Research suggests that creatine supplementation may elevate brain creatine levels, potentially improving cognitive performance. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study aimed to examine the effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in professional fencers. A study involved seven female fencers (age:16-18 years; body mass: 55.8-68.9 kg; height: 162.1-183.3 cm; lean soft tissue: 38.3-47.7 kg; fat content: 20.9-30.2%) and five male fencers (age:19-23 years; body mass: 77.7-93.1 kg; height: 185.2-198.6 cm; lean soft tissue: 60.7-70.6 kg; fat content: 12.5-28.7%). Participants were randomly assigned to receive either creatine monohydrate (CM) at a dosage of 0.3 g/kg of body mass per day or a placebo (PLA), which consisted of microcrystalline cellulose, for 7 days. Cognitive performance was assessed prior to (PRE) and after supplementation (POST) using the Vienna Test System (Reaction Test, RS; Determination Test, DT). No statistically significant changes in lean soft tissue mass assessed with DXA were observed after intervention in either of the groups (CM: 54,6 kg vs 56,1 kg, p>0.05; PLA:70.7 kg vs 70.7 kg; p>0.05). A two-way ANOVA was conducted to assess the impacts of time(PRE vs POST) and group (CM vs. PLA) on cognitive performance. The results indicated a significant main effect for time (p = 0.003). However, there was no significant effect for the group (p=0.991), and no interaction effect was observed (p = 0.771). Post hoc testing indicated that median reaction time (DT) was significantly lower following supplementation in CM (0.71 s vs 0.61 s; p=0.044) but not in PLA (0.70 s vs 0.62 s; p=0.210). No statistically significant differences were found regarding the effect of creatine supplementation on other cognitive measures. In conclusion, a seven-day supplementation of creatine monohydrate at a dosage of 0.3 g/kg body mass per day positively affected cognitive performance, specifically in reaction speed for professional fencers.
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