Most runners are eager to try things that promise a little extra speed—and that sometimes includes making dietary changes. Unfortunately, many supplements are advertised as being magical, with very little evidence that they actually do anything, let alone what is claimed. A recent paper published in the journal Nutrients examined a specific combination: magnesium and creatine, taken together as magnesium creatine chelate. Researchers had one question: could the supplement improve sprint performance?
Creatine has a deep research track record and is taken for both performance and potential cognitive benefits, while magnesium is usually taken to support day-to-day muscle function and fill a common gap in intake.
What the study tested
Researchers followed a group of athletes for 16 weeks. One group took a daily dose of magnesium creatine chelate, while the other group took a placebo (cornstarch) in identical capsules. The supplement group took 5,500 mg per day, divided into four capsules, with dosing calculated at 0.07 g per kilogram of body weight per day.
To measure results, the athletes completed a repeated sprint test known as the RAST (repeated sprint ability test).
3 reasons runners should take creatine
What changed after 16 weeks
The athletes taking magnesium creatine chelate improved across the repeated sprint test, with stronger results in areas like total sprint time, along with power output, including average and maximum power. The placebo group didn’t show meaningful improvement on those same sprint measures. For runners, that’s an exciting takeaway.
What about safety?
One detail the researchers highlighted was the need for kidney-related monitoring. Even after 16 weeks on the supplement, creatinine levels stayed within normal reference ranges. The research indicates the supplement is quite safe at this dosage, which the authors noted as a reassuring sign.
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