Creatine: Powering Muscle and Mind
Unlocking the Full Potential of Creatine
Creatine is one of the most researched and effective supplements in sports nutrition. Naturally found in red meat and synthesized in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas from amino acids (arginine, glycine, and methionine), creatine plays a critical role in short-duration, high-intensity energy production. Supplementation helps saturate muscle stores of phosphocreatine, which fuels ATP regeneration, the energy currency of muscle contraction. Athletes across disciplines use creatine to increase strength, muscle mass, and performance.
How It Works in Muscle
During high-intensity activities like sprinting or lifting, your muscles rely on phosphocreatine to rapidly regenerate ATP. The more phosphocreatine you have stored, the longer you can sustain explosive efforts. Supplementing with 3 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily increases intramuscular phosphocreatine content by 10–40%, depending on baseline levels. This translates to enhanced power output, greater work volume, and faster recovery between bouts. Creatine may also help muscle recover after injury.
Performance Gains in Athletes
Studies consistently show that creatine improves performance in repeated bouts of high-intensity effort, such as weightlifting, sprinting, and sports requiring frequent accelerations like football or soccer. It increases lean body mass, especially in combination with resistance training, without increasing fat mass. These benefits apply to both trained and untrained individuals and are especially relevant during periods of intense training or rehabilitation from injury.
Creatine and Brain Function
Beyond its muscular effects, creatine also supports brain energy metabolism. The brain uses ATP continuously, and creatine plays a role in buffering this demand. In cognitive research, creatine supplementation has been shown to improve working memory, reaction time, and mental fatigue, especially under conditions of sleep deprivation, stress, or oxygen deprivation.
Emerging studies suggest benefits in individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), depression, and age-related cognitive decline. Some of the proposed mechanisms include enhanced mitochondrial function, improved cerebral bioenergetics, and neuroprotection via reduced oxidative stress.
Who Should Use It?
Creatine is safe and effective for most people, including athletes, older adults, and individuals engaged in cognitively demanding tasks. It is not just for bodybuilders. In fact, creatine may help preserve muscle and cognitive function during aging and illness. Vegetarians and vegans often have lower baseline creatine levels and may see larger benefits from supplementation.
Dosing and Safety
The most common protocol is 3-5 grams per day, taken with or without food. A loading phase of 20 grams per day for five days may accelerate saturation but is not required. Creatine monohydrate remains the gold standard. It is safe for long-term use, with no consistent evidence linking it to kidney or liver dysfunction in healthy individuals. We recommend creatine monohydrate in capsules or powder from Nutricost.
Creatine in Clinical Context
At the Performance Medicine Institute, we frequently recommend creatine as part of integrated strategies for muscle building, injury recovery, cognitive support, and aging. When combined with strength training, hormone optimization, and nutrition, creatine provides a safe and effective edge for performance across the lifespan.
Summary
Creatine enhances athletic performance through increased energy availability in muscle and supports brain function through improved cellular metabolism. Whether you’re trying to lift heavier, recover faster, or stay sharp, creatine is a time-tested ally. Want to see how creatine fits into your personalized performance plan? Contact Us to schedule a consultation with our team.
References
Dueweke JJ, Awan TM, Mendias CL. Regeneration of Skeletal Muscle After Eccentric Injury. J Sport Rehabil. 2017 Apr;26(2):171-179.
Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18.
Avgerinos KI, Spyrou N, Bougioukas KI, Kapogiannis D. Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Exp Gerontol. 2018;108:166–173.
Rawson ES, Venezia AC. Use of creatine in the elderly and evidence for effects on cognitive function in young and old. Amino Acids. 2011;40(5):1349–1362.
Dolan E, Swinton PA, Pain MT, et al. Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrients. 2022;14(7):1403.