What is Creatine?
Creatine is not purely a synthetic supplement; it is a naturally occurring compound that the human body can produce in small quantities, primarily in the kidneys and liver, with a structure similar to amino acids. Its core function is to provide energy for the body, especially supporting muscle performance during exercise. Additionally, we can obtain extra creatine through consuming foods such as fish, chicken, and red meat.
The amount of creatine synthesized by the human body is limited, only sufficient to meet basic daily physiological needs, and it is difficult to support the additional energy requirements during high-intensity training. The emergence of creatine supplements is precisely to fill this gap, helping people break through their limits during training. Therefore, it has become a popular choice among fitness enthusiasts, boxers, CrossFit practitioners, and other groups. Among various forms of creatine, creatine monohydrate is a mainstream type widely recognized for its proven effectiveness.
Core Benefits of Creatine Supplements
(1) Enhances Athletic Performance
Creatine can increase the level of adenosine diphosphate (ATP) in muscle cells, providing more energy reserves for muscles. It is particularly suitable for sports requiring instant explosive power, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), weightlifting, and sprinting. Studies have shown that supplementing with creatine during resistance training is more effective in improving muscle strength and weightlifting performance compared to resistance training alone, allowing people to complete more repetitions and heavier weights during training and extend exercise duration.
(2) Reduces Exercise-Related Injuries
Creatine has the effects of reducing inflammation, relieving muscle strains, preventing dehydration, and cramping. It can activate satellite cells in muscles, accelerate the muscle repair process, and shorten recovery time. When muscle injuries heal quickly, the risk of ligament strains and other injuries caused by muscle fatigue or damage during exercise is significantly reduced.
(3) Increases Muscle Mass
As one of the few legally proven supplements that can help with muscle growth, creatine creates favorable conditions for muscle development by enhancing exercise intensity and duration. It also promotes the secretion of anabolic hormones, increases the water content of muscle cells, and accelerates muscle growth and repair. A 2022 study confirmed the significant effect of creatine on muscle mass gain, and a 2007 study from the Victoria University Research Repository also showed that creatine can bring more obvious improvements in strength and muscle growth during resistance training.
(4) Improves Aerobic Performance and Cardiorespiratory Efficiency
A study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine found that people who supplemented with creatine daily had higher oxygen utilization, could exercise longer without fatigue, and their maximum heart rate during exercise decreased by nearly 4%, indicating a significant improvement in cardiorespiratory function. Multiple studies have also confirmed that creatine helps enhance aerobic exercise performance.
(5) Benefits Brain Health
Adequate creatine reserves in the brain can increase energy production, improve brain function and cognitive performance. As we age, the body’s creatine reserves decrease, which may lead to fatigue and slow thinking. Supplementing with creatine can increase the content of phosphocreatine in the brain, which also has a positive effect on memory improvement.
(6) Assists in Blood Sugar Regulation
Clinical trials have shown that the combination of creatine and exercise can lower blood sugar levels. It can promote the transport of blood sugar to muscles and accelerate the clearance of sugar in the blood, which also helps control postprandial blood sugar.
(7) Relieves Muscle Soreness
A study in Life Sciences found that runners who supplemented with creatine five days before a race had significantly less muscle cell damage and inflammation after the race compared to those who took a placebo. Regular creatine supplementation can reduce muscle inflammation during and after exercise, accelerate recovery after cardiovascular exercise, and reduce muscle soreness.
How Does Creatine Work?
Muscles require a lot of energy during exercise, especially high-intensity exercise, and creatine is mainly stored in skeletal muscles as an energy reserve for immediate use. Creatine supplements can increase the content of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in cells. ATP is the body’s immediate energy source and is crucial for the normal functioning of muscles.
During high-intensity and long-duration exercise, the body needs a continuous supply of energy. By increasing ATP production, creatine allows the human body to complete more sets and repetitions during training, improving training endurance. Creatine supplements are effective regardless of age or gender. Supplementing with creatine during resistance training can not only improve muscle strength and body fat percentage but also increase bone mineral density. In addition, creatine can enhance vertical explosive power and endurance, reduce blood pressure after exercise, help the heart rate recover to normal quickly, and reduce rest time between sets. Long-term creatine supplementation can also improve anaerobic exercise capacity and accelerate the improvement of athletic performance.
Proper Way to Take Creatine Supplements
(1) Form of Administration
Creatine can be mixed with daily supplement shakes or water for consumption. If it needs to be combined with other supplements such as protein powder, it is recommended to conduct a taste test first to ensure the taste is acceptable.
(2) Timing of Administration
Creatine can be taken before or after exercise. Currently, there is some controversy about how long before exercise it should be taken, but it is generally believed that taking it 30 minutes in advance can ensure it is fully absorbed and utilized by the body. Some people choose to take half a dose before exercise to improve athletic performance and half a dose after exercise to aid recovery, which can be adjusted according to personal experience.
(3) Dosage
- Loading Phase: People taking creatine for the first time can undergo a “loading phase” supplementation, taking 25 grams per day in 5 divided doses for 5-7 days. This phase can quickly increase creatine reserves in muscles, increasing muscle creatine content by 10%-40% within a week. Without a loading phase, it may take two or even three weeks to reach the same level. Temporary water retention may occur during the loading phase, which usually resolves on its own after a few days.
- Maintenance Phase: After the loading phase, the daily maintenance dose is 3-5 grams, which is applicable to men and women of all ages and different athletic abilities. It should be noted that excessive long-term use should be avoided, otherwise, it may burden the body.
Safety and Potential Side Effects of Creatine Supplements
(1) Safety
Creatine is one of the most extensively studied supplements. A large number of scientific studies have confirmed that when taken reasonably within the recommended dosage, it is safe and effective for healthy people. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) also clearly states that there is no scientific evidence of adverse effects of creatine supplementation in healthy individuals.
(2) Potential Side Effects
- Digestive Discomfort: Some people may experience symptoms such as diarrhea and stomach discomfort, which are usually related to excessive intake, especially for those with sensitive stomachs who need to pay extra attention to the dosage.
- Muscle Cramps: Although some creatine users have reported muscle cramps, there is no clear evidence that this is directly related to creatine itself. In fact, creatine helps reduce muscle cramps, and the occurrence of this symptom may be related to other supplements or individual differences.
- Water Retention: When first taking creatine, the body may experience temporary water retention as it adapts to the supplement. This is not true weight gain and usually disappears on its own after a few days, so there is no need to worry excessively.
- Liver and Kidney-Related Risks: There have been reports that creatine may cause kidney problems, but this mostly occurs in people with underlying diseases such as kidney disease. Studies have shown that there is no direct correlation between creatine supplementation and abnormal liver or kidney function in healthy people.
- Dizziness: A small number of people may experience dizziness after taking it, which may be related to taking it on an empty stomach or the body’s adaptation period. This side effect is not common, and more research is needed to confirm its exact cause.
- Blood Pressure-Related Issues: Creatine has no obvious adverse effects on blood pressure in healthy people, but it may increase the risk of complications related to hypertension in those with underlying conditions such as high blood pressure.
Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss? Revealing the Truth Behind the Rumor
(1) Origin of the Rumor
The claim that “creatine causes hair loss” is widely circulated in the fitness community, but this statement lacks scientific basis. The rumor originated from an early study: a group of rugby players took creatine supplements for 21 days, and their serum dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels were significantly higher than those in the placebo group. DHT is a metabolite of testosterone, and excessively high concentrations may lead to follicle shrinkage, shorten the hair growth cycle, and thus cause hair loss.
(2) Scientific Truth
The key conclusion of this study was taken out of context: although creatine increased the athletes’ DHT levels, the increase was far from the threshold that would cause hair loss. In the experiment, none of the rugby players experienced hair loss of statistical significance.
The main cause of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness), which is related to genetic factors. In addition, medical factors such as cancer treatment may also lead to hair loss. Currently, there is no scientific evidence that creatine supplements directly cause hair loss. Only when taking extremely large amounts of creatine is it possible to increase DHT levels to a level that affects hair follicles, but such a large dose would cause various serious damages to the body, and hair loss would no longer be the main health concern.
Is It Worth Taking Creatine Supplements?
Considering the pros and cons of creatine supplements, the potential risks mainly come from excessive intake. As long as it is supplemented reasonably in accordance with the scientifically recommended dosage, creatine can effectively improve athletic performance, increase muscle mass, accelerate recovery, improve cardiorespiratory function, and bring many benefits to training and health.
In the process of pursuing physical improvement, gradual progress and continuous breakthroughs beyond the comfort zone are crucial. Creatine supplements can be a powerful assistant in this process, helping people challenge themselves more safely and make rapid progress. For those who hope to improve athletic performance, accelerate physical recovery, and achieve muscle growth goals, creatine supplements are a worthwhile choice.
Recommendation of High-Quality Creatine Supplements
Crazy Nutrition’s CRN-5 creatine formula not only contains 5 grams of creatine but also adds electrolytes, which can effectively boost energy, support lean muscle growth, maintain body water balance, provide muscles with more sufficient energy and strength, and help improve training performance and achieve sports goals. This formula is superior to other similar creatine products in terms of strength and endurance enhancement. The added mineral blend supports electrolyte balance, promotes muscle hydration, making training more efficient and recovery faster.
