What the pooled evidence found
The review’s jump analysis included 14 trials with 460 athletes across five supplement strategies. Creatine showed a small positive standardized effect compared with control. Those 460 participants were not all in creatine trials, and the standardized effect is not a measurement in centimetres. [1]
Training was part of the intervention
The review evaluated supplements alongside conditioning programmes. It does not establish that creatine replaces strength, power or technical training, or that an untrained person will get the same response as a trained athlete. NIH describes the broader creatine benefit mainly in repeated high-intensity efforts. [1][2]
Do not turn a ranking into a personal guarantee
The review included differing doses, durations and training protocols, and only three of its 35 trials across all outcomes were rated at low risk of bias. Men substantially outnumbered women. Network rankings combine direct and indirect comparisons and should not be read as certain superiority for every athlete. [1]
Use the corrected record and a bounded conclusion
The authors reported no funding or commercial conflicts. The journal lists two formal corrections concerning affiliations, rather than the jump result. Even with a positive average finding, the evidence does not establish a universal added jump height, optimal personal regimen or need to combine several supplements. [1]
Measure the outcome consistently
Imagine an athlete compares a rested countermovement jump before training with a fatigued jump after training and starting creatine. The difference cannot isolate supplementation. Consistent testing and the training trend are more informative than a single personal best or disappointment. [1][2]
| Claim or measure | Limit |
|---|---|
| Small standardized improvement | Not a fixed centimetre gain |
| 460 athletes | Across all jump interventions |
| One better jump | Cannot isolate the supplement |
| Conditioning plus creatine | Training remains part of the evidence |
Sources for this article
- Frontiers | Effects of different dietary supplements combined with conditioning training on muscle strength, jump performance, sprint speed, and muscle mass in athletes: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Source consulted: 2026-09-21. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product. - Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance - Health Professional Fact Sheet
Source consulted: 2026-09-21. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product.