- Have you heard of creatine as the latest wellness trend?
Do you know how this popular supplement helps your muscles and even your brain?
Is creatine just for bodybuilders, or can it benefit everyday gym-goers and older adults?
What are the real benefits of creatine, and are there any risks you should know about?
Is there a "best" form of creatine you should be looking for?
Creatine: The Science Behind the Supplement
First, it was mushrooms in your coffee. Then, protein in your soda. Lately, the latest wellness staple sneaking into pantries and gym bags everywhere is creatine. Once confined to the locker rooms of professional athletes and serious bodybuilders, creatine has now muscled its way into Pilates studios, social media trends, and everyday wellness routines. Its rising popularity among women and older adults signals a new understanding of its versatile benefits. But what exactly is creatine, and how can it impact your body and mind?
Some Basics
Creatine is a compound that your body naturally produces, primarily in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. It's made from three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. While our body produces about a gram of creatine per day, we also get it from protein-rich foods like red meat and fish. A person typically uses between 1 and 3 grams of creatine daily. The vast majority of creatine—about 95%—is stored in our skeletal muscles, with a small amount also found in the brain.
Creatine supplements come in various forms, including powders and tablets, with typical daily doses ranging from 3 to 5 grams, and some higher-dose protocols going up to 20 grams. Getting these levels from diet alone is incredibly challenging; for instance, you would need to eat about 1 kg of meat to get just 5 grams of creatine. This is why supplementation has become a convenient way for people to increase their creatine stores.
Inside the Body
The primary role of creatine is to supply energy to your cells, especially your muscles, during high-intensity, short-duration activities. It does this by helping to regenerate a crucial molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the main energy currency of your cells. When your muscles contract, ATP is used up and broken down into adenosine diphosphate (ADP).
This is where creatine steps in. Creatine is stored in your muscles as phosphocreatine. When your cells need to quickly regenerate ATP, phosphocreatine donates a phosphate group to ADP, instantly recycling it back into usable ATP. This process is much faster than other energy systems in the body. The more phosphocreatine stored in your muscles, the faster you can regenerate ATP, allowing you to produce more power and sustain intense effort for short bursts.
Nutritional Importance
The scientific evidence is overwhelmingly clear: creatine is one of the most effective nutritional supplements for improving athletic performance and function. Because it helps with quick, powerful bursts of activity—like jumping, sprinting, and weightlifting—it has a profound, indirect effect on muscle-building and strength. By allowing you to perform more repetitions or lift heavier weights during training, creatine helps you push your muscles further, which leads to increased strength, speed, power, and ultimately, muscle mass.
And you don't have to be an elite athlete to benefit. The same mechanisms that help professional athletes also benefit everyday gym-goers and "weekend warriors." For older adults, creatine is especially valuable. It helps combat sarcopenia, which is the age-related loss of muscle mass. When combined with resistance training, studies show that creatine supplementation can significantly improve muscle mass and strength in older people, which also helps improve their ability to perform daily tasks like sitting and standing, a key indicator of fall risk.
Interestingly, some research suggests that women, who naturally have lower muscle mass than men, may respond even better to creatine supplementation. This is particularly relevant for women in perimenopause and menopause, as creatine can help them maintain and build lean muscle mass, which also positively impacts bone health later in life.
The Link to Brain Health
While creatine's benefits for muscles are well-documented, its effects on the brain are an emerging area of research with promising findings. The brain, like muscles, uses ATP for energy, and it stores a small amount of creatine.
Several reviews of the research have found that creatine supplementation can have positive effects on cognitive function. It has been shown to improve memory, attention span, and information processing speed. These benefits appear to be even greater in certain groups, including those with conditions like fibromyalgia or Parkinson's disease, people aged 18 to 60, and women. Studies also suggest it can reduce mental fatigue, especially during high-stress situations or periods of sleep deprivation.
Some preliminary research even hints that creatine might help support brain energy and the production of "feel-good" neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. This could be particularly relevant for women experiencing brain fog or mood shifts during menopause.
The Right Form and Safety Considerations
When you walk into a store, you might see many different forms of creatine, such as creatine hydrochloride or magnesium creatine chelate. However, the most widely researched, most effective, and cheapest form is creatine monohydrate. According to experts, there's no evidence that other forms offer any additional benefits. It's typically sold as a flavorless powder that you can mix into water or a shake.
For most healthy adults, creatine is a safe and well-tolerated supplement. The most common side effects are minor and often related to dosing. These can include temporary water retention and a slight weight gain in the first week, bloating, and mild gastrointestinal discomfort. It’s worth noting that some users report headaches or muscle cramps, particularly if they change their dose or frequency.
However, creatine is not for everyone. The evidence is not clear for certain groups, including pregnant or breastfeeding individuals, and those with pre-existing kidney or liver disease. The FDA does not regulate dietary supplements for purity, so it is always wise to choose a reputable brand with third-party testing to ensure you are getting a clean, safe product. Most importantly, as with any supplement, you should always consult your doctor before beginning a creatine regimen, especially if you have an underlying health condition.
@melrobbins This is the one of the most important supplements you should be taking as a woman. Check out this must-listen episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast with world-renowned exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist, @Dr Stacy Sims. Listen now! 🎧 "The Body Reset: How Women Should Eat & Exercise for Health, Fat Loss, & Energy." #melrobbins #melrobbinspodcast #creatine #creatineforwomen ♬ original sound - Mel Robbins
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