Creatine: Effective and Safe

The average omnivore eats about one gram of it per day, through meat and seafood consumption. When doing very high-intensity exercise, your body uses it to make energy rapidly available for your muscles. The liver and kidneys synthesize it to make up for the other gram or two that the body needs daily.

It is creatine: one of the most researched and effective performance-enhancing supplements  for improving high-intensity exercise capacity and increasing lean body mass.

Primary action

In the body, creatine is a part of the high-energy system that is active during very intense bouts of exertion. It provides your muscles with a short burst of energy prior to sprinting or a performing a heavy lift.

The average 70kg man requires about 1-3 grams of creatine daily, with only about half of it coming from the diet, and the other half being synthesized in the body from other nutrients.

If supplemented, creatine enables you to push yourself harder than usual; it’s useful for gains in strength and muscle mass, not to mention a better recovery.

Other Potential Uses

In sport creatine supplementation may improve injury prevention and/or recovery, enhance tolerance to exercise in the heat (via ‘hyper-hydration’ and improved heat regulation) and might play a role in brain and spinal cord neuroprotection. But the latter is still considered controversial.

There are even some studies testing the use of creatine for neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease, aging, depression, and even pregnancy. But again, more research is needed for conclusive results.

How to Supplement

Search for creatine monohydrate, as it is the cheapest and most effective form, or hydrolyzed creatine monohydrate (it’s similar yet dissolves better in water).

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the best way to increase creatine stores is to take ~0.3 g/kg/day of creatine monohydrate for 5 to 7 days as a part of what is called the ‘loading phase’. This means the average 70 kg individual would take about 20 grams per day for a week-long loading phase. Then, supplementation should be reduced to 3 to 5 grams per day to maintain high creatine stores.

There seems to be no strong scientific evidence regarding safety concerns, even for consumption of up to 30 grams per day for 5 years. Contrary to hearsay, creatine is not likely to cause dehydration, muscle injury, or kidney failure.

However, be smart about supplementation by drinking sufficient water and monitoring any symptoms regardless.

To Sum It Up

Creatine is what drives the body’s high-energy system that fuels high-intensity burst movements, such as lifting weights or sprinting. Supplementing with creatine monohydrate at 3-5 g per day can increase your creatine levels, allowing oneself to push harder and recover faster, leading to greater strength and muscle mass. Other applications such as neuroprotection are in need of further research.

- Lucas Roldos

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