Creatine is an amino acid derivative present in all cells of the body but is mostly deposited in muscle. It is named from the Greek word areas, which means flesh. It is particularly critical in tissues where energy levels surge and decrease rapidly, such as muscle.
Creatine provides our cells with a quick surge of energy. Creatine also transports energy from where it is made to where it is required inside the cell.
Creatine is present naturally in flesh and may be obtained via a diet rich in fish, meat, and other animal products such as dairy. Because creatine is required for the proper functioning of all cells, our bodies produce it.
A diet rich in animal products may provide 50% of daily creatine needs, with the remaining 50% produced by the body.
Those who follow an animal-free diet will have a greater load on their bodies to achieve their complete creatine need. However, a healthy individual may maintain enough creatine levels even if they chose to consume a vegetarian or vegan diet under typical conditions.
Why do people take creatine supplements?
The effects of natural and supplementary creatine are the same in the body; the concentration of creatine in a supplement is just considerably greater. This is why creatine pills are often used by athletes to help them exercise and improve muscular performance.
For an athlete, the conventional dosage regimen is 0.3g of creatine per kilogram of body weight per day for a week (so if you're 60kg, you'd take 60 x 0.3 = 18g of creatine each day). Then 0.075g per kilogram per day would be the daily dosage (or 4.5g per day for the same 60kg person). When your body has absorbed all of the creatine it can, the rest will pass via your urine.
Creatine is also necessary for brain function since the brain consumes a lot of energy. Some people use creatine supplements to aid with alertness, and various studies are being conducted to see whether creatine supplements might help with neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's and moderate depression.
Because there isn't enough data on the usage of creatine supplementation in children, adolescents, or pregnant women, current recommendations advise against use. Before using creatine supplements, those with pre-existing renal issues should obtain expert counsel.
While the supplements are safe for the general population, creatine supplements are not required to complement a healthy, balanced diet.
Creatine's therapeutic applications
Dietary creatine supplements have been tested as a therapy for a variety of muscle-fiber-related diseases. The therapy of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is an example of the successful use of creatine in this field.
Long-term creatine supplementation (over four months) seems to boost muscular strength and mass without severe side effects, according to preliminary research.
Creatine is also being studied as a supplement to assist slow the course of neurological illnesses including Parkinson's and Huntington's. Despite the fact that the findings of this research were inconclusive.
While creatine is promoted as a supplement for the fit and young, it is also being tested to see whether it might assist the elderly retain their muscle and bone strength and so lower the risk of falling.
In 1913, a relationship between creatine and fetal development was discovered. The rapidly rising nutritional needs of the developing infant constitute a significant energy strain for the mother throughout pregnancy.
Pregnancy alters creatine production, excretion, transport, and storage, according to our new research. Our team discovered that pregnant women with lower creatine levels in their urine had smaller kids in a study of 270 women.
These findings suggest that increasing the amount of creatine in a mother's diet (meat and fish) may prevent a newborn from stunted development.
The next step is to look at maternal nutrition and creatine levels during the pregnancy. The results might help to shape future dietary recommendations, such as a minimum suggested creatine consumption during pregnancy.
Is creatine bad for you?
Creatine is often mistaken with creatinine, which is the breakdown product of creatine. The body maintains a tight ratio of creatine to creatinine, so if you have a lot of creatine in your system, you're more likely to expel too much creatinine in your urine.
Creatinine in the urine is generally seen as a symptom that our kidneys aren't filtering blood effectively. As a result, case studies linking creatine consumption to renal failure have been reported.
While case reports pointing to possible hazards or side effects have been reported, scientific investigations examining these situations have determined that creatine is safe.
Creatine might induce water retention in certain people. This may imply that it can affect renal function, however, most investigations have demonstrated that this is not the case. According to several studies, the supplement induced weight gain, which was most likely related to the increase in water.
The majority of specialists believe that creatine does not induce the sort of nephrotic syndrome (kidney illness) that took the life of rugby player Jonah Lomu.
Should women who are pregnant use creatine supplements?
The evidence for using creatine to improve muscular performance is quite strong. Creatine has a strong safety record in innumerable research of creatine supplementation in the sports arena and in clinical trials.
However, there is no research on the safety of creatine supplementation during pregnancy in humans. While our research indicated that moms with greater creatine levels in their urine had a lower risk of having a tiny baby, these findings are based on women's typical diets, not creatine supplementation.
As a result, there is no proof that creatine supplements are essential for pregnant women at this time. Simply eating a well-balanced diet rich in meat and fish will guarantee that mothers and their newborns get enough creatine.
