Why do people take creatine?
Despite creatine’s wide use, the evidence that creatine supplements improve athletic performance is inconclusive. The potential benefits of creatine may depend on many factors, including age, fitness level, diet, and athletic activity. There is some good evidence that creatine might help modestly with sports that require sudden bursts of activity. Examples are sprinting or weightlifting. It may also increase muscle mass in some people.
However, the evidence that creatine boosts stamina or performance in aerobic activity is mixed. It may not have the same benefits in older people. Since it causes water retention, creatine could slow down some athletes.
Researchers have also studied creatine as a treatment for many health conditions. There is ongoing research to see if it might help with congestive heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, and muscular dystrophy, but more research is needed. Creatine has also been studied for conditions such as Huntington’s disease and Lou Gehrig’s disease, and to help with bone health. But the results have been conflicting or inconclusive.
How much creatine should you take?
Creatine is an unproven treatment. There is no established dose. Many different dosages of creatine supplements have been used in studies. For athletic performance, some people start with 10 grams to 20 grams of creatine a day. This is typically followed by a maintenance dose of 2 grams to 5 grams of creatine a day.
Can you get creatine naturally from foods?
Natural food sources of creatine include meat, poultry, and fish.
What are the risks of taking creatine?
- Side effects of creatine may include water retention, nausea, diarrhea, cramping, muscle pain, and high blood pressure. To prevent dehydration, experts often suggest drinking plenty of water when using creatine.
- Interactions. Large amounts of carbohydrates may increase the effects of creatine. Caffeine may decrease the muscle effects. Using creatine along with stimulants such as caffeine, guarana, and others could potentially cause dangerous cardiovascular side effects.
- Risks. The long-term risks of creatine are unknown. People with kidney or liver disease should not take creatine. Creatine may affect blood sugar levels, so the supplement may not be safe for people with diabetes.
Given the lack of evidence about its safety, creatine is not recommended for children or for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Consult your doctor before taking creatine supplements.
How Does Creatine Supplement Work?
When you take creatine, most of it will end up in your muscles. Your muscles will change it into phosphocreatine by adding phosphoric acid to it.
By taking a creatine supplement, such as creatine monohydrate, you can change the amount of phosphocreatine and creatine in your muscles. The extra creatine can help your muscles make more ATP faster as you use it to fuel your cells during high-intensity exercise.
One reason your body builds more lean muscle tissue when you take creatine is that your muscles will hold more water. The pressure from the water in your cells causes your muscles to swell. This water and swelling can also make cells grow.
Is creatine a steroid?
No. Creatine is not a steroid. While it’s a good idea to check with a doctor before taking any supplement including creatine no matter how healthy or fit you are, many athletes take creatine. It is legal to use it, and many sports organizations including the International Olympic Committee and the National Collegiate Athletic Association allow it. Even though it’s not a steroid and it’s safe for most people to take it, it’s not a good idea to overuse it or take too much.
Creatine Benefits
Other Benefits of Creatine
In addition to your muscles, creatine might have health benefits for other parts of your body, including your heart, brain, bones, and skin. For example, it may help with:
Heart disease. There’s some evidence creatine can lower triglyceride levels in your blood if they’re too high. Some studies also show it could help people with heart failure get more exercise without feeling fatigued. But not all studies have found this. It may also lower levels of a chemical called homocysteine, which has links to heart attack and stroke.
Cancer. Creatine is thought to slow the growth of tumors. It may also boost the ability of the immune system to fight cancer. But some studies suggest that creatine also can make cancer more likely to spread. You should be careful about taking creatine if you have cancer.
Muscular dystrophy. If you have muscular dystrophy, your cells may have less creatine. Some studies show supplements may help with muscle strength. But it’s not clear how well this works long term.
