Creatine is an amino acid naturally produced in the body and can also be found in foods like meat, chicken and fish. Creatine boasts by-far the best reputation in the health and fitness industry amongst all supplements, owing to the abundance of evidence proving its ability to improve athletic performance, increase muscle mass, and enhance strength all whilst it poses minimal to NO side-effects. It represents an absolute staple for ALL athletes recommended by both the health experts and senior gym bros!
How does it work?
Creatine is stored in your muscles in the form of phosphocreatine. During high-intensity exercise, such as in the middle of a set, the body breaks down this phosphocreatine to help produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the primary source of energy for the contraction of muscles. Through the supplementation of creatine, this increases the levels of phosphocreatine and this in turn increases the amount of ATP in the muscles, allowing you to both train harder and longer. This effectively leads to more stimulus for muscle growth and thus can ultimately lead to increased muscle size, power and strength.
Creatine is also an osmotic, meaning it is able to attract water to wherever it’s stored. With over 95% of creatine being stored in your muscles, this leads to increased water content in your muscles and thus providing a more “swole” look. Moreover, it has also been reported that this increased hydration of muscles can serve as a signal to the body to undergo the process of muscle protein synthesis, potentially leading to more muscle mass (1). Finally, creatine’s ability to retain water has also been proven to help the body in regulating temperature, especially at times of prolonged exercise, reducing the risk of heat-related illnesses (2).
What are its benefits?
As evidenced by a comprehensive 2017 meta-analysis that observed >700 participants across 22 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), the supplementation of creatine produced statistically significant benefits including;
- Increases in strength and power output as reflected in improvements in the chest and leg press exercises
- Increases in lean mass body mass (approximately 1.4kg compared to placebo) (3)
These conclusions can be further confirmed by another meta-analysis in 2021 which rigorously analysed 16 RCTs concluded that creatine had a "positive effect on muscle strength (i.e., an increase), sport performance, and muscle hypertrophy" (4).
Potential drawbacks?
Creatine is widely reported as one of the safest supplements within the health and fitness industry. Five studies which analysed the consumption of creatine for periods ranging from 3 weeks to a year evaluated participant’s kidney or liver function through blood or urine testing and found no adverse effects (3). However, just like all supplements and medications, side-effect may occur as every individual responds differently. Although rare, side-effects one may experience include diarrhoea and nausea. On the rare chance you do experience these symptoms, definitely speak to your health professional.
Final Thoughts
Creatine is an absolute necessity for all athletes, whether that may be in the gym, football pitch or on the track. It's benefits of increasing muscle mass along with improving muscle strength and power have been evidenced by many high quality research studies that we trust. The benefits are essentially guaranteed and the side-effects are minimal, so what are you waiting for?
References
1. Safdar A, Yardley NJ, Snow R, Melov S, Tarnopolsky MA. Global and targeted gene expression and protein content in skeletal muscle of young men following short-term creatine monohydrate supplementation. Physiological Genomics. 2008;32(2):219–28.
2. Kilduff LP, Georgiades E, James N, Minnion RH, Mitchell M, Kingsmore D, et al. The effects of creatine supplementation on cardiovascular, metabolic, and thermoregulatory responses during exercise in the heat in endurance-trained humans. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2004;14(4):443–60.
3. Chilibeck P, Kaviani M, Candow D, Zello GA. Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: A meta-analysis. Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine. 2017;Volume 8:213–26.
4. Wu S-H, Chen K-L, Hsu C, Chen H-C, Chen J-Y, Yu S-Y, et al. Creatine supplementation for muscle growth: A scoping review of randomized clinical trials from 2012 to 2021. Nutrients. 2022;14(6):1255.