Creatine Explained: What It Does and Who Is it For?
Creatine is one of those supplements that nearly everyone has heard of, but not everyone fully understands and it is also one which my opinion of has changed a lot over the years doing this job.
Some people think it is only for bodybuilders. Others worry it will make them bulky, cause water retention or somehow be “bad for them”. Then there are people who have a tub in the cupboard but have no real idea whether they should actually be taking it.
Creatine is probably the most researched supplement out there and is one that I am now happy to recommend in the right situation, due to the new emerging research showing that it is beneficial for far more people than just those looking to get bigger in the gym.
What actually is creatine?
Creatine is something your body already has. It is stored mainly in your muscles and helps provide quick energy when you need to produce a hard effort. Think heavy sets in the gym, sprinting, hill reps, jumps, rugby tackles etc
Your body can make some creatine itself in the kidneys, liver and pancreas, and you also get it from foods such as red meat and fish. But taking creatine as a supplement can help you store a little more of it in the muscles than diet alone which has more further benefits which I will explain later in this blog.
It is important to note, that this will not turn you into a different athlete overnight. What it can do is help you train harder, recover better between efforts and gradually get more from the work you are already doing.
Why is creatine so popular for weight training?
Creatine has been popular in the gym world for decades because it works well alongside resistance training.
It can help you do an extra rep, use a slightly heavier weight, or keep the quality of your sets higher. None of that sounds dramatic, but those small improvements add up over weeks and months if you can maintain consistency.
It is important to be realistic though. Creatine is not a substitute for progressive training or the right nutrition. If you don’t have this sorted then creatine will not make much difference to you.
You cannot take creatine, train randomly once a week and expect your body to suddenly change. It is a useful addition to a good plan, not the plan itself.
Will creatine make me gain weight?
Probably, but not in the way most people worry about. Creatine can increase the amount of water stored inside your muscles. This might show up as a small increase on the scales, especially when you first start taking it, but this is not the same thing as gaining body fat.
If you are focused on building muscle and improving gym performance this is generally not a negative. However, if you are someone who does a weight category sport such as boxing where you need to make a specific weight, then it is something you would need to take into consideration, as should the regulation of supplements, which is a whole other conversation, but in short, if you get tested for your sport then you MUST be VERY careful with supplements and ensure they are not going to be contaminated with banned substances. The Informed Sport website is a very useful tool which can give you reassurance of a supplements safety with their batch testing protocols.
This is why supplement advice should never just be copied from social media or taken from someone in the gym. The right choice depends on the individual, their goals, sport, training phase and what else is going on with their nutrition.
What about sport and endurance training?
Creatine tends to be most useful for sports involving short, repeated, hard efforts such as sprinting, team sports, CrossFit, strength training, combat sports etc. It can support the repeated bursts of effort that happen in these sessions. It has been shown to improve fatigue resistance in exercise lasting up to 30 seconds.
For endurance athletes, it is not quite as straightforward.
Creatine will not replace carbohydrate on a long run. It will not suddenly improve your marathon pace, and it is not a replacement for doing the important training sessions: easy mileage, threshold training, hill sprints, fartlek training, fuelling practice and recovery.
However, many runners, cyclists and triathletes also lift weights, do hill sessions, sprint work or have harder interval blocks. In those situations, creatine may still have a place. The potential downside is that small increase in body mass, which may not be ideal for every endurance athlete at every point in a season.
This is where individual planning matters. What makes sense in an off-season strength block may not be the best choice six weeks before an important marathon or at a time where you are wanting to be as light as possible.
The brain health side is interesting
One of the more interesting things I learned recently at the International Sport & Exercise Nutrition Conference (ISENC) and is an area I am going to be focussing more of my research is that creatine is not only being discussed as a gym supplement anymore. Your brain needs a lot of energy too and is the bodies 2nd largest creatine store, after the muscles. Researchers are now looking at how creatine may support brain function in situations where energy demands are high, such as poor sleep, heavy mental workload, ageing and recovery from certain health issues and brain injuries.
The early findings are encouraging, particularly around memory and mental performance during sleep deprivation, but I do need be careful not to overhype it as creatine is not a replacement for sleep, it is not a cure for brain fog, stress, anxiety or poor nutrition. It also does not give anyone an excuse to run on four hours of sleep and expect to function properly but I think it is another reason why I think creatine deserves a more balanced conversation than “it is just for guys trying to get bigger”.
The research is still developing, and that is exactly why I make a point of attending conferences, reviewing new evidence and updating how I work with clients rather than relying on outdated advice.
How much do i need?
For most people, the simple option is best:
– Choose creatine monohydrate
– Take 3–5 g daily
– Take it consistently, including rest days
– Mix it into water, a shake, yoghurt or whatever makes it easiest to remember
– Timing is far less important than taking it regularly
You may see people recommending a “loading phase”, where they take a much higher amount for around a week before dropping to a normal daily amount. That can fill muscle stores more quickly, but it is not essential. Taking 3–5 g each day will still get you there, it just takes a bit longer.
You do not need an expensive branded version, a fancy blend, or something marketed as “advanced creatine”. Plain creatine monohydrate is the one with the strongest track record.
It is important to mention, If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, take regular medication, or have been advised to monitor kidney health, speak to an appropriate healthcare professional before starting any supplement.
Do you actually need creatine?
You do not need creatine to get strong, build muscle or perform well. Your training, food, sleep and consistency will always have a much bigger impact, but if you train regularly and want a simple, evidence based supplement that may support strength, muscle gain and high-intensity performance, creatine is one of the best places to start. And with the research into brain health continuing to grow, it is a supplement I expect we will be talking about even more over the next few years. The evidence is promising, but I will keep following it closely rather than making random unsupported claims.
It may be particularly worth considering if you:
– Lift weights and want to improve strength or build muscle
– Play a team sport or do repeated sprint-style training
– Include hard intervals, hills or gym work alongside running, cycling or triathlon
– Eat little or no red meat or fish
– Want to make your training and nutrition plan more structured, rather than just guessing with supplements
Want personalised advice that fits you?
As a sports nutritionist, personal trainer and running coach, I help people understand what they actually need to do to improve their training, nutrition and performance. I stay current by attending industry conferences such as ISENC, reviewing the latest research and, most importantly, applying it in a way that fits real people with busy lives, individual goals and different training demands.
If you are training for a race, trying to build muscle, improve your performance, lose body fat without wrecking your training, or simply want to stop guessing with your nutrition, get in touch about online or in person coaching. We can build a plan around you, your goals, training, lifestyle and food preferences.