This week’s email is in response to a question posed by a newsletter subscriber. She asked, “Should I be taking creatine?”
Have you been wondering the same thing? If you want to stop reading here, the short answer is, “Sure!”
But if you want to know why it might help you, please read on.
Background
Creatine as a supplement is not new. It first came to the attention of the general public during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics when British track and field stars credited their gold-medal wins to creatine supplementation. Understandably, its use exploded from there. Since that time, it has been studied extensively.
The consensus is that creatine is a beneficial AND safe supplement that should not be reserved just for Olympic competitors.
What it is
Creatine can be formed by the body, through reactions involving specific amino acids. It can also be consumed by eating meat and/or through dietary supplementation. Once produced or ingested, it’s stored in our bodies.
Creatine monohydrate is the most studied dietary supplement and what you should purchase, if you decide supplementation is right for you. It’s made in a lab by combining two substances: sodium sarcosinate and cyanamide.
The Benefits
Creatine benefits are generally categorized into what it can do for the body from an athletic perspective, what it can do for the body from an aging/disease perspective, and what it can do for the brain.
There are a multitude of cognitive benefits but several stood out to me as I reviewed the findings of numerous studies.
For example, creatine may improve cognitive function by increasing the supply of energy to the brain. A 2003 study revealed that creatine supplementation could be helpful to “speed of processing” related to working memory and intelligence.
A more recent meta-analysis, or a study of several studies, concluded that creatine improved memory performance measures in healthy individuals, but the results were more notable in study participants aged 66 to 76.
A study published in 2024 indicated that creatine supplementation can have a positive impact on the cognitive deterioration associated with sleep-deprivation.
Emerging research claims creatine supplementation may also have positive outcomes for: mood disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); neurodegenerative diseases; diabetes, osteoarthritis; fibromyalgia; aging; decreased blood flow to the brain and heart; adolescent depression; and pregnancy. More research is required to further explore the link between these and how creatine supplementation may improve outcomes.
For those interested in athletic enhancements, creatine can help improve physical performance by building strength and power, while also offsetting athletic fatigue during max-effort training sessions. Offsetting fatigue can open the window for greater training volume and intensity, which can then help build bigger muscles and overall athleticism.
Creatine supplementation can also have positive impacts on body composition. More muscle generally equals more calories burned, even at rest. And while muscle mass may increase, fat stores may decrease because of a higher metabolic rate, resulting in a more “toned” or athletic physique.
There is also some evidence to suggest that creatine might be helpful to endurance athletes because it may also extend the timeframe until athletes feel fatigued. The data is less definitive here, but creatine supplementation can be thrown in the “worth a shot” bucket when it comes to endurance sports. It may help, and it may not, but it certainly won’t hurt.
Promising research also links creatine supplementation to athlete recovery. Creatine supplementation may help reduce the damage to muscle and/or enhance recovery after intense sessions or endurance activities.
Other research suggests that creatine supplementation may also help older adults maintain their muscle mass and prevent bone loss, when combined with a physical stimulus such as resistance training. This is especially important because stronger muscles as we age can prevent adverse outcomes such as lack of balance and functional strength that limit independence. Maintaining strength as we age also reduces the possibility of catastrophic falls that can result in severe fractures leading to physical disability and even death.
Will you benefit from creatine supplementation?
While research shows that pretty much everyone can benefit from creatine supplementation in some way, there will be more obvious benefits for people who have low creatine body stores when they begin supplementation.
People who fall into this category may include vegetarians or those who eat very little animal protein. That’s because creatine is found naturally in animal proteins.
Older adults are also more likely to notice the benefits of creatine supplementation. As we age, our bodies become less efficient at making creatine and if we aren’t getting it from our diet, muscle and brain levels diminish.
Safety
Creatine is considered to be one of the most scrutinized supplements of all time and research consistently shows that it poses no adverse health risks. It’s considered both safe AND effective. In 2022, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) released a position statement on creatine, in part, stating that “Creatine monohydrate supplementation is not only safe, but has been reported to have a number of therapeutic benefits in healthy and diseased populations ranging from infants to the elderly.”
Early concerns around creatine supplementation focused on the risk of kidney damage/renal dysfunction. Research confirms that when creatine is ingested at the recommended dosages that there is no risk to the kidneys. However, this myth does continue to circulate through various avenues of misinformation.
Other concerns have been raised about dehydration and muscle cramping as a risk of creatine supplementation. This has also been ruled out.
Dose
Dosing of creatine monohydrate is recommended at 3-5g daily. Some recommendations encourage a “loading phase”, suggesting higher doses for the first days or weeks to build up stores. It’s really only beneficial to do this if you have a big athletic competition coming up where max output might be an issue. Otherwise, for the average person, building up your stores over 3-4 weeks using the 3-5g daily dose is sufficient.
One suggestion is to treat your creatine supplement like a multivitamin—take it daily but don’t stress if you miss a day or two. Creatine monohydrate is a tasteless granular white powder that can be mixed with beverages or even into your food. I add it to my yogurt or oatmeal.
Although I take mine with the first meal of the day, the exact timing of supplementation doesn’t seem to matter. Some proponents will suggest taking it after a workout to maximize muscle recovery, but because you’re working to maintain your bodily stores, you’ll always have some in your system meaning exact intake timing is less relevant.
Potential side effects
Water retention has been noted as a potential side effect of creatine supplementation. For some people, this may show up in the first several days. However, several studies have also shown that changes in water held within the body did not occur. I’ve been taking creatine for about two and a half months now and I didn’t detect any noticeable change in my bodyweight within the first few weeks.
What it won’t do
While creatine’s known and newly emerging benefits are widespread, creatine should not be looked upon as a magic potion that will solve all things.
It will not take the place of the very real benefits of focusing on the interrelated aspects of your own health and wellness. This includes participating in resistance training, aerobic activity, getting adequate and good quality sleep, eating a nutritious diet with sufficient protein, having a strong purpose in life, engaging in meaningful social relationships, challenging yourself cognitively, learning to tolerate stress more effectively, and having a healthy internal dialogue and mindset.
And while it might not take the place of effort in those areas, it might just enhance it. Do you think creatine supplementation is right for you?
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