Creatine

Everything you need to know about Creatine

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most commonly used and studied dietary sports supplements. It is commonly used by athletes to improve energy and performance and is an allowed substance by the World Anti-Doping agency in sport.

Creatine is produced naturally in our liver, kidneys and pancreas with about half of our supply coming from protein rich foods in our diet such as red meat, seafood and animal milk. About 95% of our body’s creatine is stored in our muscles with the remaining 5% being stored in the brain. Our body uses a substance called ATP for energy. This is quickly depleted when we undergo exercise. Creatine helps us to produce more ATP and provides sustained energy during exercise.

Creatine monohydrate comes in the form of a white powder that can then be mixed with a liquid and consumed. Increased response to creatine is seen when it is consumed with a meal containing both protein and carbohydrates. People who have a lower muscle creatine level, such as vegetarians, tend to show a greater response to creatine supplementation.

The benefits of Creatine

1. Improved exercise performance: Creatine provides us with a more continuous energy supply during exercise and improves recovery after intense exercise. Creatine activates cells in the muscles to help the exercise-induced micro tears heal and promotes recovery.

2. Increased muscle mass. Studies suggest that having an increased creatine content in our muscles is associated with greater body mass. It is suggested that this is because creatine draws water into the muscles, increasing their mass. However, it is also thought that the extra energy and increased performance benefits of creatine contribute to higher training volume and intensity and therefore increases in muscle mass occur.

3. Reduces dehydration and cramping. Creatine draws water into the cells in the muscles, increasing the water content of the muscle. This may help to reduce dehydration and muscle cramps.

4. Benefits for women: Women naturally exhibit ~70-80% lower creatine stores than men. Studies suggest this is possibly due to hormonal effects on chemical reactions in the body. The benefits that have been shown to take place with creatine supplementation include improvements in strength and exercise performance across the lifespan in women, with particular benefits in the muscle size and function and bone density in post- menopausal women, when combined with resistance exercise.

5. Benefits for the Elderly: Some studies suggest that in the elderly population creatine may improve performance in cognitive tasks and help to protect from age-related muscle loss and reduced bone density.

6. Depression: Studies, particularly in women, are showing promising results with the use of creatine in the treatment of depression.

Side effects of Creatine

While Creatine is considered relatively safe, some side effects have been documented. The main ones include:

1.Rapid weight gain: Due to the fluid retention that can be associated with creatine supplementation, some people can experience 1-2kg in unwanted weight gain. This is not fat mass and generally disappears within 4-6 weeks of the creatine being ceased.

2. Gastrointestinal distress: There are reports of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea while using creatine.

There are some medical conditions where the use of Creatine is not recommended.These include but are not limited to asthma, kidney or liver disease and high blood pressure. As with all supplements, it is best to discuss with your medical practitioner if this is suitable for you.

If you want to find out more, head to:

• Australian Institute of Sport Supplement Framework-
  https://www.ais.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1000501/Sport-supplement-fact-sheets-Creatine-v4.pdf

• Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan Perspective-
  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7998865/