A lot
of creatine experts are sick of the way we talk about creatine. Some are tired
of cotton candy-flavored energy drinks hawking “super creatine” on neon cans,
protein bars infused with the supplement, and social media posts confusing
creatine with steroids. Others are tired of the slew of “before and after”
TikToks in which trim young men show off bulging muscles after a handful of
weeks taking the supplement, or women display rippling abs they attribute only
to the powder.
اضافة اعلان
“I don’t know why
people make up things about this particular supplement,” said Jose Antonio, an
associate professor of health and human performance at Nova Southeastern
University in
Florida who has studied creatine. The world of creatine is rife
with misinformation, he said, despite the large — and growing — body of
evidence that the supplement can improve short bursts of athletic performance
and enhance muscle mass.
Is the powder a
miracle workout supplement, or is the hype overblown? Here is what to know.
What even is
creatine?
Creatine is formed in the body from compounds similar to amino acids,
the building blocks of proteins. It serves as a type of fuel for your skeletal
muscles, and can promote muscle growth when paired with exercise. It is
produced in the liver and kidneys, but you likely get creatine through your
diet, too — red meat, fish, and chicken contain it.
Throughout the
day, your body naturally replenishes creatine in your muscles, but supplements
can help “top up the tank”, said Eric Rawson, a health, nutrition, and exercise
science professor at Messiah University in Pennsylvania.
Creatine
monohydrate — the form of creatine typically found in commercial powders — has
been rigorously studied. “There’s probably more data on creatine monohydrate
than any other supplement in existence,” Antonio said.
“For your average gymgoer, someone who’s a cyclist, someone who plays soccer on the weekends — they don’t need this,
There are more
than 20 different formulations of creatine, Rawson said, including creatine
hydrochloride and creatyl-l-leucine, but only creatine monohydrate has strong
evidence behind it, so he would recommend against consuming any other form of
the compound.
What are the
benefits of creatine?
Creatine has specific, focused benefits for exercisers. The supplement
can power you through short bursts of activity, such as lifting a weight or
dashing through a short race. If you are in the middle of a
Peloton workout,
for instance, you might be able to increase your speed for a sprint, said David
Creel, an exercise physiologist and a dietitian in the Bariatric and Metabolic
Institute at the Cleveland Clinic.
But the effect is
usually small. Creatine makes the most sense for certain competitive athletes
eager for a split-second advantage, said Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist
at New York University Langone Health. “For your average gymgoer, someone who’s
a cyclist, someone who plays soccer on the weekends — they don’t need this,”
she said.
Scientists have
studied creatine and exercise performance since the early 90s. A recent review
of 35 studies found that creatine supplementation, combined with resistance
training, increased lean body mass — the body’s weight, minus fat — by more
than two pounds (0.9kg) in adults, regardless of age. The difference is small,
but significant, although men reported higher gains than women. Vegetarians and
vegans are more likely to have a larger response to the supplements, since they
do not get as much creatine in their diets, Rawson said.
Creatine may
provide a small boost in muscle mass, but “whether it’s a two or three or four
percent gain, no dietary supplements compare to proper training and sleep and
nutrition habits,” Rawson said. Still, the increase could have a notable effect
on older adults, he said. “A very, very small improvement in strength could be
the difference between a fall and not a fall.”
And emerging
research suggests that creatine could have cognitive benefits, potentially
enhancing memory and attenuating symptoms of concussions or traumatic brain
injuries, although that data is much more limited than studies on creatine and
muscular fitness.
Are there side
effects to creatine?
“There really doesn’t appear to be any major hazards to it, which is
kind of unique for a supplement,” Creel said.
People who take
the supplement, especially in large quantities, might experience some
gastrointestinal distress, said Heller. People may also bloat or experience
weight gain.
There are some
claims floating around social media that creatine causes hair loss, but doctors
said there was not significant research to verify that. And you will not get
any kind of high from creatine — it is not like the jolt of energy you get from
downing an espresso, Creel said.
The supplement is
popular with teenagers, but there is no data on long-term use, especially in
people who are still growing, said Pieter Cohen, an associate professor of
medicine at the Cambridge Health Alliance, who studies supplements. Out of an
abundance of caution, he suggested that teens refrain from using the
supplement.
What to keep in mind before taking creatine
As with any supplement, you should talk to your primary care doctor
before you start taking creatine. And just like other dietary supplements you
can pull off the shelves, creatine is not tested by the Food and Drug
Administration, Cohen said.
That means there
is no guarantee that a powder you are buying actually contains the amount of
creatine it claims, or even any at all. The US Department of Defense’s
Operation Supplement Safety program recommends four third-party companies that
test and evaluate dietary supplements, which you can use to ensure you are
really getting creatine.
You should also
stick with the recommended dose, which is usually around three to five grams
per day. There is no substantial data for how long people can safely take the
supplement beyond five years.
It is also
important to come up with specific goals before taking the supplement, Cohen
said, and to determine what the pill or powder could actually help you achieve
— keeping in mind that it is not a guaranteed ticket to building muscle.
“People think creatine’s
a steroid,” Antonio said. “That’s like saying water is fire.”
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