15 amazing uses and health benefits of creatine you need to know
Creatine is a substance naturally produced in the body from amino acids. Most of it is stored in muscle cells and released during physical activity. Creatine supplements raise muscle creatine stores, which enhances exercise performance and helps build muscles. Creatine food sources include meat and fish
1) Creatine Enhances Energy Production
Creatine supplements increase phosphocreatine stores in muscles, which in turn boost the production of new ATP energy molecules. All cells in your body use ATP as a source of energy but creatine will mainly fuel your muscles and increase your performance during short, high-intensity exercise bouts
2) Creatine May Increase Testosterone Levels
In studies spanning both amateurs and elite athletes, creatine increased testosterone levels. Typical doses were used (around 50-100 mg/kg) but the effect was not consistent. For example, creatine increased testosterone in sprint-swimmers by 14%, had a significant effect in sleep-deprived elite rugby players, but only a barely noticeable effect in healthy college football or rugby players
3) Creatine May Reduce Muscle Damage and Fatigue
Most studies support the benefits of creatine for enhancing muscle recovery and reducing muscle damage and inflammation after exercise.
In one study on 14 men, creatine with carbohydrates 5 days before and 2 weeks after a resistance training improved recovery
4) Creatine Increases Exercise Performance and Strength
Creatine supplementation improves strength and performance during high-intensity, short-duration resistance training according to a large review of 22 studies. According to this review, creatine with resistance training increases [R,
5) Creatine Improves Cognition
interesting studies suggest that creatine may reverse brain fog-like symptoms caused by stressors such as lack of sleep and circadian rhythm imbalances, which are not uncommon in athletes or in people leading a modern, fast lifestyle.
6. Creatine Increases Speed
Creatine allows your muscle fibers to contract more rapidly too; so you’ll be able to sprint faster. This means you’ll get more of a fat burning and fitness enhancing benefit from your high intensity cardio sessions.
7) Creatine Protects the Brain
Being neuroprotective, creatine may also target a range of mood disorders and brain diseases [R].
Creatine supplements (4 g/day) added to SSRI antidepressants improved symptoms in 5 women suffering from depression who previously didn’t respond to therapy. Brain imaging revealed that creatine increased phosphocreatine levels, which explains its mood-enhancing effects. It may be a safe add-on for people who don’t respond to antidepressants [R].
8) Creatine May Help with Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson disease often leads to poor fitness, decreased muscle mass, reduced muscle strength, and fatigue. Creatine improved upper body strength and enhanced the benefits of resistance training In one study of 20 people with Parkinson’s Disease. Similar its use in athletes, creatine was loaded in higher doses for 5 days (20 g/day) and then maintained at a lower dose (5 g/day) [R].
Although promising, larger clinical trials would need to assess if creatine supplements alone may also improve other symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease.
9) Creatine Protects the Heart
Creatine (20 g/day) lowered high triglycerides, LDL, and cholesterol in one study of 37 people. Healthy blood lipid levels lower the risk of heart attacks and prevent the narrowing of blood vessels [R].
High homocysteine levels increase the risk of heart disease. In one study, creatine added to a multivitamin supplement lowered homocysteine levels in healthy people better than multivitamins alone after 4 weeks. In another trial, however, creatine did not lower homocysteine [R, R].
10) Creatine May Lower Blood Sugar Levels
Creatine (10 g/day) along with cardio training reduced blood sugar levels in a trial of 20 healthy men.
Creatine supplements greatly lowered blood sugars in several studies on animals with diabetes. These findings may not hold true in people with diabetes. So far, no clinical studies of creatine in diabetics have been carried out [R].
11) Creatine Helps Maintain Muscle Mass in the Elderly
Creatine supplementation in the elderly may delay muscle wasting, improve endurance, and increase strength [R].
Combined with resistance training, creatine increased lean tissue mass, leg strength, endurance, and power in a trial of 30 older men. Higher creatine doses were used over the first 5 days (loading phase) followed by lower maintenance doses. In two studies of 46 older people, creatine combined with exercise increased muscle strength, weight, fat-free mass, and functional capacity [R, R, R].