This week in the science

The newest research we’ve added to Pulse — each with a plain-English reality check on what the study actually shows, and a link to the source. We lead with the finding and its limits, so a single new trial is never dressed up as settled science.

1. SupplementsPreliminary· human dataAdded 23 July 2026

   A small pilot trial suggests that taking creatine just before a resistance-training session may support slightly greater same-day strength than taking it during or after — early, exploratory evidence rather than a firm recommendation.

   ⚠What it shows: A pilot crossover trial in just 11 active men, measuring single-session strength; the authors call it exploratory and say it needs confirming in larger, placebo-controlled studies.Pilot RCT (crossover) · n=11 · physically active men · Nutrients

   Read more →Acute Creatine Ingestion Before Resistance Training Enhances Strength Performance More than Ingestion During or After Training: A Randomized Crossover Pilot Trial. Nutrients 2026
2. LongevityWell-supported· human dataAdded 23 July 2026

   A 2026 meta-analysis in postmenopausal women found that creatine (around 5 g a day) alongside resistance training produced small but real gains in lean mass and leg strength, with no change in bone density and no safety signals.

   ⚠What it shows: Pooled from seven trials (608 women, median 38 weeks). Gains were modest — about 0.4 kg lean mass — and appeared mainly at ≥5 g a day with training; several trials had some risk-of-bias concerns, and bone density did not move.Meta-analysis (7 RCTs) · n=608 · postmenopausal women · J Int Soc Sports Nutr

   Read more →Creatine monohydrate for lean mass, strength, and bone density in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2026
3. NutritionPreliminary· human dataAdded 23 July 2026

   In a 2025 meta-analysis of nine trials in women, pairing a protein supplement with exercise gave small but significant gains in fat-free mass, muscle size and strength — but made no difference to fat mass or body-fat percentage.

   ⚠What it shows: Nine trials, 408 women aged 18–73. Muscle effects were small (about 0.45 kg fat-free mass) and there was no effect on fat loss; the authors call for more high-quality trials.Meta-analysis (9 RCTs) · n=408 · healthy women 18–73 · Front Nutr

   Read more →Effects of multi-ingredient protein supplementation combined with exercise on body composition and muscle fitness in healthy women: a systematic review with multilevel meta-analysis. Front Nutr 2025

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