Creatine has recently risen from being a just classic sports supplement to a multifunctional supplement for overall well-being. Creatine has long been associated with bodybuilding and performance enhancement, but recent research has also highlighted its positive effects on brain health and memory, nervous system stress, and aging. In this blog, we take a closer look at creatine and it`s recent studies to find out who can benefit from using creatine? and is creatine really a safe to be used in everyday life?
What is creatine?
Creatine is a compound formed from amino acids (glycine, arginine, and methionine). Our bodies can produce small amounts of creatine naturally, on average 1-2 g per day. Creatine is obtained from animal products such as meat and fish.
Approximately 90-95% of creatine is stored in our muscles, with the rest stored in the brain. If the body receives an optimal amount of creatine, it enhances ATP energy production in the muscles, which provides rapid energy for high-intensity efforts such as sprinting, lifting, or jumping.
Creatine helps regulate the energy available to our cells and tissues. It is stored in the muscles as phosphocreatine. However, the body can only utilize a limited amount of creatine, and any excess is usually excreted in the urine.
Performance, strength, and muscle mass
Several meta-analyses have confirmed the effect of creatine on strength and performance. The official health claim for creatine states that creatine improves physical performance in successive short-term, high-intensity exercises. This claim can only be made for foods that provide 3 g of creatine per day.
Of course, muscles are not built by sitting on the couch. Creatine increases muscle strength and performance, especially in young and middle-aged adults, when used as a supplement to training. Creatine can also support recovery by helping to replenish cellular energy stores after exercise.
In addition, creatine binds water to muscles, which increases cell volume and can activate protein synthesis – i.e., support muscle growth at the cellular level. Combined with regular strength training and adequate nutrition, creatine makes training more effective, recovery faster, and progress more visible.
Creatine as a supplement?
The body consumes an average of 1–2 grams of creatine per day. However, most diets contain too little creatine to optimize muscle creatine stores. In addition, cooking meat reduces its creatine content. The body's own production is also not necessarily sufficient to achieve optimal creatine levels. Muscles are typically 60–80% "full" of creatine, so supplementation can increase these stores by 20–40%.
The use of creatine as a supplement therefore increases the amount of creatine in the body. If the body receives an optimal amount of creatine, it enhances ATP energy production in the muscles. Combined with regular strength training and adequate nutrition, creatine supplementation makes training more effective, recovery faster, and progress more visible.
Memory, attention, and learning
The brain uses a tremendous amount of energy, and ATP appears to be linked to brain function. One study found that in mentally demanding situations, the brain needed more creatine because ATP turnover is higher in stressful situations. Creatine supplementation appeared to improve cognitive performance and brain function and reduce mental fatigue, especially in stressful situations.
Several other studies and meta-analyses convey the same message. The role of creatine in brain health and learning appears promising, and new creatine studies have investigated the significance and effects of both single doses and long-term use.
However, the research is not yet sufficient to support new claims about creatine. This has been confirmed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and many other actors and researchers. Positive results have been obtained, particularly during sleep deprivation and other special circumstances, but this is not sufficient to generalize or allow the use of claims in marketing.
Aging and muscle loss
Muscle mass and strength naturally decrease with age. Studies have shown that a combination of creatine and exercise improves muscle strength, balance, and even bone density in older adults. As muscle mass and strength naturally decline with age, creatine combined with exercise may help maintain muscle function. When combined with adequate protein intake, hydration, and strength training 2-3 times a week, creatine may also have the potential to counteract age-related muscle atrophy.
Creatine and women
Recent research has provided new evidence that most women who follow a Western diet do not consume enough creatine-rich foods. Women have also been found to have lower creatine stores than men. Creatine is produced and stored in muscles, and women generally have less muscle mass than men. Another reason is that women often eat less beef and pork than men.
In studies, women have responded better to creatine supplementation than men on average. This has been interpreted as meaning that women have a greater deficiency of creatine and therefore supplements may be more beneficial for them. In one study, a group of women took 5 g of creatine daily and performed whole-body strength training twice a week for 14 weeks. The researchers found that the women's muscle strength and body composition (especially in the lower body) improved significantly, but their sleep quality also improved, especially in women approaching menopause, who reported waking up less often during the night and sleeping better.
Thanks to its wide-ranging physiological role, creatine is a promising dietary supplement for women of all ages who want to maintain muscle mass, increase energy, and support brain health—regardless of whether they go to the gym or just want to stay active and healthy.
Who benefits from creatine supplementation?
There is evidence that people who do not get creatine from their diet have lower creatine levels in their muscles, suggesting that they are unable to achieve optimal levels for creatine-dependent activities. For this reason, creatine can help many other groups of people in addition to athletes:
Athletes who engage in strength, power, or intermittent high-intensity training. Creatine combined with training increases muscle strength and performance in young and middle-aged adults. Those who engage in repetitive, short, and intense forms of exercise, such as sprinting, weightlifting, or swimming, are particularly likely to benefit from creatine use. Creatine is also valuable for athletes who want to build, maintain, or restore muscle mass, e.g., after an injury.
Adults and working-age Creatine is not just a power supplement, but part of overall well-being. Research results show the effect of creatine on strength, power, and muscle mass. New studies also point to benefits for brain health, memory, the nervous system, and aging.
Women Creatine is a promising dietary supplement, especially for women of all ages who want to maintain muscle mass, increase energy, and support brain health.
Older adults For example, for people over the age of 65, creatine can help combat age-related muscle loss when combined with adequate protein intake, hydration, and strength training 2-3 times a week.
Vegetarians and vegans Since creatine is found mainly in animal products, vegetarians and vegans may not get all the creatine their bodies need. Research on this topic is still limited, but according to current studies, vegans might benefit from usage of creatine supplements.
Creatine is not recommended for individuals under the age of 18. Although studies of young athletes (aged 14–18) show potential improvements in strength and power without significant adverse effects, long-term studies are limited.
Usage and safety of creatine
In healthy adults, creatine supplementation has not been shown to cause any harm to kidney function, for example, and long-term use is considered safe. Health claims for creatine may be made for products containing at least 3 g of creatine per day. In clinical studies and in everyday use by athletes, the most common dose has been 5 g of creatine per day.
The usual dose is about 3–5 g per day. Any time of day. On training days, before training.
Recent studies have also used daily doses of 10 g, which are still within safe limits. However, the optimal dosage always depends on individual needs and endurance.
Loading phase 20 g of creatine (4 doses of 5 g during the day) for 5–7 days, followed by 3–5 g of creatine daily (throughout the year) to maintain muscle creatine levels. Creatine loading can enable muscles to saturate more quickly. This way, the benefits of creatine can also be seen more quickly. However, a daily dose of 20 g may cause stomach upset, bloating, or diarrhea in some people.
In principle, creatine supplements can be taken at any time or divided into several doses throughout the day. On training days, creatine can be taken before training if you want to take advantage of and ensure the effects of creatine during training. Creatine can also be taken after training. On non-training days, you can take creatine in the morning, especially if you suffer from sleep deprivation or prolonged fatigue.
Summary
Undisputed research support the effectiveness of creatine in improving strength, performance, and muscle mass. However, new studies suggest much more diverse benefits. Positive results have been obtained in the treatment of cognitive function and fatigue, particularly in people suffering from sleep deprivation, vegetarians, and the elderly. Positive results also suggest benefits for brain health, memory, nervous system stress, and the elderly.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has assessed that, although the new research results are promising, the current evidence is not yet sufficient to support new health claims for creatine. Time and further research will show which of the potential new uses for creatine will receive official approval.
Today, creatine is seen more as a multifunctional supplement for overall well-being – it is not just a power booster, but part of a holistic approach to wellness. If you are looking for something that is both effective and researched, creatine remains one of the few supplements that meet these criteria.
Authors
Satu Girs, Fytonomi
Tiia Salokangas, PT
