Most of the Creatine is stored in the muscles to obtain energybut also feeds him brainthe heart and other fabrics. “Once the cell enters, creatine becomes phosphocreatine, which can quickly break down in ATP (adenosine triffosphate), the main energy source of the cell,” explains Scott Forbes, associate professor of the Department of Physical Education Studies at the University of Brandon, in Manitoba (Canada).
Unlike caffeine, which provides a short -term shaking, the Creatine helps maintain long -term energy. “It provides muscles for a little more energy so you can train a little harder, which leads to better adaptations,” says Forbes.
But the benefits do not end when your training ends. According to a 2024 study, Creatine supplement reduces muscle damage and improves recovery after exercise. “It also acts as anti -inflammatory y antioxidantwhich can help prevent the degradation of muscle proteins and favor protein synthesis, ”adds Smith-Ryan, allowing you to increase the volume of training.
Whenever the body is subjected to stress, either by intense exercise, lack of sleep or mental tension, cells need extra energy, says Forbes. That’s where creatine comes into play.
According to a study published in 2024 in Scientific Reportsa single dose of this supplement can Improve cognitive performance When you are tired. By increasing the energy reserves of the brain, Helps invest the effects of cell stress caused by lack of sleep.
Another 2024 study discovered that creatine supplementation can also improve the total duration of dream. Some researchers are even studying their potential to slow cognitive deterioration in older adults.
“If you feel that you cannot sleep or that your brain does not work, you need an additional advantage, and that is when creatine is usually more useful,” says Smith-Ryan.
It can also be a tool to treat mental Health problems. A 2023 review discovered that enhanced the effects of antidepressants And, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey of the United States, people who consumed more creatine in their diet had less risk of depression.
-Las womenin particular, they can benefit from the creatine of forms that go beyond muscle recovery. Research suggests that it can help counteract the natural loss of bone density That occurs with age, something important for postmenopausal women with risk of osteoporosis. You can also have Protective effects on blood vesselswith two studies of 2024 in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN y Nutrients that relate creatine to an improvement of cardiovascular function.
Like any supplement, creatine is not a panacea.
You need to eat enough proteins so that your body creates creatine before starting to take supplements, clarifies Smith-Ryan. Although in general it is safe, the People with kidney disorders should consult a doctor before. “The risk/benefit ratio is good: it is cheap, very absorbable and has no side effects,” he adds.
A common concern is weight gainwhich is mainly due to water retention in cells, which helps the production of energy, says the physiology professor of the exercise. “In a recent review, we discovered that, on average, you can earn a little less than a kilo of weight,” says Forbes. “People may be afraid of that, but my opinion is that your body composition is improving: you are losing some fat mass and gaining muscle”.
As for the myth that causes hair loss? The professor of the University of Brandon, who has recently conducted a study on the subject, can “confirm that Creatine does not cause hair loss”, He says.
Forbes and Smith-Ryan agree that Creatine can benefit people of all ages and activity levels. “If you are someone who sleeps everything that can and never have symptoms of anxiety, depression or cerebral fog, you will probably not feel the effects of creatine, but I do not know any of those people,” says Smith-Ryan.
To see immediate benefits, start with a “Load period“In which you take four daily doses of five grams for five dayssuggests the teacher of exercise physiology; Then one Maintenance dose is about five to 10 grams daily.
According to Forbes, Scientists continue to investigate which is the best dosing strategy To enhance the brain, but in a review of 2017 a good supplements tolerance of up to 30 grams a day was observed for at least five years.
