Creatine is a compound produced naturally by your body, mainly in the liver and kidneys, from animo acids (protein building blocks) and enzymes. You also derive it from animal foods you eat – red meat, chicken, seafood, eggs and milk.
Your body converts creatine into phosphocreatine, which it uses to regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate) – the main source of energy for cells. ATP is quickly depleted during intense physical exercise, and creatine helps restore it fast, allowing muscle to keep working at high intensity.
Taking a creatine supplement can help top up your energy reserves, which may translate to better cellular function and reduced fatigue, says Marie MacGregor, a registered dietitian based at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa.
The benefits
Creatine has been found to enhance strength and performance, especially when combined with resistance training, allowing you to lift heavier, run faster and delay muscle fatigue, improving athletic performance, she says. It may also help prevent injury, speed up the repair of micro-tears from exercise, and promote lean muscle mass. Paired with resistance training, it has been shown to boost bone mineral density and strength in older adults.
Emerging clinical evidence suggests that mentally, it may help maintain clarity during high-stress situations, improve sleep, and improve memory and thinking in older adults, and that it may help with the treatment of depression and mood instability.
“The areas where there is clear benefit and good evidence are around training and recovery around sport,” says MacGregor. “Everything ese is still very much in the research phase.”
Women, especially, may benefit from creatine supplementation, as they naturally have 70-80% lower stores of endogenous creatine (produced by the body) then men, and tend to eat less creatine-rich food. Supplements can help bridge this gap for them, and for vegetarians, who may also have low levels of creatine. “There is good evidence that vegetarians will benefit more,” she says.
Creatine research shows promise for women during menstruation, perimenopause and menopause, when estrogen fluctuations can compromise brain and muscle energy. It may help alleviate the brain fog and poor sleep and concentration they frequently report.
How to use it safely
There are many forms of creatine and the most common and widely researched is creatine monohydrate, MacGregor says. A daily dose of around 3-5g is standard for saturating your tissues over 3-4 weeks, and has been found to be safe to take for up to five years. When you stop taking creatine, your level will gradually drop to what it was.
Always check with your health provider before taking any supplement – they can tell you if it is advisable, considering your health, age, diet and lifestyle, and guide you on dosage. Caution with creatine is advised for people with kidney or liver disease or those taking medication that may affect kidney function. Creatine may have side effects. “Those most reported are a small amount of weight gain (1-2kg) and some gut issues, which can be resolved when taking creatine along with carbohydrates,” she says.
Supplements are not regulated as medicines are, so it is important to choose a product that follows recommended manufacturing and safety standards. Look for internationally-recognised third-party testing certifications on labels, such as Informed Sport, Informed Choice, or NSF Certified for Sport, to ensure product purity and avoid banned substances.