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- Creatine, beneficial for maintaining muscles
or is it actually dangerous for the bod?
I'll explain.
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Those involved in strength training and the fitness world,
trainers and athletes alike know the importance
of proper nutrition and supplementation.
But being informed with the right information
when shopping for supplements is even more crucial.
And being that creatine is one
of the most successful selling supplements
to hit the shelves,
it's important to know if it's actually beneficial
in maintaining and building muscles,
or is it just a bunch of bro science?
Today, I'm breaking down
all of the crucial facts and questions
that you might be wondering about creatine.
Hey, everyone, I'm Dr. Jordan Wagner.
I'm an emergency room doctor who treats everything
from COVID to gunshot wounds, burns, you name it.
I've created this video series
to help answer some of your medical questions
and the questions that I get from patients
each and every day.
If you find this video helpful,
please do me a favor and subscribe.
So what is creatine?
Creatine is a substance
that is found naturally in muscle cells.
It helps your muscles produce energy during heavy lifting
or high-intensity exercise,
AKA resulting in an increase in muscle mass.
Your muscles then convert creatine into creatine phosphate,
which is then generated into adenosine triphosphate, ATP,
which your body uses for explosive exercise.
Now, don't get protein and creatine confused.
In short, creatine leads
to more strength during your workout,
whereas protein leads to more muscle repair
after your workout
and creatine isn't a replacement for protein.
How does creatine work?
Chemically speaking,
it shares many similarities with amino acids.
Your body can produce it
from the amino acids, glycine and arginine.
If you want even more of an amino acids breakdown,
I'll link to a video I made on it below.
But, several factors affect your body's creatine stores,
including meat intake, exercise,
amount of muscular mass, and levels of hormones
like testosterone and IGF-1.
About 95% of your body's creatine is stored in muscles
in the form of phosphocreatine.
The other 5% is found in your brain, kidneys and liver.
When you supplement,
you increase your stores of phosphocreatine.
This is a form of stored energy in the cells,
as it helps your body produce more
of a high energy molecule called ATP.
Creatine also alters several cellular processes
that lead to increased muscle mass, strength and recovery.
One 14-week study in older adults,
out of the Journal of Clinical Medicine determined
that adding creatine to a weight training program,
significantly increased leg strength and muscle mass.
In high-intensity exercise, its primary role
is to increase the phosphocreatine stores in your muscles.
So what are the benefits of creatine?
So far, we know that it improves performance,
supports muscular size and strength, and recovery.
However, creatine has a lot of science-backed benefits
for both athletic performance and health as well.
Just like your muscles, your brain stores phosphocreatine
and requires plenty of ATP for optimal function.
A study from the Royal Society reports
that creatine supplements
also increase possible creatine stores in your brain,
which may improve brain health
and prevent neurologic diseases
such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease
and even epilepsy.
Are there any cons to creatine to be aware of
and is it actually dangerous?
Creatine strong safety profile
is commonly overshadowed by media reports claiming
that it harms your kidneys and causes extreme bloating.
First, studies involving a variety of people
of different ages have found
that taking creatine supplements did not harm kidney health.
However, those individuals with impaired kidney function
or kidney disease or anyone watching this video
should always check with their primary care doctor
or healthcare provider before taking any new supplements.
Second, the most common complaint
associated with taking creatine supplement
is stomach discomfort due to bloating.
This feeling of being bloated
or having a distended stomach most often occurs
when you first start taking the supplement
during the creatine loading phase.
During the loading phase, creatine also tends
to pull water into your muscle cells resulting in waking.
This may cause bloating or adding of water weight.
In fact, the average weight gain for adults
in the first week of using creatine during the load phase
is 1.5 to three pounds, though that weight gain
may be due to water retention.
It has been noted that an athlete
that has used creatine for up to three months
will gain upwards of 6.5 pounds of lean muscle mass
more than an athlete that is not trained with creatine.
How do you take it and how much?
Creatine supplements usually come in powder form.
You can drink it by mixing the powder with water or juice,
take it whenever it's convenient for you.
The international journal of sports medicine
currently recommends two dosing regimens
that you can follow when taking creatine.
The first option called creatine loading
involves taking 20 to 25 grams split
into four to five equal doses
over five to seven days.
After you're finished with the loading phase,
take three to five grams per day
to maintain your muscle stores of the compound.
The second option is to skip the loading phase
and start with the maintenance dose
at three to five grams daily.
Both options are equally effective,
but following the loading protocol will allow you
to experience the supplements benefit four times faster.
However, if that is all a little overwhelming to you,
I suggest taking precautions
and keep your dose to 10 grams or less per serving
A question I hear a lot, can women take creatine
or should men only take it?
Creatine is an equal opportunity workout enhancer,
meaning yes, both men and women can take it.
In fact, many studies show that ladies can experience
the very same increases in strength, endurance,
and performance improvement.
In one Canadian study, for example,
men and women who supplemented with creatine for six weeks
both showed physical improvements and became stronger.
Which type of creatine should you buy?
From creatine monohydrate, buffered creatine,
creatine hydrochloride and creatine nitrate.
It all adds more confusion
surrounding which supplement is right for you.
To keep it simple my friend,
creatine monohydrate, best option.
Based on the scientific evidence,
creatine monohydrate is backed by the strongest research
with studies demonstrating its effectiveness
at increasing your body stores
and improving exercise performance.
And if you're curious as to some of my recommendations,
I'll link to some of my favorite creatine supplements below.
Also, keep in mind that some dietary supplements out there
are largely unregulated.
The content of some of the products may differ
from what is specified on the product label.
And a word of caution.
The safety of supplements in pregnant women,
nursing mothers, children and those with medical conditions
or who are taking medications has not been established.
That's why it's always best
to talk with your primary care provider first
before incorporating any supplements
into your daily routine.
Self-treating your condition and avoiding
or delaying standard care may have serious consequences.
All right, that's been a creatine breakdown
with me, Dr. Wagner.
Do you take any creatine supplements?
Let me know in the comments.
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Thank you so much for watching and stay healthy, my friends.
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