

Model Details: Participants complete four experimental conditions in randomized counterbalanced order: placebo, creatine, L-arginine, and creatine plus L-arginine. Sessions are separated by at least 72 hours in a four-period crossover design.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 14, 2026
• First Posted: April 23, 2026
• Study Start: April 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: May 15, 2025
• Study Completion: May 16, 2025
• Last Updated: April 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)