Exercise causes muscle tears and acute inflammation that prompts your body to recover and repair, making those muscles stronger over time. Research shows that some supplements can lower markers of inflammation after exercise, with creatine being a top contender. There’s a buzz about creatine in the fitness world, with powerlifters and endurance athletes taking this supplement for various reasons. Let’s look at what creatine is and what the research shows.
What is creatine?
Your body naturally produces creatine in your liver, kidneys, and pancreas to use as an energy source to help your muscles contract, especially when you’re exercising. Most people get about half of their body’s supply of creatine from food, particularly protein-packed foods like red meat, seafood, and milk.
A large percentage of this naturally-produced creatine goes straight to your muscles for energy during physical activity. You can also take creatine supplements. People who exercise frequently or don’t get a lot of creatine in their diets might choose to take a supplement. Supplements are available in powder, tablet, capsule, or liquid form. You might find a creatine-rich energy bar.
Should you take creatine?
Research shows creatine is safe for most people to take as a supplement, but more research is needed on people with diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. If you have questions about taking creatine and you’re not sure if it’s right for you, it’s best to consult your healthcare provider.
Can creatine lower inflammation after exercise?
Researchers have concluded that creatine can help lower inflammation following exercise. For example, in a review published in the Journal Nutrients, creatine supplementation was found to have anti-inflammatory and anti-catabolic effects. Another randomized controlled trial showed that supplementing with creatine while training for a half-ironman was linked to reduced inflammatory levels after the competition.
Creatine can help prevent muscle wasting, and some research concludes that it can increase muscle mass and performance in adults of all ages when paired with resistance training. Resistance training refers to exercises where you use external resistance, such as kettlebells, barbells, and dumbbells.
Can creatine help you lose body fat?
Research indicates that taking creatine supplements while resistance training is significantly more effective for reducing body fat than resistance training alone.
Concluding thoughts
The evidence shows that taking creatine supplements can certainly promote muscle strength, recovery, fat loss, and more. It isn’t a silver bullet, but mounting research does support the benefits of this natural supplement. The endurance athletes, powerlifters, and gym junkies are onto something with this one.
Plenty of gym junkies also say that creatine gives them a surge of energy to fuel a workout. This could be partly because creatine plays a vital role in your body’s production of adenosine triphosphate or ATP. ATP is a molecule that stores and releases energy in your cells; it’s often called the ‘energy currency’ of the cell, which could be the reason for that gentle nudge or energy surge some people get. It’s important you source a high-quality supplement, consume the supplement safely as directed, and eat a nutritious, balanced diet.
