Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Review
Published: 03-06-2026

Creatine and body composition in individuals with obesity: a brief review

Provida Institute. Patrocínio 291 Street, Santo Antônio, Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Cardiology Institute of Santa Catarina. Adolfo Donato da Silva Street, Praia Comprida, Downtown, São José, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Berrini Medical Center. Hilário Furlan Street, 107, Monções City, São Paulo, Brazil
Alphaveins Clinic. Copacabana Avenue, 112, room 1011, Barueri, São Paulo, Brazil
Oswaldo Brandi Faria State Hospital. Dr. Raul da Cunha Bueno Avenue, 585, Downtown, Mirandópolis, São Paulo, Brazil
Capixaba Institute of Teaching, Research and Innovation in Health. Duque de Caxias Street, 267, Downtown, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
SPDM - São Paulo Association for the Development of Medicine. Guaicurus Street, 254, room 01, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
SPDM - São Paulo Association for the Development of Medicine. Guaicurus Street, 254, room 01, Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
SPDM – São Paulo Association for the Development of Medicine Vergueiro Street, 961, Liberdade, São Paulo, Brazil
Nahil Clinic - SHIS QI 11 bloco O, Ed Deck, Brasília, Brazil
Creatine Obesity Body composition Lean mass Resistance training

Abstract

Obesity represents a global public health challenge, characterized by excessive body fat accumulation, associated with comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes and sarcopenic obesity. Effective intervention requires body composition modulation, prioritizing fat mass loss and the preservation of Fat-Free Mass (FFM), which is essential for metabolism and insulin sensitivity. In this context, the present study, a Systematic Literature Review, aimed to analyze the impact of creatine (Cr) supplementation, combined with resistance training, on body composition modulation in individuals with obesity. The search was conducted in the PubMed, SciELO, and Google Scholar databases, filtering for high-quality studies (RCTs and Meta-Analyses) from the last ten years. Creatine was identified as a "gold standard" supplement with dual mechanisms of action: (1) energetic, optimizing the ATP-PCr system to increase strength and training intensity, and (2) anabolic, promoting cell volumization and positively influencing protein synthesis pathways (mTOR) to combat catabolism. Literature findings in clinical populations, such as sarcopenic elderly, suggest that creatine is promising in preserving FFM and increasing strength without inducing fat mass gain. It is concluded that creatine supplementation is a safe and effective adjunct strategy to enhance resistance training in individuals with obesity, optimizing body composition and improving metabolic and functional prognosis.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

How to Cite

Pereira, A. C. V., Bresciani, F., Itamoto, F. ., Araújo, M. P., Lovizotto, R. de C., Zanini, R. C. S., Chagas, D. R., Melo, T. R., Oliveira, T. M. de, & Iwata, M. A. S. (2026). Creatine and body composition in individuals with obesity: a brief review. International Journal of Nutrology, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.54448/ijn26117