Enhance Your Mind and Physique with This Proven Supplement
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Hop on the fitness bandwagon with creatine, a beloved supplement among athletes, celebrities, and fitness enthusiasts alike. From premier league footballers to Hollywood actors like Ryan Reynolds and Mark Wahlberg, creatine's reputation as a muscle-boosting wonder drug is undeniable.
But what's the real deal behind this popular supplement? Let's delve deeper into the workings of creatine and its effects on both your mind and body.
What does creatine really do?
A staple in the athletic world for decades, creatine is the secret ingredient behind impressive strength and power gains. Footballer Ian Wright once labeled it his "wonder drug," while British sprinters and hurdlers Linford Christie and Sally Gunnell were obsessed with it.
Creatine works by increasing your body's stores of phosphocreatine, a compound essential for producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy source for your muscles. Naturally found in your muscles and brain, creatine is produced in your body and consumed through diet, but in insignificant amounts.
"Your muscles' phosphocreatine stores are limited to supporting short, intense bursts of activity," explains Dr. Marc Fell, nutritionist and scientific officer for the Ineos Grenadiers pro cycling team. By supplementing creatine, you enable your body to start a workout with fully stocked phosphocreatine stores and maintain them during exercise.
"Creatine is primarily found in red meat and shellfish, but in limited quantities," Fell adds. "That's why creatine supplementation is popular—it's a more convenient way to increase phosphocreatine stores quickly."
Case studies and their 'gains'
According to a 2003 review of 500 studies, around 70% showed statistically significant results, while the remaining studies reported "non-significant gains in performance." Translation: Creatine can make a real difference in your workout results. Particularly for athletes who sprint or weight train, creatine helps increase muscle mass and strength.
A 1999 study showed a 32% increase in weight lifted compared to a placebo group over a 12-week training period, and a 2017 study exhibited an 8-week increase in muscle mass of 7.2%. Sounds amazing, right? Yet, not everyone can expect these results. "For endurance athletes, the benefits of creatine are less pronounced, but still present for those incorporating short, high-intensity efforts into their training regimen," says Fell.
Creatine's impact on your brain
Creatine might not be all about bulking up. Emerging evidence suggests that it could also benefit your brain. In essence, creatine enables you to tap into additional energy reserves when mental demands are high.
Considering that your brain consumes an impressive 20% of your resting energy, given its small mass, it's crucial to maintain its energy levels. Research suggests that high doses of daily creatine supplementation could improve cognitive functions such as memory, processing speed, executive function, and sports skill execution.
"Creatine may also aid recovery from concussions in young adults," says Fell. Julia Fabienne Sandkühler, a PhD student at the University of Bonn, Germany, and co-author of a 2023 study examining the effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive performance, adds that the cognitive benefits are particularly pronounced for individuals with cerebral creatine deficiency syndromes and those affected by age-related decreases in brain creatine levels.
To supplement or not?
Creatine has a proven track record of boosting strength, power, and potentially cognitive function for those who meet specific criteria. If you're looking for physical improvements, a "loading" dose of 20g per day (split into 4 x 5g doses) for five days, followed by a daily maintenance dose of 3-5g should do the trick. For potential cognitive benefits, higher doses of around 10g per day may be required due to the difficulty of crossing the blood-brain barrier.
Just like with any supplement, it's essential to consult your doctor before incorporating creatine into your diet or starting a new exercise program. When used correctly, creatine can indeed offer some advantages. But remember, for most people whose diets are balanced, creatine is already a part of their daily intake.
Always consult your doctor before adding supplements to your diet or embarking on a new exercise program.
About our experts
Dr. Marc Fell is a nutritionist and scientific officer for the Ineos Grenadiers pro cycling team.
Julia Fabienne Sandkühler is a PhD student in experimental psychology at the University of Bonn, Germany. Her work has been published in various scientific journals like medRxiv, BMC Medicine, and Scientific Data.
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- Creatine, often associated with the world of sports, is a supplement popular among athletes, celebrities, and fitness enthusiasts, known for its reputation as a muscle-boosting agent.
- The primary function of creatine is to increase the body's stores of phosphocreatine, a compound vital for producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy source for muscles.
- By supplementing creatine, one can start a workout with fully stocked phosphocreatine stores and maintain them during exercise, thus aiding in impressive strength and power gains.
- Research suggests that creatine may also benefit the brain by providing additional energy reserves during periods of high mental demand, potentially improving cognitive functions such as memory, processing speed, and executive function.
- Space and psychology may seem unrelated, but exciting developments in these fields could lead to the exploration of creatine's potential in aiding recovery from concussions in young adults and improving cognitive performance in individuals with specific conditions.
- Energy, health, and wellness enthusiasts might find supplements like creatine beneficial, but it's always essential to consult with a healthcare professional before adding them to your diet or starting a new exercise program.
