Did you get the memo? Creatine is a must have supplement. It is good for your muscles and brain health. Are you ready to sign up for a lifetime subscription?
Simple Creatine Monohydrate. I first tried some in high school. Yes, it did work. .
Not so fast. Everything has a risk/ rewards ratio. What are the risks in taking creatine supplementation?
The biggest concern of many when considering creatine supplementation is how it affects kidney health. More on that later.
SAFETY and Quick Facts:
Creatine monohydrate is on of the best and longest studied supplements in the world. People have taken it for decades. Here is the good news. There is no tsunami of creatine users or fitness enthusiasts that have ended up on dialysis for kidney failure or disease.
Here is a list of facts and considerations when you take creatine monohydrate.
-Creatine is a natural substance found in meat. Therefore, non-meat eaters are at risk for lower creatine status
-Muscle tissue is “hungry” for creatine. To get brain health improvements, one’s muscles need to get their fill first. In other words, a high dose is needed to get to the brain.
-Dosages: for muscle benefit one would take about 3-5 grams a day. For brain health, 10-20 grams a day is being explored in research (and it helps with sleep deprivation too). There is MUCH more evidence for muscle benefit.
-Creatine does NOT injury kidneys that function normally. Dehydration does cause kidney damage.
-When a person takes creatine, certain blood markers for the kidneys can be elevated. This does NOT mean the kidneys are damaged. Instead, what it means is that the patient is consuming higher than normal creatine levels in through their diet (or supplements).
-What blood markers can go up when taking creatine? Serum creatinine.
-If a person has kidney damage, they should talk with their doctors about the risks of taking creatine.
-Weight gain…..water is heavy. Creatine will help you retain more water. Therefore, most people will weigh more. If this messes with your self esteem, it is time to re-evaluate your relationship with the scale
-Creatine will help your muscles stay strong and healthy.
-Creatine may help your tendons and ligaments recover and stay strong
-At a high enough dose, creatine can even help your brain health.
-It typically takes a few weeks for creatine to build up in the body. When this happens, benefits in strength, performance, and energy should be noted.
What to know:
If you are taking creatine and are worried about your kidney health or your lab values, it would be wise to monitor the following:
Cystatin C
BUN
eGFR based on cystatin C and the combined creatinine/cystatin C equation
Urine albumin/creatinine ratio
Comprehensive metabolic panel
NOTE: A tough workout the day or two before a blood test can also elevate these markers.
As of right now, Creatine monohydrate is a worthwhile supplement for most people in this modern world, especially if your live in a body that is older than 60 years!
Simple creatine monohydrate is enough to get the benefits. There is no need to spend extra money on fancy creatine.
Thoughts? Questions?
Citations:
https://www.jrnjournal.org/article/S1051-2276%2826%2900082-8/fulltext?utm
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12590749?utm
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5469049/?utm
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.9100?utm
Jason Cornish, ACE Personal Trainer, Medical Fitness Specialist, Health Coach. He practices his craft in Auburn, AL.