Creatine: Supporting Muscle, Mind, and Performance

Recently, creatine has earned itself a bit of a reputation in gym circles (and quite rightly so) but it’s way more versatile than just a muscle-building powder. In this article we will be discussing what you need to know about the other potential health benefits of creatine.

What is creatine?

Creatine is a substance which is found naturally in your muscles and brain, helping out when you need a burst of energy and power. This can be in a physical sense, like when you are sprinting, lifting weights, and so on. But it is also a brain booster too, did you know?

Food sources of creatine

Aside from carefully designed supplements, it’s also found in red meat and seafood. However, the chances are you’d need to eat a very large quantity to get the same benefits as you would from, say, a shake or capsule.

Who needs creatine most?

Gym-goers, joggers, and the rest: As mentioned previously, athletes and gym-goers are pretty big fans of the stuff, using it for extra strength and those accelerated gains.

Later life stages: But creatine isn’t just for people chasing physical goals in their athleticism, it can be really great for anyone looking to stay strong as they age — since it helps maintain muscle mass.

Vegetarians:

What's more, it can be a huge nutritional helper for vegetarians and vegans, as they might not be attaining enough from their diet alone.

Behind the scenes: Creatine in the body

You may think of creatine like a top up for your muscle cells’ energy stores, specifically a substance called phosphocreatine.

Phosphocreatine is required to boost your body’s ability to make ATP (the energy currency for our cells). More ATP means you can push harder and last longer.

Put simply, you can think of it like extra fuel for high-intensity bursts of activity (including brain activity). Moreover, with creatine supplementation, brain benefits have been seen in older adults in studies.

More than just a gym supplement?

Creatine can:

1. Build muscle: Creatine helps your muscles soak up more water, which accelerates muscle growth. Which is why gym fanatics love it so much.

2. Boost your stamina: giving you a performance edge.

3. Supports brain health: Your brain needs energy just as much as your muscles do, and your brain uses a lot of energy (it consumes about 20% of the body's energy, even though it only makes up 2% of body weight). Creatine can help sharpen your mind, and there’s even promising results coming from early research, suggesting it could slow down some cases of age-related cognitive decline.

4. Keep blood sugar in check: Got concerns about blood sugar? Creatine might help with that, too. It can improve your body’s response to insulin, making it easier to keep blood sugar levels steady.

5. Boost heart health: Last but not least, creatine could help maintain heart health, at any stage of life. Creatine may also decrease heart rate during exercise, as reflected in some studies.

Safety and precautions for use

Creatine is one of the most studied supplements, and the research shows it’s safe for most people when taken at the right dose.

However, please do remember to drink plenty of water since it pulls extra fluid into your muscles.

Conclusions on creatine

No longer is it just for niche bodybuilders and avid gym lovers. We think creatine can be for anyone who wants to feel a bit stronger, think a bit sharper, or even age with fewer health risks. It’s a simple addition to your supplement routine, and, most importantly, backed by science.