What Creatine does for our Bodies
By now, I’m guessing that everyone has heard that creatine is an important supplement that can boost your body’s ability to build and maintain muscle mass. But what is creatine and is it safe?
Creatine is naturally produced in the body and is present in some of the foods we eat, like red meat and seafood. It is synthesised in the body, primarily in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. Creatine works by expanding our energy reserve by increasing glycogen storage in the muscle. Glycogen can quickly convert into glucose, to fuel muscle contraction, circulation of blood, and various body movements. That is why creatine has become so popular as a means to benefit athletic performance.
Creatine supplementation itself does not build muscle. But, with regular resistance training and a well-balanced diet it has been found to enhance athletic performance. It also expedites muscle recovery. Creatine also offers benefits beyond the gym; in addition to the touted athletic performance-enhancing effects, recent studies have discovered that creatine can positively benefit cognition and cardiovascular health as well. It is also becoming more popular as a means to offset age-related muscle loss. Another interesting finding, speculative at this point, is that creatine may promote changes in glucose metabolism that may improve insulin resistance for Type 2 diabetics– although more controlled studies need to be conducted before this claim can be relied upon.
It is not just athletes who can benefit from the supplement — there’s a growing body of research that suggests it may be especially beneficial for pre- and post-menopausal women. Creatine supplementation among pre-menopausal females appears to be effective in improving strength and exercise performance. Post-menopausal females may also experience benefits in skeletal muscle size and function when consuming creatine, including favorable effects on bone density when combined with resistance training. Evidence also indicates positive effects on mood, cognitive processing, and memory. Studies have shown that women tend to have lower levels of creatine in their brains, which can affect mood and other mental functions. Taking creatine supplements might help boost mood and reduce depression symptoms, possibly by restoring brain energy levels.
Side effects
Creatine is actually one of the most studied supplements out there (according to ResearchGate, over 500 studies have been conducted on the effects of creatine and muscle physiology). It is consistently found to be a relatively safe and effective supplement.
So what are the known side effects? Well, there is little documentation in the literature on the side effects of creatine. The lack of documentation for a supplement so extremely well studied indicates that side effects are uncommon and likely anecdotal based on a person’s unique response. What is known is that creatine increases water retention in muscle cells, so to avoid cramps or dehydration, stay hydrated.
The supplement industry is a huge business. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act restricts the FDA's ability to regulate products marketed as "dietary supplements" even though most people buy them for health. That means manufacturers can sell supplements without submitting evidence of their purity, potency, safety, or efficacy. There is no way of knowing what other ingredients may be included in the product you are buying, so there is always the potential that a creatine supplement contains less or more than the amount on the label because it is unregulated. A supplement has the potential to contain other ingredients that could potentially be harmful for you. So only buy from a high-quality source.
In reviewing the research, most studies have found no significant side effects on using the recommended dosage of creatine (5 mg/day). The potential for side effects appears to be very limited, but if one were searching for a negative side effect, it ‘might’ make kidney disease worse in people who already have kidney disease, or ‘mania’ worse in people with bipolar disorder. For individuals with Parkinson’s, if caffeine and creatine are taken together, it may make symptoms of Parkinson's disease worse.
When is the best time to take creatine?
The benefits of taking creatine before or after a workout have been well established. Findings show creatine will boost your training sessions, assist in building muscle, and aid in your recovery. However, what is debated is when and how to take the supplement. Studies conflict on whether adding protein and/or carbs with the timing of creatine is essential; the research does indicate that it is better to time creatine shortly before or after you exercise, rather than long before or after. On your rest days, it may be beneficial to take it with food, but the timing is probably not as important as on exercise days.
The most well-researched and effective form is creatine monohydrate. Other forms, like buffered creatine, have not shown superior benefits and tend to be more expensive.
Here are the Key Take Aways:
Bottom line: Creatine use seems to provide many health benefits with very little to no side effects, particularly for women. When used consistently, the effects demonstrate improvements in muscle and brain functionality (short-term memory and reasoning capabilities), and have been shown to result in improvements in strength and exercise capacity. When combined with resistance training, creatine further augments body composition and bone mineral density, particularly in post-menopausal females. Common myths about creatine: There are many misconceptions about creatine. It’s been around for a long time and has been extensively studied. Here are some common myths:
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