Creatine has been popular amongst athletes and workout enthusiasts for years. It’s well-known for its ability to increase endurance and muscle mass; however, research shows that creatine has many uses and can support your health beyond the gym.

Let’s take a further look at what creatine is and uncover the top seven ways it can be used to support your health and well-being.

What Is Creatine?

Creatine is synthesized in the body from three amino acids: glycine, arginine, and methionine, and it is naturally produced in your liver, kidneys, and pancreas. The creatine your body creates mostly goes to your muscles, with the rest going to your heart, brain and other tissues. While your body can produce half the amount of creatine that your body needs on its own, the other half comes from diet or supplementation. Foods that are rich in creatine include:

  • Red Meat
  • Seafood
  • Animal Milk

The main uses for creatine are its ability to supply your muscles with a steady source of energy, which helps them contract and continue working properly, especially while exercising. This is why creatine is a popular sports nutrition supplement.

What Are The Benefits & Uses Of Creatine?

1. Muscle Growth & Hypertrophy

Creatine helps build muscle mass by increasing the water content of your muscle cells. This enhances cell volume, a key trigger in muscle growth. Creatine also helps regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), your body’s main source of energy during short, intense physical activity. This allows you to lift heavier, perform more reps, and maintain your energy through the entirety of your workout.

2. Improves Strength & Power

Many scientific studies have found that creatine supplementation can increase strength by 5-15%. This nutrient enhances strength and high-intensity performance by boosting ATP resynthesis during anaerobic activity, like weightlifting, sprinting, and HIIT. This provides you with more power during short bursts of activity.

3. Enhanced Recovery Post-Workout

Creatine supplements aid in muscle recovery and reduce post-workout soreness known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). This is due to its anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce muscle cell damage and inflammation post-exercise. It also supports muscle glycogen replenishment, which is needed for recovery, especially after intense resistance training or endurance sessions. 

4. Increased Exercise Endurance

Creatine boosts your endurance and performance because it supports sustained ATP production during prolonged training regimens. This helps reduce fatigue, allowing athletes to maintain performance longer. This is particularly useful in training regimens, marathons, and exercises that involve stop-and-go movements like soccer or CrossFit.

5. Cognitive Function and Brain Health

Creatine has been shown to support memory, mental clarity and cognitive performance. Like your muscles, your brain uses ATP for energy. These supplements increase phosphocreatine stores in the brain, supporting energy metabolism and cognitive tasks like memory recall, reaction time, and mental fatigue resistance, especially in sleep-derived or stressed individuals.

6. Anti-Aging & Neuroprotection

Unfortunately, with age, both muscle mass and cognitive function decline. Thankfully, scientific data shows creatine helps combat signs of aging by supporting age-related muscle loss and brain health.

It helps prevent sarcopenia (age-related muscle wasting), preserves lean mass and muscle strength, and has the propensity to protect against neurodegenerative diseases due to its role in cellular energy homeostasis.

7. Hormonal Support and Cellular Health

Creatine supplementation has shown promise in supporting anabolic hormones and reducing oxidative stress. It’s linked to an increase in IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1), a hormone that plays a significant role in muscle development and cellular repair. It also acts as an antioxidant, reducing oxidative damage to cells, particularly in tissues like the liver and brain.

How To Take Creatine Supplements

While your body naturally produces half the amount of creatine it needs, some foods are rich in creatine, but it's often difficult for your body to obtain adequate amounts of this nutrient from diet alone. This is where supplementation may be beneficial, because they are formulated to provide a sufficient dose of creatine that’s pure, safe and bioavailable.

Supplement Dose:

Typical dosing ranges from 3-5 grams per day; however, if you’re using it as a sports supplement, there’s often a loading phase. Therefore, it’s best to follow the label directions on the product of your choice that best suits your needs.

Supplement Formats:

Creatine supplements are available in powder and capsule formats. Both formats are equally good, with capsules often being more convenient and easier to take when at the gym, while powders help increase hydration since you mix them with water or your favourite beverage.

Regardless of the supplement you choose, always select a product that’s clean, potent, and from a trusted brand.

Where Can I Find Quality Creatine Supplements?

At National Nutrition, we strive to provide the most trusted brands in natural health. When you shop with us, you can be sure you’ll find a wide range of supplement varieties, receive knowledgeable and friendly customer service, and competitive pricing. We also offer same-day fulfilment on qualifying orders and free shipping on Canadian orders over $79.

Frequently Asked Questions About Creatine

1. What Does Creatine Do To The Body?

Although creatine has many uses for your health, the top reason people take it is that it helps maintain energy supply, which supports muscles during intense lifting or exercise. It also increases muscle growth and speeds up muscle recovery.

2. Are There Side Effects of Creatine?

When taken as directed, creatine is generally well-tolerated and safe. Some research suggests people with kidney issues shouldn’t take this supplement, but for those with healthy kidney function, it’s considered safe.

3. Is Creatine Beneficial If You Don’t Work Out?

Yes, creatine has been linked to improving cognitive function and blood sugar management.

4. Does Creatine Increase Testosterone?

No, creatine supplementation does not directly increase testosterone levels.