Creatine’s impact on physical performance and muscle strength has been rigorously studied since the early 20th century, making it one of the most studied and best researched supplements Still, it wasn’t until the 1990s that it became widely available to consumers as a nutritional supplement. Since then it has been marketed to bodybuilders and athletes in search of muscle gains and optimal physical performance.
More recently, a growing number of researchers are exploring its role outside of athletic performance and bodybuilding and, based on their findings, recommend that it could be beneficial as a regular daily supplement to support overall health, fitness, and well-being. .
What is creatine?
As defined in this study 2017published by the Journal of the International Society of Sports NutritionCreatine is a naturally occurring, non-protein amino acid compound found primarily in red meat and shellfish. Most of the body’s creatine, about 95%, is found in skeletal muscle, with small amounts also found in the brain and testicles.
“Studies have consistently shown that creatine supplementation increases intramuscular creatine concentrations, may improve exercise performance, and/or improve training adaptations. Research has indicated that creatine supplementation may enhance post-exercise recovery, injury prevention, thermoregulation, rehabilitation, and spinal cord and/or concussion neuroprotection,” the study authors write.
While there are six main types of creatine, with slight differences reported by the other elements it is bound to, the most researched and most ubiquitous is creatine monohydrate, meaning it is produced by binding creatine to a water molecule. It is also the focus of this article.
Benefits of creatine supplementation
A to study published in January 2021 sought to review and evaluate around 1,322 previously published articles on creatine. Citing some of this peer-reviewed scientific literature, the authors note that creatine supplementation has been found to lead to a 10-20% performance improvement in various high-intensity exercise tasks, including physical activities such as weight training. , golf, volleyball, soccer, softball, ice hockey, running and swimming. These benefits also cover age groups from children to the elderly.
It is these findings and others that have led researchers, over the past two decades, to study the use of creatine beyond the field of athletics. The authors of the aforementioned article write: “In this regard, creatine supplementation has been reported to help lower cholesterol, triglycerides and/or control blood lipid levels; reduce the accumulation of fat in the liver; lower homocysteine thus reducing the risk of heart disease; serve as an antioxidant; improve glycemic control; slow the progress of some forms of cancer; increase strength and muscle mass; minimize bone loss in some studies; improve functional capacity in patients with osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia; improve cognitive function, particularly in older populations; and, in some cases, improve the efficacy of some antidepressant medications.”
Based on their evaluation of these various findings, they agree that creatine supplementation may not only increase cellular energy availability and support health, fitness, and general well-being throughout life, but also promote increase strength and help maintain or increase muscle mass in older people, but “may” also support cognitive function as one ages. Additionally, it “may” support mental health, reproductive health, and skin health, among other benefits.
To complement or not to complement
On average, the human body requires about two grams of creatine per day, half of which is synthesized in the liver and kidneys, and the rest from an omnivorous diet that includes a variety of animal foods, from breast milk human food and infant formula to meat, poultry and fish, according to another study 2021 published in August, just seven months after the aforementioned study.
However, looking specifically at creatine intake surveyed among the US population, they found a lower than expected dietary intake, with the amount being as low as 50% of the recommended amount. As a possible explanation, they suggest that this reduction in intake could also be related to a reduction in meat consumption, especially red meat.
They write: “Interestingly, preliminary evidence shows a strong relationship between creatine intake and health risks or growth indicators at the population level. For example, the prevalence of depression was 42% higher among US adults in the lowest quartile of dietary creatine intake (0-0.26 g/day) compared to participants in the highest quartile of creatine intake (0.70-3.16 g/day). After controlling for demographic and lifestyle variables, the risk of testing positive for depression remained 31% lower among adults in the highest quartile, compared with the lowest quartile for creatine intake.”
After controlling for demographic and nutritional variables, this group of researchers also found that a shortage of dietary creatine was associated with increased risk of medical conditions in men and women older than 65, with older people consuming less than one gram. of creatine. a day with a 2.62-fold increased risk of angina, a form of chest pain related to coronary artery disease, and a 2.59-fold increased risk of liver disease, compared with their older counterparts who consumed more one gram of creatine per day.
Regarding potential side effects of creatine consumption or overconsumption, they point to studies showing that creatine “presents no adverse health risks in healthy individuals and clinical populations at various life stages and conditions, at doses ranging from 0.03 to 0.8 g per kilogram. of body weight per day for up to 5 years. While some studies have shown an initial weight gain of 1-2% of body mass, this was dose dependent.
In conclusion, the researchers write: “After more than 100 years of scientific research on creatine, perhaps the time has come to reconsider this simple yet remarkable dietary compound as more than just another fancy supplement.
“Evidence shows that an inadequate intake of creatine from food could not be fully compensated by internal synthesis, suggesting that creatine is an indispensable amino acid derivative for humans… Still, creatine has a long way to go. to go on the road to general acceptance as a food additive. for each and every one. Hopefully, this journey should start beyond sports science and clinical medicine, by encouraging public health authorities to think of creatine as a critical component of the balanced low-meat diet of the 21st century.” DM/ML
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