Everything you need to know about creatine
Want to lift heavier, run faster, or get more out of your workouts, without breaking the bank? Well, then it’s time to consider a creatine supplement.
Whether you lift weights, run, ride or swim, or you’re just getting started on your fitness journey, creatine is one supplement that consistently lives up to the hype.
It's affordable, easy to use, and, best of all, backed by mountains of scientific research. In fact, creatine is one of the most studied supplements on the market.
From improving exercise performance and building muscle to boosting strength and power and helping your muscles recover faster, creatine offers a long list of benefits that can give you an edge in the gym and out on the road.
Ready to find out what makes this simple compound such a powerhouse? We’ve put everything you need to know in one place.
How creatine works
Our body uses the phospho-creatine (PCr) we get from food and supplements to support energy production. The fuel for this process is called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which the body breaks down in muscle cells into adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to produce the energy needed to fuel short, intense efforts.
The body then creates more ATP by adding a creatine molecule to ADP. With a limited amount of creatine stored in our muscle cells (the main storage site in the body), boosting creatine levels with a supplement ensures we have enough to get these physical and performance benefits.
Studies1 confirm that taking a creatine supplement can increase the amount of creatine we have in our muscle cells.
Creatine options
While there are many forms of creatine available, creatine monohydrate is the most common and is generally considered the most effective.
Numerous studies2 over the last three decades have shown that creatine monohydrate supplementation for 4–12 weeks increases muscle creatine and PCr content by 20–40%.
Your local Dis-Chem stocks a range of creatine monohydrate products from leading supplement brands, including:
· USN Creatine Monohydrate
· Primal Creatine
· NPL Creatine Monohydrate
· USN Creatine 3-in-1
How creatine supports performance
While known for its ability to increase power output and strength, this multifaceted supplement also support your performance in the gym or out on the road in numerous other ways.
- Creatine boosts exercise capacity
Creatine works by increasing your ability to perform repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise.
According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition's position stand3, “creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes in terms of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training.”
- Creatine helps build muscle
Boosting creatine stores with a supplement helps you sustain intense, short-duration muscle contractions for longer during training sessions.
By increasing strength, power and muscular endurance in this way, you can train harder for longer, which increases the stimulus muscle tissue needs to grow back stronger and bigger with the appropriate recovery and nutritional support from protein.
This enhanced work capacity delivers creatine's muscle-building benefits, rather than any direct effects on muscle protein synthesis (MPS).
- Creatine may help to spare muscle tissue
Research by a team of Australian scientists has shown that creatine may deliver a greater muscle sparing effect than whey protein.
In the study4, a research team imposed controlled, chemically induced damage to the skeletal muscle tissue of lab rats to test the myo-protective potential of supplemental creatine (CR) compared to that of whey protein (WP).
The study results showed that the creatine-supplemented muscles “displayed a greater proportion of non-damaged (intact) fibres and larger cross-sectional areas of regenerating and non-damaged fibres compared to CON (control) muscles at day 7 post-injury. At day 14 post-injury, CR-supplemented muscles generated higher absolute forces concomitant with greater contractile protein levels compared to CON and WP-supplemented muscles.”
Based on the findings, the researchers concluded that: “Creatine supplementation appears to offer an element of myoprotection which was not observed following whey protein supplementation.”
- Creatine may aid recovery
The findings from the study4, which were published in the journal Nutrients, suggest that the ability of a creatine supplements to support muscle growth run deeper than its ability to generate functional strength.
According to the Australian researchers, observations from the study suggest that supplementing with creatine reduces the extent of muscle damage and/or enhances the growth of the regenerating fibres.
They suggest that the structural improvements are due to increased cell fluid volume that occurred in the earlier stages of the study, which may underpin the benefits observed in the later stages of recovery.
- Possible endurance benefits
For endurance athletes, creatine can improve race performance, with a study5 determining that “creatine supplementation appears to be more effective at improving performances that require multiple surges in intensity and/or during end spurts, which are often key race-defining moments.”
Study6 findings also suggest that creatine can help athletes tolerate heavy increases in training volume as it helps enhance glycogen loading, while also promoting greater recovery after an intense training session as athletes experience a decrease in inflammation and muscle damage while on a creatine protocol7.
Creatine and your kidneys
One common concern that people have about taking a creatine supplement is the potential risk of kidney issues. Over the years, researchers have examined the impact of creatine on kidney (renal) function due to these concerns, but to date, there is no compelling evidence that supports this claim.
Reports of kidney damage associated with creatine use are scant8, with a meta-analysis9 of 200 non-duplicated studies concluding that “creatine supplementation does not induce renal damage in the studied amounts and durations”.
However, anyone with chronic kidney disease or who uses medications that are potentially toxic or damaging to the kidneys (nephrotoxic)8 should avoid creatine supplements.
In any circumstance, it is best to consult with a qualified medical professional before taking any new supplement to confirm it is safe for you to use it.
Creatine dosing strategies
It is also important to follow the right approach when taking creatine to get the greatest benefit and use it safely. There are two popular and effective ways to take creatine, both of which are supported by research. These creatine dosing options include:
1. Traditional loading protocol
The approach was initially introduced based on research findings from a study aimed at proving creatine efficacy10.
This protocol includes a loading phase where up to 20g (roughly 0.3g/kg/day) is taken over multiple doses for 5–7 days.
A maintenance phase of 3-5g (roughly 0.03g/kg/day) follows, either for three weeks (if cycling) or indefinitely without additional loading phases.
2. Direct maintenance protocol
A newer approach suggests taking 3-10g of creatine per day for a period of up to two months with no loading phase.
It is, however, recommended that you cycle your creatine intake to reset your body’s response mechanisms to continue realising a benefit.
Choosing the best approach for you will depend on various factors. However, research11 confirms that either option will boost your resting levels by 17-20%.
The traditional loading phase approach may help increase total creatine stores at a faster rate than a lower dose. However, the difference between a loading phase, or a direct maintenance approach becomes negligible after one month.
Timing your doses
Whichever protocol you choose, it is ideal to split your intake into multiple daily doses and mix your creatine monohydrate with your favourite protein-carbohydrate drink or grape juice.
Following this doing protocol for optimal results:
1. Take one serving before training to stock up reserves.
2. Take another dose after your session to replenish depleted stores.
3. Take a single serving before breakfast on non-training days.
It is always best to stick to the label recommendations included on the tub of your preferred creatine monohydrate product. You can also talk to the supplement expert at your local Dis-Chem for individualised advice.
References:
- Creatine and Phosphocreatine: A Review of Their Use in Exercise and Sport. J Athl Train. 1997 Jan-Mar; 32(1): 45–51.
- Role of Creatine Supplementation in Conditions Involving Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Narrative Review. Nutrients 2022, 14(3), 529; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14030529.
- International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2007; 4: 6. Published online 2007 Aug 30. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-4-6
- Myoprotective Potential of Creatine Is Greater than Whey Protein after Chemically-Induced Damage in Rat Skeletal Muscle. Nutrients. 2018 May; 10(5): 553. Published online 2018 Apr 30. doi: 10.3390/nu10050553.
5. Forbes SC, Candow DG, Neto JHF, Kennedy MD, Forbes JL, Machado M, Bustillo E, Gomez-Lopez J, Zapata A, Antonio J. Creatine supplementation and endurance performance: surges and sprints to win the race. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023 Dec;20(1):2204071. doi: 10.1080/15502783.2023.2204071. PMID: 37096381; PMCID: PMC10132248.
6. Nelson AG, Arnall DA, Kokkonen J, Day R, Evans J. Muscle glycogen supercompensation is enhanced by prior creatine supplementation. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001 Jul;33(7):1096-100. doi: 10.1097/00005768-200107000-00005. PMID: 11445755.
7. Cooke MB, Rybalka E, Williams AD, Cribb PJ, Hayes A. Creatine supplementation enhances muscle force recovery after eccentrically-induced muscle damage in healthy individuals. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2009 Jun 2;6:13. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-6-13. PMID: 19490606; PMCID: PMC2697134.
8. Vega J, Huidobro E JP. Efectos en la función renal de la suplementación de creatina con fines deportivos [Effects of creatine supplementation on renal function]. Rev Med Chil. 2019 May;147(5):628-633. Spanish. doi: 10.4067/S0034-98872019000500628. PMID: 31859895.
9. de Souza E Silva A, Pertille A, Reis Barbosa CG, Aparecida de Oliveira Silva J, de Jesus DV, Ribeiro AGSV, Baganha RJ, de Oliveira JJ. Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Renal Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Ren Nutr. 2019 Nov;29(6):480-489. doi: 10.1053/j.jrn.2019.05.004. Epub 2019 Jul 30. PMID: 31375416.
10. Hultman, E., Soderlund, K., Timmons, J. A., Cederblad, G., & Greenhaff, P. L. (1996). Muscle creatine loading in men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 81(1), 232-237.
11. Jagim AR, Kerksick CM. Creatine Supplementation in Children and Adolescents. Nutrients. 2021 Feb 18;13(2):664. doi: 10.3390/nu13020664. PMID: 33670822; PMCID: PMC7922146.
