Creatine
Understand what creatine is, find out if you are getting enough from your diet and learn if you should take a creatine supplement.
What is creatine?
Creatine is a compound that comes from three amino acids: arginine, glycine and methionine. Creatine is naturally produced in the body and stored mostly in the muscles and brain.
What are the benefits of creatine?
Creatine is mostly known for its benefits on athletic performance and muscle mass production. However, creatine has been studied to play an important role in other parts of our health, including:
- Heart health
- Manage type 2 diabetes
- Increase muscle mass and strength
- Improve athletic performance
- Injury prevention
- Cognition and brain health
- Bone health
- Skin aging
Foods rich in creatine
The body makes about half of the creatine it needs each day, and the other half comes from a person’s diet. Creatine is found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, poultry and dairy. The following foods are high in creatine:
- Herring
- Pork
- Beef
- Salmon
- Lamb
- Cod
- Chicken
- Milk from animals
Creatine supplements
Creatine supplements are popular amongst athletes and those who don’t get enough creatine from their diet, like vegetarians. Creatine supplements come in a powder form, tablets, capsules, liquids or energy bars.
For athletes, creatine supplementation increases the energy available in muscles during high-intensity exercise or heavy lifting, leading to improved exercise performance. Creatine may also improve post-exercise recovery and injury prevention.
It’s important to drink plenty of water when taking creatine supplements. Research shows that taking a creatine supplement post-workout is superior to pre-workout for body composition and strength.
Are there any side effects of creatine supplements?
When used at the appropriate dose, most studies have found no significant side effects of creatine supplementation for up to five years.
Some people have reported the following symptoms:
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Upset stomach
- Muscle cramps
- Water retention
There have been some cases of people taking creatine who have developed interstitial nephritis, a kidney condition. So creatine supplements may not be recommended for people who have kidney disease as well as pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with diabetes and those who have liver disease. However, further research is needed.
It’s believed that creatine may negatively interact with caffeine, meaning caffeine may decrease creatine’s beneficial effects on athletic performance.
Though studies show that it’s safe for most people to take creatine supplements, before starting any new supplementation talk to your healthcare clinician to be sure it’s safe for you.