Creatine: Essential for Health, Not Just for Muscle and Bodybuilding

Creatine is a naturally occurring molecule that’s abundant in your muscle, brain, and heart. Creatine is also a major component of energy metabolism and is one of the most effective, yet affordable ways to get more mileage from your exercise sessions.

But that’s not all: creatine is required for normal growth, development, and overall health. In this show we discuss more about what creatine science and best practices when it comes to creatine timing and applications.

 

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Studies Mentioned:

 

Candow, D. G. et al. Creatine O’Clock: Does Timing of Ingestion Really Influence Muscle Mass and Performance? Frontiers Sports Active Living 4, 893714 (2022).

Ostojic, S. M. Creatine as a food supplement for the general population. J Funct Food 83, 104568 (2021).

Ostojic, S. M. & Forbes, S. C. Perspective: Creatine, a Conditionally Essential Nutrient: Building the Case. Adv Nutr 13, 34–37 (2021).
Hummer, E., Suprak, D. N., Buddhadev, H. H., Brilla, L. & Juan, J. G. S. Creatine electrolyte supplement improves anaerobic power and strength: a randomized double-blind control study. J Int Soc Sport Nutr 16, 24 (2019).
 

Related:Protein Helps w/ Fat Loss: Diet & Training Methods That Actually Work

 

 

Episode Time Stamps:

00:00 Creatine is a conditionally essential nutrient for children and adults of all ages.

00:20 Electrolytes help enhance the absorption of creatine through the sodium citrate creatine transport protein.

00:40 Creatine is involved in energy synthesis and re-phosphorylation of ATP.

01:10 Creatine is utilized for explosive intense exercise.

01:40 Creatine is conditionally essential for cognitive function, overall health, and heart health.

02:00 Vegans and vegetarians do not get sufficient creatine and may want to consider supplementation.

03:20 Creatine is involved in methylation and the formation of SAMe, and thus may impact fertility and healthy offspring.

03:45 Creatine supplementation improves memory, executive function, and cognition in people over 65.

05:20 Exercising muscle improves creatine uptake by about 20%.

06:35 Insulin is involved in creatine uptake.

07:10 Early creatine supplements were paired with high levels of dextrose, leading to other issues.

08:10 You may not need 5 grams per day of creatine if you are getting sufficient protein in your diet.