Creatine: what it is and what are its effects

It is a natural amino acid useful for recharging the body’s energy stores. But that’s not all.

Despite the undeniable benefits of proper nutrition for physical fitness, including vitamins and mineral salts, creatine, carnitine, glutamine, methionine and other amino acids, taurine, various bars and so on and so forth, the products offered to those who practice fitness and attend the gym (especially those who dedicate themselves to body building) are not lacking.

However, these proposals do not always have a solid scientific basis, but in the case of creatine, one of the most used supplements by those who practice sports to increase physical performance, the scientific community has associated its intake with real benefits.

In addition, research conducted to date suggests that it could have positive effects not only for athletes, but also for the elderly and pregnant women, for those living with neurodegenerative diseases or with diseases such as diabetes, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia and for those at risk of cardiac or cerebral ischemia.

Creatine supplementation has been shown to be safe and well tolerated in both the short and long term (up to an intake of 30 grams per day for 5 years).

However, the health benefits seem to be significant even when creatine is taken simply through daily nutrition.

For this reason it is useful to guarantee a dietary intake of about 3 grams per day for life, and even more during aging.

What is creatine

Creatine is one of those natural amino acids that are not used by the body to synthesize proteins.

Its main food sources are red meat and fishery products. In the human body it is mainly concentrated in the muscles, but it is also present in small amounts in the brain and testicles.

Between 1 and 2% of intramuscular creatine is converted into creatinine and eliminated through the urine. For this, the body needs about 1-3 g of creatine per day.

About half of this daily requirement is met by the liver and kidneys, which synthesize creatine from two other amino acids (arginine and glycine). The other half must instead be introduced through food.

In some cases, however, it may be necessary to take higher doses of this amino acid. Athletes with a large muscle mass, for example, may need up to 5-10 grams of creatine per day.

In addition, in some special conditions the dose to be taken daily can rise to 10-30 grams per day, for example in case of creatine deficiencies caused by a vegetarian diet or by defects in the enzymes responsible for its synthesis or in the transporter necessary for its entry into the cells.

The functions of creatine

Inside cells, creatine is converted by the enzyme creatine kinase into creatine phosphate, which is used to recharge cellular energy stores after using ATP (the energy source used in metabolic reactions).

In fact, during metabolic reactions, ATP releases energy, losing a phosphate group and transforming into ADP. Creatine phosphate can in turn release its phosphate group to allow rapid synthesis of new ATP and ensure its availability during physical exertion, especially anaerobic physical activity.

In addition, creatine phosphate is important for transporting energy from mitochondria (the cell’s power plants) to the cytoplasm (the environment inside the cell), establishing a connecting pathway between the sites where ATP is produced in the mitochondria and those where it is used.

In fact, once in the cell, creatine also enters the mitochondria, from which it returns to the cytoplasm in the form of creatine phosphate together with ATP.

All this also makes it possible to reduce the formation of reactive oxygen species. Creatine therefore also has an antioxidant action.

The beneficial effects of taking creatine in sports

Creatine is renowned above all for the benefits it can bring to those who practice sports.

Generally, with the daily diet you take from 1 to 2 grams a day, and with an intake of this type you can fill for 60-80% the muscle “stores” in which you can cram the stocks of creatine. To fill them completely you can resort to supplements.

Creatine supplementation increases its availability and that of creatine phosphate in the muscles and, consequently, can increase exercise capacity and response to training.

In particular, creatine supplementation can be associated with increased performance in the practice of short and intense exercises (sprints) both single and repeated, the work performed during repetitions of muscle contractions at the maximum possible effort, muscle mass and strength and glycogen synthesis (the form in which glucose is stored in the muscles).

It was also associated with increased anaerobic threshold (parameter associated with the ability to sustain prolonged exercise), tolerance to exercise even in the heat and the ability to withstand a workload and recovery after intense exercise or after an injury.

Finally, creatine supplementation has been associated with inhibition of increased markers of inflammation after intermittent anaerobic exercise and reduction of muscle damage after intense exercise.

These benefits affect both men and women. The sports in which they have been demonstrated are above all those in which moments of intense effort and recovery are necessary during the competition, such as football, basketball, volleyball and tennis.

It also seems that those who practice activities involving prolonged aerobic exercise could also benefit from taking creatine.

Creatine for medical use

However, athletes are not the only ones who can benefit from creatine intake. In fact, the role played by this substance in metabolism, physical performance and response to training makes it a possible ally even in the presence of some health problems.

For example, it has been shown that taking high doses of creatine monohydrate can be useful when the body cannot synthesize adequate amounts of this substance.

It also seems that creatine can help protect the health of patients at risk of ischemic heart disease or stroke and ensure good development of the fetus during pregnancy.

The usefulness of taking creatine in case of neuromuscular diseases has yet to be confirmed.

Finally, some studies suggest that during aging it could help to keep cholesterol and triglyceride levels under control, to reduce homocysteine levels and the accumulation of fats in the liver, to improve blood sugar control, to fight oxidation, to increase muscle mass and strength, to minimize bone loss, to manage osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, to protect cognitive functions and fight depression and some forms of cancer.

Creatine supplements: how to take them

Appropriate intake of creatine is considered safe for both adults and children and adolescents. However, at a young age it is particularly important to have expert supervision, to be consulted even before taking it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The most studied form of creatine as a supplement is creatine monohydrate. There is currently no evidence that different forms are more resistant to degradation or that they are better absorbed in the muscles; In addition, although the addition of carbohydrates or a mixture of carbohydrates and proteins seems to increase muscle absorption of creatine, this does not seem to correspond to greater benefits than those resulting from taking creatine monohydrate alone.

In the absence of special needs (such as specific health problems) muscle stores of creatine can be increased by taking 5 grams of creatine monohydrate 4 times a day (for a total of about 0.3 grams per kg of body weight) for 5-7 days.

Another possible approach is to take 3 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day for 3 to 4 weeks. However, it seems that in this way we have to wait longer to obtain the desired benefits.

After this first phase the stocks can be maintained by taking 3-5 grams of creatine per day; However, it seems that athletes with a lot of muscle mass may need to take even 5-10 grams a day.

In the event that you stop taking it, you do not run the risk of encountering deficiencies; Creatine stores are needed for 4 to 6 weeks before returning to initial levels.

In summary, the protocols to follow for the intake of creatine are:

To increase cerebral concentrations of creatine, or to cope with defects in its synthesis or to treat specific pathologies, it may be necessary to modify these dosages.

In any case, the best way to know how much creatine to take and how to do it is to rely on the advice of a doctor, without ever forgetting that to get the greatest possible benefits from taking food supplements it is important to include them within a healthy lifestyle.

In general, the practice of regular physical activity must be associated with a balanced diet in terms of intake of carbohydrates, proteins, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals and that provides an adequate dose of fiber.

Finally, it is good to remember that taking creatine can promote water retention, which can be associated with weight gain. However, this is a short-term effect.