Introduction
What is creatine? You may think of it as some "scary" supplement that only jacked gym bros take. But creatine is so much more than than. Sure, it absolutely does have it's exercise benefits, but the benefits of creatine go beyond the gym.
Studies show that creatine supplementation can improve strength, exercise performance, and muscle growth. It can aid in speeding up muscle recovery by activating satellite cells in your muscles. Going further though, creatine may also lead to improved brain function, lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure, and improved symptoms of fatty liver disease.
What is it?
Creatine is typically though of as a supplement, but it's a naturally occuring compound found in food. Creatine is abundant in red meat, fish, and animal based milks, meaning that vegetarians and vegans are likely low in this critical nutrient. Even most omnivores probably aren't getting enough creatine from diet alone, myself included. The body can also naturally produce creatine using the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. On average, 1-2 g of creatine is consumed per day by those with omnivorous diets, and the body will produce another 1-2 g naturally.
Where is it Stored?
Creatine phosphate is predominantly stored in the muscles, about 95%, while the remaining is generally found in the brain. Increased intake of creatine leads to enhanced production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is your body's energy source. Essentially, taking creatine leads to increased energy production in your body. Higher levels of ATP aid in the following:
Creatine can significantly help you in the gym, as it's main job is increasing the stores of phosphocreatine in muscle tissue. Your muscles can then uses these increased stores to produce more ATP, leading to better exercise performance. Creatine also can help with muscle growth by raising anabolic hormones, such as testosterone and human growth hormone.
Beyond the Gym?
Creatine is a well studied and commonly taken supplement among the lifting community, but its benefits extend to brain health as well. Phospohocreatine is also stored in the brain. Because of this, creatine supplementation can promote brain health, and may even improve symptoms of Alzheimer's disease according to a study conducted at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Supplementation with 20 g of creatine (4x the normal dose) lead to an 11% increase in brain creatine levels over 8 weeks in 60-90 year old patients with Alzheimer's.
Preclinical studies on animals are showing that creatine supplementation may also aid in treating Parkinson's, ALS, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injuries. Even for those without any neurological conditions, creatine may improve short-term memory, especially in vegetarians or vegans.
Furthermore, creatine may aid in preventing injury, dehydration, and muscle cramps. It can also help prevent sarcopenia by promoting good bone health. Finally, creams containing creatine may even help reduce wrinkles.
What About Side Effects?
Many people think of creatine as a "scary drug", and actually confuse them with steroids. But the science shows that it's safe and well-tolerated in healthy individuals. Long term studies show no evidence of liver or kidney damage when taken in the proper dosage. However, absense of evidence is not evidence of absense. That said, if you are pregnant, breastfeeed, or have kidney, liver, or other metabolic issues, consult your healthcare provider first.
Possible Side Effects
Creatine supplementation is typically found in the form known as creatine monohydrate. Typically, supplementation involves mixing 1 scoop (5 g) into a glass of water, and drinking it. Here is an inexpensive and well reviewed creatine monohydrate product found on Amazon.
Sometimes, a "loading phase" is recommended, where you take 4 servings of about 5 g each, spread out throughout the day. This is done for about a week before going to the "maintenance dose" of 1 scoop (about 3-5 g). This is to rapidly increase the muscle stores of creatine; otherwise, it could take as long as 4 weeks to fully build up the stores. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), a more accurate dose for the loading phase is 0.3 g per kg of bodyweight (or 0.14 g of creatine per pound).
Note About Me
I don't personally take creatine (yet), but writing this article serves as a way for me to do more research into the supplement before I begin trying it out to see if I can observe it's benefits. While I will try it as recommended in water, I'll also be trying stirring it into a bowl of yogurt or oats to make it more palatable. Either way, I'll pair it will a full glass of water.
Food Sources of Creatine (per 100 g)
Sources
This post may contain affiliate links
What is creatine? You may think of it as some "scary" supplement that only jacked gym bros take. But creatine is so much more than than. Sure, it absolutely does have it's exercise benefits, but the benefits of creatine go beyond the gym.
Studies show that creatine supplementation can improve strength, exercise performance, and muscle growth. It can aid in speeding up muscle recovery by activating satellite cells in your muscles. Going further though, creatine may also lead to improved brain function, lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure, and improved symptoms of fatty liver disease.
What is it?
Creatine is typically though of as a supplement, but it's a naturally occuring compound found in food. Creatine is abundant in red meat, fish, and animal based milks, meaning that vegetarians and vegans are likely low in this critical nutrient. Even most omnivores probably aren't getting enough creatine from diet alone, myself included. The body can also naturally produce creatine using the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. On average, 1-2 g of creatine is consumed per day by those with omnivorous diets, and the body will produce another 1-2 g naturally.
Where is it Stored?
Creatine phosphate is predominantly stored in the muscles, about 95%, while the remaining is generally found in the brain. Increased intake of creatine leads to enhanced production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is your body's energy source. Essentially, taking creatine leads to increased energy production in your body. Higher levels of ATP aid in the following:
- Improved cell signaling
- Increased intracellular hydration
- Lower levels of myostatin
- Improved endurance
- Improved explosive factor
- Increased work and volume of exercise performed
Creatine can significantly help you in the gym, as it's main job is increasing the stores of phosphocreatine in muscle tissue. Your muscles can then uses these increased stores to produce more ATP, leading to better exercise performance. Creatine also can help with muscle growth by raising anabolic hormones, such as testosterone and human growth hormone.
Beyond the Gym?
Creatine is a well studied and commonly taken supplement among the lifting community, but its benefits extend to brain health as well. Phospohocreatine is also stored in the brain. Because of this, creatine supplementation can promote brain health, and may even improve symptoms of Alzheimer's disease according to a study conducted at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Supplementation with 20 g of creatine (4x the normal dose) lead to an 11% increase in brain creatine levels over 8 weeks in 60-90 year old patients with Alzheimer's.
Preclinical studies on animals are showing that creatine supplementation may also aid in treating Parkinson's, ALS, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injuries. Even for those without any neurological conditions, creatine may improve short-term memory, especially in vegetarians or vegans.
Furthermore, creatine may aid in preventing injury, dehydration, and muscle cramps. It can also help prevent sarcopenia by promoting good bone health. Finally, creams containing creatine may even help reduce wrinkles.
What About Side Effects?
Many people think of creatine as a "scary drug", and actually confuse them with steroids. But the science shows that it's safe and well-tolerated in healthy individuals. Long term studies show no evidence of liver or kidney damage when taken in the proper dosage. However, absense of evidence is not evidence of absense. That said, if you are pregnant, breastfeeed, or have kidney, liver, or other metabolic issues, consult your healthcare provider first.
Possible Side Effects
- Water weight gain
- Dizziness
- Nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting
- Increased sweating
Creatine supplementation is typically found in the form known as creatine monohydrate. Typically, supplementation involves mixing 1 scoop (5 g) into a glass of water, and drinking it. Here is an inexpensive and well reviewed creatine monohydrate product found on Amazon.
Sometimes, a "loading phase" is recommended, where you take 4 servings of about 5 g each, spread out throughout the day. This is done for about a week before going to the "maintenance dose" of 1 scoop (about 3-5 g). This is to rapidly increase the muscle stores of creatine; otherwise, it could take as long as 4 weeks to fully build up the stores. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), a more accurate dose for the loading phase is 0.3 g per kg of bodyweight (or 0.14 g of creatine per pound).
Note About Me
I don't personally take creatine (yet), but writing this article serves as a way for me to do more research into the supplement before I begin trying it out to see if I can observe it's benefits. While I will try it as recommended in water, I'll also be trying stirring it into a bowl of yogurt or oats to make it more palatable. Either way, I'll pair it will a full glass of water.
Food Sources of Creatine (per 100 g)
- Red Meat
- Pork: 500 mg
- Beef: 450 mg
- Poultry
- Chicken: 400 mg
- Turkey: 380 mg
- Fish
- Herring: 650 - 1,000 mg
- Salmon: 450 mg
- Tuna: 450 mg
- Sardines: 400 mg
- Cod: 300 mg
- Other
- Parmesan: 3,000 mg
- Milk: 10 mg
- Eggs: 10 mg
Sources
- FlatIcon
- Talon Fitness - Creatine: The True Nutrients
- Healthline - Everything You Need to Know About Creatine
- KU Medical Center - Creatine shows potential to boost cognition in Alzheimer’s patients
- Alzheimer's Association - Creatine monohydrate pilot in Alzheimer's: Feasibility, brain creatine, and cognition
- Mayo Clinic - Creatine
- Cleveland Clinic - Creatine
- Harvard Health - What is creatine? Potential benefits and risks of this popular supplement
- Medscape - Creatine: Is the Supplement Ready for Clinical Use?
- PubMed - Creatine in Health and Disease
- Medline Plus - Creatine
- Examine - Creatine
- ResearchGate - Creatine Content in Select Foods
- Protéalpes - Which meat contains the most creatine?
