Creatine and Sports Performance

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found mostly in your muscles and brain. It is one of the most well-studied supplements for its sports performance benefits.

Your body makes creatine from three amino acids: arginine, glycine and methionine. This primarily happens in the liver and to a lesser extent in the kidneys and pancreas. You also get creatine from foods, especially animal-based foods like meat and fish. The word “creatine” comes from the Greek word “kreas,” which means meat.

What Does Creatine Do?

Creatine plays an important role in how your body makes energy. It is especially important during high-intensity physical activity, such as sprinting or lifting weights. Creatine also is involved in both physical and mental energy demands such as pumping your heart and supporting brain activity.

Due to its role in energy production, creatine is considered one of the most effective supplements for improving exercise performance. It works mainly by increasing the amount of energy available during short, intense activity.

Creatine Supplements

Although creatine is naturally found in some foods, supplements can provide a more practical and consistent way to increase creatine intake. The amount consumed in a regular diet is normally below the threshold needed for performance benefits. Commonly sold as powder or capsules, creatine supplements deliver higher amounts in a concentrated form, allow for better control over dosage and are absorbed more quickly than creatine from food alone.

There are several forms of creatine supplements on the market. These include:

• Creatine monohydrate
• Creatine citrate
• Creatine ethyl ester
• Creatine malate

Creatine monohydrate is the most widely studied form, with research supporting its use. Other forms are often marketed as being better absorbed or causing less water retention, but research supporting these claims is limited.

Precautions and Potential Side Effects

Creatine is generally well-tolerated, but side effects have been reported. The most common side effects are temporary water retention, diarrhea, dehydration and gastrointestinal distress.

More serious concerns are uncommon, but caution is advised. When creatine monohydrate is taken at higher than recommended doses, used for several months or combined with other supplements, some liver and kidney complications have been reported. For this reason, it’s important to work with a health care provider, who will consider your individual health needs, before starting any new supplements.

Athletic Benefits of Creatine

Creatine is considered one of the most effective nutritional supplements available for athletes. Research supporting its performance-related benefits has made creatine a popular supplement for decades. It is currently one of the most widely used supplements in sports and is often taken to improve strength and physical performance during high-intensity activities.

One of creatine’s primary benefits is improved performance during high-intensity and repeated exercise. Research shows that creatine supplementation may increase performance in activities such as sprinting, strength training and power-based movements by about 10% to 20%. These improvements are especially relevant for sports and workouts that rely on short bursts of intense effort.

Creatine also is well-known for its effects on muscle and body composition. Supplementation has the potential to increase lean body mass by increasing fat-free mass and, in some cases, reducing body fat percentage. These effects are greater when creatine supplementation is combined with resistance exercise. Consistent evidence shows that creatine use, particularly alongside exercise training, may help improve muscle strength and muscle power.

Beyond its effects on muscle performance, creatine may offer additional training-related benefits. These include supporting energy storage in muscles, reducing muscle damage and enhancing recovery after intense exercise. Creatine use also is linked to fewer musculoskeletal injuries.

Key Takeaways

Although research is ongoing, creatine supplements have been well-studied for their role in physical performance. Creatine is widely used to help improve physical performance and support health and recovery. A registered dietitian nutritionist can work with you to incorporate creatine into your diet to meet your personal performance goals.