Out of all the sports supplements studied, creatine, protein powder, and caffeine are the most studied and widely recommended. Creatine, the topic of today's article, is one of the few beneficial supplements on the market.
The best-known function of creatine supplementation is to increase its immediate availability to your muscle, which allows improved rapid resynthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the chemical form of energy that cells need for exercise. More access to creatine allows more ATP production when energy needs are highest such as when lifting weights or sprinting. The lesser-known effects of creatine are that it influences helpful inflammatory signals and increases muscle glucose and other growth regulators within muscle cells, which all assist muscle performance further. So only when paired with progressive exercise training, long-term studies all show the benefit of creatine in improving muscle strength, power output, and general exercise performance The Effects of Creatine Supplementation Combined with Resistance Training on Regional Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis - PubMed (nih.gov)
However, creatine might soon be more strongly recommended for many more benefits outside of exercise performance and muscle. Research reviewers are continuing to be interested in creatine effect on:
Reducing fat mass Full article: Creatine supplementation protocols with or without training interventions on body composition: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis (tandfonline.com)
Reducing risk of depression Dietary creatine intake and depression risk among U.S. adults - PubMed (nih.gov)
Improving cognition Creatine Supplementation and Brain Health - PMC (nih.gov) + Creatine supplementation and cognitive performance in elderly individuals - PubMed (nih.gov) or helping improve brain health for those with dementia as seen in rats Creatine as a Therapeutic Target in Alzheimer's Disease - PMC (nih.gov)
Reducing negative effects of sleep loss Effect of creatine supplementation and sleep deprivation, with mild exercise, on cognitive and psychomotor performance, mood state, and plasma concentrations of catecholamines and cortisol - PubMed (nih.gov)
Enhancing cancer immunity Creatine in T Cell Antitumor Immunity and Cancer Immunotherapy - PubMed (nih.gov)
Reducing severity and enhancing recovery from concussion Beyond muscle: the effects of creatine supplementation on brain creatine, cognitive processing, and traumatic brain injury - PubMed (nih.gov)
Benefits vegetarians as a supplement to what might be deficient in a plant-based diet Benefits of Creatine Supplementation for Vegetarians Compared to Omnivorous Athletes: A Systematic Review - PMC (nih.gov)
Currently, the recommendation is to consume creatine monohydrate any time of the day (but with consistent timing), and 5g of creatine per serving will show benefits. More research needs to be done, but taking over 5-10 grams of creatine per serving might be recommended more in the future Full article: Creatine supplementation protocols with or without training interventions on body composition: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis (tandfonline.com)
Other common questions/concerns are all answered/debunked here Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? | Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition | Full Text (biomedcentral.com).
Here is a quick summary:
“Creatine causes significant water retention, dehydration, or cramping.” No. The literature only shows non-significant inconsistent effects.
“Creatine causes balding.” Creatine doesn’t cause balding.
“Follow a “loading phase” or ingest 20g per day for 5-7 days before 5g per day maintenance dose”. In comparison, after 4 weeks, a dosage of 0.1 or 0.15 g/kg/day initially has equal muscle saturation effects compared to a “loading phase.” You do not need to complete a loading phase.
“Creatine only has only short-term benefits and should be cycled off.” As creatine is directly utilised and not stored or long term stabilised in the body, this is similar to saying sugar loses its energetic effect in the long term. Consistent long-term supplementation remains effective.
“Unsafe for kidneys or the gastrointestinal system.” Side effects are rare at creatine dosages of less than 10g/day for long-term supplementation.
“Creatine is a steroid”. It’s not. This is like calling sugar (glucose) a steroid.
“Creatine monohydrate is not the most effective type of creatine.” Actually, any type other than creatine monohydrate is likely to be a less suitable choice despite differences in solubility.
“Timing of ingestion around workout matters.” Nope. Creatine does not consistently have an additive effect if taken before or after a workout. Take it whenever convenient daily.
“I’m too old” or “I’m too young” for creatine. As we already discussed, apart from creatine potentially being helpful for many cognitive benefits, creatine has been shown to be helpful as “an effective intervention for treating frailty” and cachexia (cancer-related muscle loss). Creatine supplementation for older adults: Focus on sarcopenia, osteoporosis, frailty and Cachexia - ScienceDirect plus many other skeletal benefits for older adults Creatine supplementation in the aging population: effects on skeletal muscle, bone and brain | Amino Acids
We sell creatine as Method Health as we support its benefits for your health and performance with no common side effects at recommended dosages. Ask for the prices at our front desk!
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