In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves sits down with Steven Jennings, one of the key figures behind the early adoption of creatine in elite sport, to unpack a remarkable story that begins long before creatine was common knowledge.

Steven takes us back to the early 1990s — a pre-internet era where sports nutrition research travelled slowly, secrecy mattered, and a single kilogram of creatine played a role in reshaping performance preparation ahead of the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. From working directly with pioneering researchers at the Karolinska Institute to navigating Olympic-level scrutiny, this is a rare, first-hand account of how science moved from the lab to the field.

Beyond performance sport, the conversation also looks forward. Steven shares why he believes we are only just beginning to understand creatine’s wider potential — from cognition and ageing to plant-based diets and long-term health.

This is an essential listen for practitioners who want to understand not just what works in performance nutrition, but how evidence, trust, regulation, and timing shape real-world impact.

In this episode you will learn

• What creatine actually is and how it works at a cellular level
• How early research in the early 1990s changed elite sport preparation
• Steven’s role in bringing creatine into Olympic sport ahead of Barcelona 1992
• Why creatine was (and still is) legal, safe, and fundamentally different from banned substances
• How creatine became associated with repeated high-intensity performance and recovery
• Why creatine research is now expanding beyond sport into cognition, ageing, and health
• Why we may still be “scratching the surface” of creatine’s full potential

About Steven Jennings
Steven Jennings is a sports nutrition entrepreneur and former professional cyclist who played a pivotal role in the early commercialisation of creatine for elite sport. In the early 1990s, he worked directly with leading researchers from the Karolinska Institute to help translate groundbreaking creatine research into real-world Olympic performance programmes.

Over the past three decades, Steven has remained closely connected to the evolution of creatine research, from elite performance applications to emerging work in health, cognition, and ageing. Today, he continues to focus on education, innovation, and the future direction of creatine science.

FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL

SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241

​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively
​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery
​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In
​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese
​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More
​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance
​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes
​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Specifically Andrew will be looking at:

• Importance of energy systems
• Energy system misconceptions
• How to implement sprint interval training

About Andrew

"Andrew Usher, exercise physiologist and teaching fellow fellow at Abertay University. PhD was titled An Exploration of Muscle Oxygen Kinetics in Professional Boxing and based on my work with elite atheltes over the last 10 or so years. I work with a range of athletes from early start career to elite and world level both in boxing and other sporting areas. Our research paper Use of NIRS to explore skeletal muscle oxygenation during different training sessions in professional boxing Is the first to look at the effects of training modalities within professional boxing, and their relevance to outcomes (sparring and competition)."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXLNtMNRGIc&t=6s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjORW6pCkV0
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scottish-boxing-champs-fine-tuned-26974253

Twitter: andrewusher
Instagram: theandrewusher

Nominate future podcast guests here!

If you want to hear from a particular person on a particular topic, let us know! Hit the link below and we'll see what we can whip up for you.

https://www.scienceforsport.com/nominate/

FREE 7d COACH ACADEMY TRIAL

SIGN UP NOW:

https://bit.ly/sfsepisode231

JOIN THE SCIENCE FOR SPORT TEAM:

https://www.scienceforsport.com/join-our-team/

​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively, Freeing Up Time To Spend With Friends And Family
​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery
​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In
​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese
​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More
​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance
​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes
​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

🔔 Subscribe to the podcast on your favourite platform

• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher