If you spend time at the gym or around athletes, you might hear about a supplement called creatine.
“Historically, creatine was mostly used by those in the weightlifting or powerlifting community who were going for really big muscle gains,” says UNC Health dietitian Rachel Jones. “Now more people, including endurance athletes like runners, and regular gym goers are finding it helps with strength and power.”
Your body makes some creatine, you can get some from your diet if you eat meat and some people take a supplement of synthetic creatine.
Jones answers common questions about creatine.
What is creatine?
Creatine is a compound of three amino acids that your body produces. The liver, kidney and pancreas work together to make about a gram of creatine a day, which mostly goes into your muscles to support quick bursts of energy; a small amount helps support your heart and brain. You can get about a gram of creatine a day through your diet if you eat meat or fish.
What are the benefits of creatine?
Creatine can help your muscles work more efficiently.
“It increases your muscles’ capacity, so it’s easier to lift heavier weights or make explosive movements, such as sprinting or jumping,” Jones says. “In addition to supporting strength and power, it can also support muscle mass gains and help with recovery from workouts.”
While creatine provides most of its benefits to your muscles, there is some evidence that it might also boost your brain power.
“The research shows some cognitive benefits during the aging process, such as helping with short-term memory, but it’s important to remember that these are still pretty new findings,” Jones says.
But creatine won’t do much on its own.
“It’s not a magic supplement,” Jones says. “It won’t change your body overnight, and it has minimal effect on body composition without strength training. If you’re sedentary, you may see some cognitive benefits, and there is some research that suggests it can slow down age-related muscle and bone loss, but you won’t experience any significant gains in strength or muscle growth without the addition of consistent strength training.”
How much creatine do I need?
Your creatine needs depend on your physical activity goals, body composition and diet. If you eat meat and engage in a variety of exercise, you may not need any more creatine beyond what you get in your diet and what your body makes.
A typical daily dose of a creatine supplement is 3 to 5 grams, and this amount has been shown to provide improvements in muscle strength, size and performance, though everyone’s response is different.
“For most people, there’s no need to go beyond 5 grams of creatine daily,” Jones says. “There are some individuals who have a lot of muscle mass and may get some benefit from going to 10 grams daily, but more isn’t always better in terms of results.”
Who should consider a creatine supplement?
A creatine supplement can help an athlete meet specific goals, but other people may benefit from a supplement, too.
When it comes to food, only meat contains creatine, so vegetarians may benefit from a supplement.
A creatine supplement also can help as you age or if you’re trying to lose weight.
“Muscle mass decreases with age, so creatine paired with strength training can support maintaining lean body mass as you age,” Jones says. “People on GLP-1 medications are at an increased risk of muscle loss, so creatine with consistent weight training can help reduce excess muscle loss.”
What are the risks of creatine supplements?
When taken at the recommended dose of 3 to 5 grams daily, creatine has very few risks or side effects, Jones says.
Taking this supplement can affect your blood work and make it look like your kidneys aren’t working well when they’re actually fine. If you have kidney disease, talk to your healthcare provider or a dietitian before taking a creatine supplement, but even if you don’t, tell your provider so they can interpret your lab results correctly. If you regularly take NSAIDs or diuretics, these can increase stress on the kidneys and increase the risk of dehydration, so talk to your doctor about whether taking creatine is right for you.
“Some people have some bloating and gastrointestinal discomfort when they start creatine, but these potential side effects can be reduced when taken with a meal that contains a combination of protein and carbohydrates to help enhance absorption,” Jones says. “It can also cause short-term weight gain of 2 to 5 pounds because the creatine will pull water directly into the muscle, but it’s temporary.”
One potential drawback of creatine: The benefits are not always immediate, and it is an investment. Many individuals who take creatine note better recovery after gym sessions and increased strength after about four to six weeks of consistent use.
“Maybe you notice that you’re recovering faster and able to lift more weight during workouts, but some effects might be subjective,” Jones says. “You get the most benefit if you take it every single day, so it has to be something you’re willing to invest in consistently.”
What should I know about starting a creatine supplement?
If you want to try a creatine supplement, Jones recommends looking for creatine monohydrate (the most common form available, and also the formulation with the most research) with a daily dose of 3 to 5 grams daily.
Supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so the best way to ensure that you’re taking that dose is to look for a third-party tested product. That means an objective organization—not the manufacturer—has checked the product for quality and label accuracy. Third-party testing does tend to increase the price of the product, Jones says.
Some serious weightlifters with specific performance goals may do a “loading phase” where they take extra creatine for a week before adjusting to their regular dose, but Jones says that isn’t necessary for the majority of people.
“The daily dose is fine, but increase your water intake so you can stay hydrated when the creatine pulls some of your body’s water into the muscles,” Jones says. “Then, be sure to do the weight training.”
Most importantly, don’t let creatine be the only thing you do to support your workouts.
“Supplements are just accessories to other pillars of wellness,” Jones says. “Nutrition, sleep and stress management also affect your strength and recovery, and it’s important to make sure all those pillars are in a good place before adding supplements.”
If you have questions about how your diet can support your fitness goals, talk to a doctor or dietitian. If you need a doctor, find one near you.The post Should You Take a Creatine Supplement? first appeared on UNC Health Talk.
