Creatine supplements are usually available in powder form
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Creatine is one of the most widely studied performance-enhancing substances in the world. Once dismissed as just a bodybuilding supplement, its popularity among the public is growing alongside the interest of scientists.
Although this supplement is commonly associated with improving strength and muscle mass, evidence suggests that it actually plays a role in everything from growth to brain health in children and adolescents.
“After 20 to 30 years of research into physical performance, we have discovered many health benefits,” says Richard Kreider of Texas A&M University. “This is a remarkable nutrient that helps our cells in a variety of ways, not just athletic performance.”
What is creatine?
This is a compound that is naturally produced in our bodies and in the bodies of other vertebrates. It is primarily found in the muscles, but also appears in the brain, blood, testicles, and other tissues and organs.
Our bodies synthesize creatine, with 1 to 2 grams produced daily by the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and brain. People who eat protein-rich animal foods get about the same amount from their diet.
“When you consume protein, that protein is made up of amino acids. When three specific amino acids combine, they form a molecule called creatine,” says Scott Forbes from Brandon University in Canada.
How does creatine work in the body?
According to Forbes, it plays a key role in the intricate way our bodies produce energy at the cellular level. “It is converted into a molecule called phosphocreatine, stored, and then rapidly broken down into energy.”
Like carbohydrates, creatine is used to create adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which stores energy and delivers it to cells. It also appears to protect the structure and function of mitochondria, the energy powerhouses within cells.
Forbes says creatine is especially helpful when you’re stressed or when your tissues are starved of oxygen due to conditions like asthma or anemia. “Any situation where you might need more energy,” he says.
How does it affect physical performance?
Creatine has been available as a sports supplement since the early 1990s and has long been believed to help athletes improve strength and speed.
There are thousands of studies supporting this, Kreider says. “Athletes with higher creatine stores sprint faster, recover faster, do more total work, and have 10-15% better performance and training adaptability. That’s not humbling at all. ”
Supplementing with creatine also leads to rapid increases in muscle mass, making it popular among bodybuilders. “We know that trained athletes can gain up to 10 pounds of muscle mass within five to 10 weeks,” Kreider says. “That’s deep. If you compare it to a control where someone just trains and eats normally, they could gain half a kilogram per month.”
Creatine supplements can be especially beneficial later in life. “We recommend creatine for active aging to reduce muscle decline and maintain muscle performance,” says Kreider.
However, researchers stress that this is not a panacea to replace a healthy lifestyle. Forbes says, “Real benefits are only achieved when combined with exercise and strength training, especially when it comes to muscle growth.”
What effect does creatine have on the brain?
Many papers have shown that creatine supplementation can improve aspects of cognitive performance. A small study published earlier this year found that a single dose of creatine improved memory and processing speed within three hours in sleep-deprived people compared to a placebo.
However, not all studies have yielded consistent results. In 2023, the largest randomized, placebo-controlled study of creatine’s effects on cognition to date found only a small beneficial effect, equivalent to a 1 to 2.5 point increase in intelligence quotient (IQ).
“Most studies show that it can affect the brain, but in young, healthy people, unless the brain is stressed by lack of sleep or mental fatigue, it can have a large effect on the brain. It doesn’t seem to play a role,” Forbes said.
And although research on this is still in its early stages, it may also have protective effects against neurodegenerative conditions (for example, Alzheimer’s patients have low levels of creatine in their brains) and even physical brain damage.
“For example, when you have a concussion, you’re essentially experiencing an ischemic phenomenon, meaning areas of the brain are starved of oxygen, limiting their function and causing swelling and inflammation.” Ryder says. “At least in animals given creatine, we’ve found that concussion injuries are reduced by about half.”
How does creatine affect our overall health?
Because creatine acts at the cellular level, researchers believe its positive effects may be widespread within the body. “We found that increasing energy availability within the cell is important, especially when there are many constraints on the energy supply,” says Kreider. “For example, if you have a heart attack or stroke, the extent of the damage is reduced because (creatine) is protecting the cells.”
An analysis of data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey also suggests that creatine may be beneficial for children. “Children who grow up with less creatine in their diets have less muscle, are shorter, and have higher body fat,” Kreider says. “Adolescent girls with higher creatine levels have fewer menstrual cycle problems.”
He also points to research that supports creatine’s effectiveness in strengthening bones, lowering levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and managing blood sugar levels, although a review of multiple studies on the latter found that diabetes Results for patients have been shown to be inconsistent.
Who should receive it?
There is an emerging consensus among scientists that creatine supplementation is beneficial for almost everyone. Over time, Kreider predicts this will be recommended for specific groups, such as the elderly, pregnant people, and people who don’t eat meat, fish, or dairy products.
He also thinks certain foods will one day be fortified with creatine. “It starts in the plant-based space, adding creatine to things like plant-based protein powders and veggie burgers,” Kreider says. “That way we can fill in the gaps in their diet.”
Does it matter when I take creatine?
Time of day may only be important for athletes who are trying to win a race or beat a personal best. “We’ve found that if you take this right near your workout, your results will be a little bit better,” says Forbes.
However, creatine is also stored in the body as an energy store. “Think of an endurance athlete whose pace changes during a race,” says Forbes. “All of a sudden someone runs off and you’re like, ‘Hey, how did they do that?'” Well, they changed the power output pretty drastically, and I think creatine plays a role in that. . ”
Although the effects of supplements are relatively long-lasting, they still need to be repeated. “Once you stop taking creatine, it takes four to six weeks to return to baseline,” says Forbes. “Some people cycle with and without creatine, but no study has ever compared consuming long-term on and off cycling to simply taking creatine.”
How should I take it?
Creatine is available in powder, tablet, or gummy form. In terms of effectiveness, tablets and powders tend to be the formulations tested in research because they’ve been around for a while, but there doesn’t seem to be any difference between them.
There are also different types of creatine available, but creatine monohydrate is the most widely available and the most well-studied.
Does creatine have side effects?
According to Forbes, supplements are generally considered safe at the doses most people take (about 5 grams a day). However, some people report dehydration and muscle cramps. “There are a few people who have GI (gastrointestinal) disorders,” Forbes says. “They’re taking creatine, but it doesn’t sit well in their stomachs. For those people, we recommend lowering their creatine intake.”
You may need to consult your doctor before taking supplements
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