Creatine is an amino acid located mostly in the body’s muscles as well as in the brain. The main source of creatine for most people is through protein-rich diet and is also naturally produced by the body’s liver.
Your body stores creatine as phosphocreatine primarily in your muscles, where it is used for energy. As a result, users take creatine orally with the primary target of improving athletic performance and increase muscle mass.
We have already discussed the scientifically backed effectiveness of creatine on exercise and sports performance, as well as in the prevention against some well-known related injuries and muscle recovery. However, the extent of its benefits is not limited to these areas. In this article we will have an overview of some of the different advantages for human health creatine has been proven to have in different body-related conditions.
Let’s check the EFFECTS OF CREATINE IN HEALTH.
WHAT ARE ITS GENERAL HEALTH EFFECTS?
As solid performance-related studies continuously and unequivocally assessed health and safety markers related to creatine, evidence began to accumulate that its supplementation may also offer health and therapeutic benefits regarding other health issues for the general population regardless of age.
For instance, scientific research has stated that creatine may help manage blood lipid levels through the modulation of lipid metabolism on both men and women. Some other studies have also discussed its potential positive effects in dealing with cholesterol, triglycerides, and fat accumulation in the liver.
The antioxidant properties of creatine have been studied by science for decades. Following this line, the results of other instances of investigation have associated creatine supplementation with an improvement in the treatment of oxidative stress in the body, which may have a positive impact in the prevention of heart failure and myocardial infarction.
Moreover, research has also shown that creatine supplementation may enhance glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in adults. Additionally, it can improve glucose uptake in muscle cells, which can help lower blood sugar levels. These findings suggest that creatine may have potential as a supplement for improving blood sugar control in people with diabetes or pre-diabetes.
Based on current evidence, it can be reasonably concluded that creatine supplementation can increase cellular energy availability and support general health, fitness, and well-being throughout our lifespan.
WHAT ABOUT AGING POPULATIONS?
Aside from the health benefits we have just discussed, creatine supplementation may offer benefits that are more specific to conditions which are generally related to older people.
For instance, regarding sarcopenia – which is described as a progressive decrease in muscle mass, strength and functionality associated with age – there is accumulating evidence indicating that creatine supplementation can have its effects mitigated. While resistance training is considered to be very helpful in the treatment of sarcopenia, creatine is suggested to help increase aging muscle mass and strength and activate cells involved in both bone formation and resorption.
Regarding bone health, creatine has been shown to have a positive effect on bone mineral density, particularly in postmenopausal women by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress and bone resorption, thus counterbalancing the bone loss associated with menopause. Again, its effects are improved when combined with resistance training.
Another cause of loss of muscle mass and strength related to old age can be the effects of diets promoting weight loss to prevent adult-onset obesity. Regarding this, some studies have shown that creatine supplementation may not only help maintain muscle mass but also promote fat mass loss, particularly when combined with resistance training.
Additionally, several preliminary studies have suggested that creatine can improve cognitive function, working memory, short term memory and processing speed in healthy adults as they age. Furthermore, scientific research indicates that creatine may promote an increase in oxygen utilization in the brain and reduce mental fatigue in participants performing repetitive mathematical calculations. These findings suggest that creatine may have potential as a cognitive enhancer.
As suggested by general scientific evidence, creatine supplementation displays some interesting benefits for many health issues associated with elder populations, particularly in case they are already involved in resistance training as a regular activity.
ANY THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS?
Due to the metabolic role of creatine, science has shown interest in examining the potential therapeutic role of creatine in certain clinical populations.
For instance, considering the role of creatine supplementation in exercise training, it has been analyzed whether it may enhance physical therapy outcomes from musculoskeletal injury. In this sense, research indicates a potential increase in muscle fiber and peak strength during rehabilitation with a 5-20g intake depending on the stage.
Moreover, studies analyzing the effect of creatine supplementation in patients with fibromyalgia suggest that it may be a useful dietary intervention to improve muscle performance and functional capacity in these cases.
In addition to this, early clinical trials show evidence obtained in animal models of depression that address the possibility that creatine may produce rapid antidepressant effect – similar to ketamine – due to the pivotal role played by creatine in brain energy homeostasis, whose alteration may be a cause for depression.
CONCLUSION
As we have just discussed, the abundant scientific evidence proves that the effects of creatine in health are unequivocally positive.
For the general population, creatine supplementation may help manage blood lipid levels and cholesterol, triglycerids and fat accumulation in the liver. Furthermore, its antioxidant properties may reduce oxidative stress in the body, thus decreasing the chance of heart failure. At the same time, its properties can help people with diabetes manage their glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.
In older populations, it may help reduce sarcopenia, while also improving bone mineral density. Additionally, it can help maintain muscle mass and promote fat mass loss, as well as aid cognitive function, working memory, short term memory and processing speed. All these benefits would improve when combined with resistance training.
There are also some therapeutic effects, such as an improvement in rehabilitation following musculoskeletal injury, better muscle performance and functional capacity in people with fybromyalgia, and potential anti-depressant effects.
As a conclusion, we can safely say that creatine supplementation may have positive effects in several conditions regarding human health, regardless of age.
For optimal performance, the recommended dose is 3-5 grams a day of creatine supplementation that contains both creatine monohydrate and phosphocreatine. You can try Clonapure®, which is manufactured in a GMP site and has been submitted to continuous testing (HPLC) to have its purity and quality properly verified. If you wish to try Clonapure®, you can try this link.
