2.3.3. Dietary Supplementation
Participants were assigned to ingest a single serving daily of either (A) a 25 g dose of whey protein isolate + 25 g dose of carbohydrate powder (ProCarb); or (B) a 25 g dose of whey protein isolate + 25 g dose of carbohydrate powder (+5 g dose of creatine monohydrate) (Creatine) for a ~24-day period (average supplementation duration was 23 ± 2 days; minimum days = 21, maximum days = 26). All supplements were provided to participants in powder form and were of similar texture, bitterness, appearance, and sweetness. All supplements were weighed and blinded by research personnel not involved in testing. The groups were instructed to ingest the supplements daily, within one hour after exercise on training days, and on non-training days first thing in the morning (immediately upon waking). The whey protein isolate and maltodextrin were provided by Argopur Dairy Cooperative (La Crosse, WI, USA) and the creatine was sourced from 1st Phorm, LLC (St. Louis, MO, USA).