Creatine: Smash or Pass?
What is creatine and should you take it?
Creatine is one of the most widely researched supplements on the market. Researchers have actually discovered quite a bit about how it works and the main creatine health benefits, and they continue to discover more.
Creatine is a substance (technically it’s a nitrogenous organic acid) that is made up of three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. “Your liver and kidneys can make about 1 gram of creatine a day, and you can also get it from eating protein-rich foods, such as red meat, chicken, and fish. And there are small amounts in eggs and milk.
Of those three amino acids, glycine is an especially hard one to get in most diets because it comes from connective tissue, like slow-cooked meats and bone broth, which most people don’t eat all that often.
And you can, of course, get creatine as a supplement. Most often it comes as a powder, but is also available in formats like capsules and gummies.
What are the benefits?
Creatine is most often linked to muscle benefits. It hydrates muscle cells, which improves muscle strength and reaction times.
Increased energy to muscle cells: Getting at least five grams of creatine a day has been linked to increased adenosine triphosphate (or ATP, the energy required to move muscles) which can increase physical performance, particularly in high-intensity activities like weightlifting and sprinting. Basically, it helps muscles work harder and longer, meaning you can lift a given weight more times and build more muscle.
Regular creatine use also helps hydrate muscle cells and creates an environment for continued lean muscle mass growth. If your muscles can work more efficiently, then you’re going to see more strength gains when participating in a resistance training program.
Continued research on creatine has shown that it’s not just a “muscle supplement”. In fact, the other benefits linked to creatine are what influenced me to be more consistent with my supplementation.
Improved brain health: Particularly in patients under mental stress or those who are sleep deprived, adding creatine may improve overall cognitive function and reaction time and potentially decrease neurodegenerative diseases. This is due to creatine’s role in energy metabolism, where some preliminary studies suggest creatine has potential benefits for improvements in memory and executive function (like organization and time management). And that means it’s great for perimenopause!
Improved bone density: While direct studies on creatine and bone health are limited, the supplement’s ability to enhance muscle strength indirectly benefits bones. Stronger muscles place greater mechanical stress on bones during activity, which stimulates bone remodeling and preserves bone density. And that becomes more and more important as we age.
Cardiovascular support: By improving exercise capacity and enabling sustained physical activity, creatine may support cardiovascular and heart health, too, but that further research is needed to clarify any direct cardiovascular benefits.
Menopause and perimenopause benefits: Women are excellent candidates for taking creatine because of the fact that we will all experience menopause in our lifetimes. The decline in estrogen levels that starts in perimenopause leads to a decline in muscle mass and bone density, increases cardiovascular disease risk, and negatively affects cognitive function (such as brain fog and increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease). Since creatine has been linked to all of these benefits, it’s something that I have chosen to use for my personal health as I navigate the crazy world of perimenopause!
How much should you take?
Nearly all creatine research and product recommendations say that a consistent intake of 3-5 grams of creatine a day is connected to the most benefits.
In the past, people would do a “creatine loading phase.” This involves taking 10 grams of creatine per day for 5 to 7 days to “saturate” the muscles before moving into a maintenance dose, where you take 3 to 5 grams per day. This is not necessary to receive the benefits of the supplement.
How do you take it?
Creatine comes most often in powder form and should be mixed into six to eight ounces of cold liquids until it is dissolved. Some people add it to their protein shakes or even add the flavorless powder to their coffee.
What form of creatine should I take?
Creatine comes in a few different forms, but by far, the most popular and one of the most researched and bioavailable forms is creatine monohydrate. This also happens to be the most affordable form, too. Other forms include creatine ethyl ester and creatine hydrochloride, which are also highly bioavailable, but also more expensive.
After reading all of the above information, it does make a compelling argument to start the use of creatine. Keep in mind, every person’s experience will be unique and there is no ONE supplement that everyone MUST take. Try it out if you’re curious, be consistent with your usage, give it at least two months and see if you notice a difference.
My Favorite Creatine
For the past couple of years, I have been supplementing with Outwork Nutrition’s Recovery drink that contains 5g of creatine along with tart cherry extract and ashwagandha. My favorite flavor is the orange sherbert. Full disclosure, I am an affiliate. That being said, any creatine monohydrate supplement will do.
