Creatine offers broad health benefits beyond fitness

Creatine offers broad health benefits beyond fitness

Creatine, the supplement popular among athletes to build strength and power, is increasingly recognized for its broad health benefits.

According to Dr. According to Richard Kreider, professor and director of the Training & Sport Nutrition Lab at Texas A&M University, the compound's usefulness extends far beyond the gym. Kreider has spent more than 30 years studying the effects of creatine, a naturally occurring compound stored in muscle that combines with phosphate to form creatine phosphate, needed for cellular energy.

When the body is stressed as in exercise or under metabolic conditions such as some diseases, creatine phosphate is required to maintain energy in the cell and therefore has effects on exercise in addition to those seen. “

Dr. Richard Kreider, Professor and Director of the Training & Sport Nutrition Lab, Texas A&M University

How much creatine do we need?

Our bodies manage about one gram per day, but it is recommended to get two to four grams of creatine per day depending on muscle mass and activity levels. According to Kreider, most people only get enough creatine from their diet. The best sources of creatine in the diet are meat and fish.

"You only get one gram of creatine per pound of red meat or fish like salmon, so it's expensive and takes a lot of calories to get one gram," Kreider said. This is why supplementation is important, especially for vegetarians or vegans who don't consume enough creatine in their diet.

For athletes with performance-related goals, Kreider said it's a supplement of 5 grams four times daily for a week. The supplement “helps load the muscle with more energy,” providing improved high-intensity exercise, recovery, and even cognitive function. Thereafter, consuming 5 to 10 grams per day will maintain creatine stores and provide enough creatine for the brain.

Creatine is not separate from athletic performance, but is important for everyone as they age throughout their lives, Kreider said. It can help older adults who lose muscle mass and cognitive function with age, and in adolescents, low dietary intake of creatine is associated with slower growth, less muscle mass and higher body fat.

Is creatine safe?

In a comprehensive review published in February in theJournal of the International Society for Sports NutritionKreider and colleagues analyzed 685 clinical trials of creatine supplementation to assess the safety and frequency of reported side effects. The analysis showed that there were no significant differences in the rates of side effects for participants taking a placebo and taking creatine.

Anecdotal concerns like bloating or cramping say Kreider says these claims aren't scrutinized, and studies have shown that creatine can actually prevent cramps because it helps the body retain more fluid.

Despite the strong evidence base, Kreider said creatine has long been the subject of misunderstanding and misinformation. He is among members of the International Society of Sports Nutrition who recently issued a letter affirming the safety and effectiveness of creatine and urged lobbyists and policymakers not to restrict access to it.

“There is absolutely no data to support a negative side effect anecdotally about creatine on the internet and in the media,” he said. “Creatine is safe and it is important for everyone, not just bodybuilders and athletes.”

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