{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,29]],"date-time":"2026-10-29T22:26:09Z","timestamp":1793312769336,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,21]],"date-time":"2025-06-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1750464000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Creatine and \u03b2-alanine are two widely used dietary supplements known to enhance exercise performance and improve body composition; however, less is known regarding the synergistic effects of combining the two supplements. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across PubMed\/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to March 2025. Eligible studies included adult participants receiving creatine and \u03b2-alanine together compared to creatine or \u03b2-alanine alone for at least four weeks and assessed measures of exercise performance and\/or body composition. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Results: A total of 7 randomized controlled trials (n = 263 participants; 231 males and 32 females) met the inclusion criteria. Collectively, the combination of creatine and \u03b2-alanine supplementation enhanced high-intensity exercise performance, particularly anaerobic power and repeated-bout performance, compared to creatine or \u03b2-alanine alone. Co-ingestion of creatine and \u03b2-alanine supplementation did not increase measures of maximal strength compared to creatine alone. The effects of creatine and \u03b2-alanine supplementation on body composition were equivocal, with one study reporting greater lean mass gains and fat mass reductions compared to creatine and \u03b2-alanine supplementation individually, while another found no significant improvements. Additionally, no significant improvements in aerobic endurance capacity (VO2max, lactate threshold, or time to exhaustion) were observed from creatine and \u03b2-alanine supplementation co-ingestion. Conclusions: The combination of creatine and \u03b2-alanine supplementation may be effective for enhancing high-intensity exercise performance but has no greater effect on maximal strength, body composition, or measures of aerobic capacity compared to creatine or \u03b2-alanine alone.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17132074","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,23]],"date-time":"2025-06-23T03:39:26Z","timestamp":1750649966000},"page":"2074","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Effects of Creatine and \u03b2-Alanine Co-Supplementation on Exercise Performance and Body Composition: A Systematic Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7968-6110","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Damoon","family":"Ashtary-Larky","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 6135715794, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Darren G.","family":"Candow","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6896-5552","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Scott C.","family":"Forbes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Education Studies, Brandon University, Brandon, MB R7A 6A9, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Leila","family":"Hajizadeh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sport Physiology, Marvdasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht 7371113119, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8930-1058","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jose","family":"Antonio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health and Human Performance, Nova Southeastern University, Davie, FL 33314, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6572-5809","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katsuhiko","family":"Suzuki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa 359-1192, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1785","DOI":"10.1097\/00005768-200211000-00015","article-title":"Caffeine is ergogenic after supplementation of oral creatine monohydrate","volume":"34","author":"Doherty","year":"2002","journal-title":"Med. 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