PERFORMANCE OUTPUT
Creatine & High-Intensity Work Capacity
Push harder, last longer, and maintain intensity when others fade.
Immediate ATP Reload.
High-intensity performance relies on your body’s ability to rapidly regenerate ATP (its short-term energy currency). Creatine monohydrate increases intramuscular phosphocreatine stores, which serve as a fast-acting buffer to resynthesize ATP during brief, explosive efforts. Supplementation has been shown to improve total work capacity in high-intensity, repeated efforts by 10–15%, helping you power through more reps, longer intervals, and shorter rest windows without performance drop-off (Branch, 2003; Kreider et al., 2017).
In a meta-analysis across sprint and interval training trials, creatine users consistently outperformed placebo in total volume and time to fatigue, indicating real, measurable performance gains under duress (Branch, 2003).
Sustained Output Under Fatigue.
Creatine doesn’t just fuel the first few reps - it helps you maintain power deeper into a session. Studies show participants experience delayed fatigue onset during repeated maximal effort bouts (e.g. cycling sprints, resistance circuits), increasing mean work volume and total effort (Kreider et al., 2017; Gualano et al., 2012). This is especially beneficial for functional fitness athletes, hybrid endurance runners, or anyone training with time-based sets and escalating intensity. In short: more output, less crash.
Neural Drive & Central Fatigue Protection.
As muscles fatigue, the nervous system also begins to struggle with motor unit recruitment. Creatine plays a role in supporting neural drive by replenishing phosphocreatine stores in both muscular and brain tissue. This helps reduce the central perception of fatigue during extended effort (Gualano et al., 2012).Research indicates that creatine users show better preservation of output during final effort sets and less subjective burnout post-training (Gualano et al., 2012).
The B-Vitamin Edge.
Your essential B-complex (B6, B12, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid) works behind the scenes to maintain metabolic momentum:
- Niacin (Vitamin B3) supports NAD⁺ cycling - crucial for redox reactions during aerobic and anaerobic bursts (EFSA, 2010a).
- Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) enables coenzyme A production, fuelling acetyl-CoA synthesis at the heart of mitochondrial energy generation (EFSA, 2010b).
- Vitamin B6 facilitates glycogen breakdown and amino acid metabolism (Dakshinamurti, 1990; NHS, 2024a).
- Vitamin B12 supports red blood cell formation and oxygen delivery - especially important in sustaining peak output (Kennedy, 2016; BNF, 2023).
Together, these vitamins act as co-factors in over 100 metabolic reactions, ensuring your performance doesn’t stall due to micronutrient drag (Manore, 2000).
What It Means For You.
More reps. More watts. More distance. Whether you’re crushing EMOMs, chasing a race PR, or grinding through work sets - creatine and essential B vitamins combine to push your capacity further. Most users report sustained energy deeper into high-effort sessions, faster between-set recovery, and a noticeable increase in total work output over weeks of consistent use (Kreider et al., 2017; Manore, 2000).
REFERENCES
Branch, J.D., 2003. Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 13(2), pp.198–226.
Dakshinamurti, K., 1990. Vitamin B6 in metabolism and function. In: Dakshinamurti, K., ed. Nutrition and the Function of the Nervous System. Boca Raton: CRC Press, pp.123–140.
EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), 2010a. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to niacin and energy-yielding metabolism. EFSA Journal, 8(10), p.1745. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1745
EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), 2010b. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to pantothenic acid and normal energy metabolism. EFSA Journal, 8(10), p.1752. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1752
Gualano, B., Roschel, H., Lancha, A.H., Brightbill, C.E. and Rawson, E.S., 2012. In sickness and in health: the widespread application of creatine supplementation. Frontiers in Physiology, 3, p.142. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2012.00142
Kennedy, D.O., 2016. B vitamins and the brain: mechanisms, dose and efficacy – a review. Nutrients, 8(2), p.68. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8020068
Kreider, R.B., Kalman, D.S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T.N., Wildman, R., Collins, R., Candow, D.G., Kleiner, S.M., Almada, A.L. and Lopez, H.L., 2017. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1), p.18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
Manore, M.M., 2000. Effect of physical activity on thiamine, riboflavin, and vitamin B-6 requirements. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 72(2), pp.598S–606S. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/72.2.598S
NHS, 2024a. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). [online] National Health Service (UK). Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-multivitamins/vitamin-b/
BNF, 2023. Vitamin B12 - function and dietary sources. [online] British Nutrition Foundation. Available at: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthy-sustainable-diets/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-b12/
