Creatine is not just for “meatheads” and “gym rats”, it is now recognized as a universally needed supplements for a sound mind and body.
The Legit Supplement Team has been working for months on putting together a pre-workout product and that work has lead me to writing this blog. For more than a decade I have held a strong belief that supplemental creatine should be incorporated into the diets of almost all adults from puberty to the grave. Below is a short article from the staff at the Mayo Clinic regarding the topic and amazingly enough it appears we all agree. It is so very essential to a healthy life that our body even makes it. Yes, you read that right… your body can produce creatine from the amino acids glycine and arginine. Unfortunately the body does not make enough to produce all the awesome benefits that are possible through the use of creatine.
Below is the article from the Mayo Clinic for your review. And yes, again I will apologize in advance to vegetarians for calling them out in particular in this blog post. Vegetarians notoriously have low creatine level due to dietary choices. The bright side is supplemental creatine will work wonderfully for them as well as anyone with lower creatine levels. The take away is we can all use a little more creatine in our diets. Please pass this article along to anyone you know that may benefit from reading it. My elderly parents have fought me tooth and nail and avoid most supplements. It is sad to think what might have been if they had been in the care of health care workers that were up to date and advocated for lifestyle/diet/exercise as a course to reduce dependence on pharmaceuticals.
If you choose to supplement creatine I have a few suggestions and please research the following on your own. My opinion is di-creatine malate (DCM) is the best form to supplement with, highly effective at lower doses than most other forms. The range of daily intake is about 1000 mg on the low end and 2000 mg on the high side. Anything more than that and you are beyond the point of diminishing return, you are wasting your money. Please avoid the use creatine monohydrate especially if you run higher blood pressure. Monohydrate can increase bloat and large amounts of water retention thus putting pressure on the kidneys and other organs. The kidneys and other organs don’t like that, they don’t like it at all. So, if you can try to stick with di-creatine malate or at least the more expensive(and still effective), patented “creatine Magnapower”. Also, a friend of mine named Belger says you better take your creatine or he will break you in half. So, I take it and if you knew Belger you would take your creatine too!
Fans of Pre-workout products please make sure to read the section about caffeine and the interference of the creatine’s effectiveness…look for a pre-workout with under 200mg of caffeine.
Without further delay I will let the Mayo Clinic take it from here…
Creatine is an amino acid located mostly in your body’s muscles as well as in the brain. Most people get creatine through seafood and red meat — though at levels far below those found in synthetically made creatine supplements. The body’s liver, pancreas and kidneys also can make about 1 gram of creatine per day.
Your body stores creatine as phosphocreatine primarily in your muscles, where it’s used for energy. As a result, people take creatine orally to improve athletic performance and increase muscle mass.
People also use oral creatine to treat certain brain disorders, neuromuscular conditions, congestive heart failure and other conditions. Topical creatine might be used to treat aging skin.
Evidence
Research on creatine use for specific activities and conditions shows:
- Strength, muscle size and performance. Oral creatine use might allow an athlete to do more work during reps or sprints, leading to greater gains in strength, muscle mass and performance. Creatine is often used by athletes involved in high-intensity intermittent activities that require a rapid recovery during training and competition.
- Injury prevention. Oral creatine might reduce the frequency of dehydration, muscle cramping, and injuries to the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons and nerves.
- Rare creatine-metabolizing syndromes. In children with the certain creatine deficiency syndromes, oral creatine supplements might improve some symptoms.
- Cognition and brain health. Creatine supplementation might improve performance during cognitive tasks, especially in older adults.
- Sarcopenia and bone health. Creatine supplementation might help counteract age-related declines in skeletal muscle and bone mineral density.
- Heart failure. There isn’t enough evidence to recommend use of oral creatine as a heart failure treatment.
- Skin aging. Early research suggests that a cream containing creatine and other ingredients applied to the face every day for six weeks might reduce skin sag and wrinkles in men. Another study suggests that a cream containing creatine and folic acid improves sun damage and reduces wrinkles.
People who have low levels of creatine — such as vegetarians — appear to benefit most from creatine supplements.
Our take
Generally safe
Creatine might benefit athletes who need short bursts of speed or increased muscle strength, such as sprinters, weight lifters and team sport athletes.
While taking creatine might not help all athletes, evidence suggests that it generally won’t hurt if taken as directed.
Although an older case study suggested that creatine might worsen kidney dysfunction in people with kidney disorders, creatine doesn’t appear to affect kidney function in healthy people.
Safety and side effects
When used orally at appropriate doses, creatine is likely safe to take for up to five years. As with any dietary supplement, it’s important to choose a product that follows recommended manufacturing practices and subscribes to third-party testing to ensure the product’s quality.
Creatine can cause:
- Weight gain, generally as lean body mass
Creatine might be unsafe for people with preexisting kidney problems. However, further research is needed.
Interactions
Possible interactions include:
- Caffeine. Combining caffeine with creatine might decrease the efficacy of creatine. Use of creatine with a daily amount of caffeine greater than 300 milligrams might also worsen the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Further research is needed.
Legit Supplements offers an amazing pre-work out with di-creatine malate and low caffeine as well as the scientifically determined levels of all other ingredients to set up for a safe and amazing workout. It will be available late summer 2023.
Strictly opinion and not medical advice. Consult your doctor, pharmacist and/or nutritionist before starting/stopping any supplement or exercise program.
