The Incredible Benefits of Creatine

Creatine is a hot topic today, and many people are touting its amazing benefits, so we wanted to share our knowledge and some fantastic supplements with you.

Creatine is a compound formed from three amino acids and is found mostly in our brain and muscles, where we use it for energy. This natural source of energy helps our skeletal muscles contract, which is especially beneficial when we exercise, especially in quick bursts, like sprinting or lifting weights.

The Mayo Clinic explains that, while our bodies naturally make creatine (about one gram a day), they do not make all that we need, so we must also get creatine from our diet. Foods such as beef, pork, fish and shellfish, and animal milk all contain creatine.

Our bodies deliver over 90% of the creatine that we create to our skeletal muscles so we can use it when we exercise. Here our bodies “convert creatine into a compound of creatine and phosphoric acid (phosphocreatine or creatine phosphate).” This phosphocreatine “helps create adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is a source of energy that your cells use when you exercise. So, creatine helps maintain a continuous energy supply to your muscles during intense lifting or exercise.” This is why those who do exercises with short bursts of intense speed like to take creatine just prior to exercise.

The rest of the creatine, that doesn’t go to our skeletal muscles, goes to our brain, heart, and other tissues so they can benefit as well.

Creatine is one of the most widely researched supplements on the market, and researchers say it’s one of the safest. While some have said that it may cause liver or kidney problems in those with existing conditions, research has been inconclusive, and those without these conditions should consider it safe. Further, there have not been enough studies done with pregnant women. So, as with any supplement, before you begin, talk with your doctor.

But once you get the green light, you can begin reaping the numerous benefits of creatine.

For those who work out regularly, taking creatine might:

• Improve performance
• Help recovery
• Reduce cramping and dehydration
• Increase muscle mass
• Prevent serious muscle injuries or reduce their severity
• Minimize muscle strains and tightness

Creatine can also help with endurance and performance, as it might allow athletes to get in more sprints or reps, which then leads to greater strength. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Studies show that regularly taking creatine, weightlifting and exercising can help increase muscle growth in people 18 to 30 years old.” It goes on to say that there isn’t enough research on muscle growth in people older than 65 or with those who have muscular diseases. But that doesn’t mean that those people will not benefit.

Creatine is also beneficial for the prevention of injuries when working out, as it not only helps reduce dehydration, but it decreases instances of muscle cramping and other injuries to bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves, and tendons. In fact, creatine can also help with bone density problems in older people.

Creatine has also been shown to be beneficial for brain health and memory in older people, and research has found that it improves performance during cognitive tasks. Healthline states, “For older individuals, supplementing with creatine for 2 weeks significantly improved memory and recall ability.” And Psychology Today reported that, “In a robust 2022 meta-analysis, it was concluded that creatine supplementation significantly improved memory (compared to placebo). This improvement was particularly impressive among older adults (aged 66-77).” It also found that “oral creatine supplementation may improve healthy individuals’ intelligence and reasoning abilities.”

Additionally, research has found that children who have creatine-metabolizing conditions have seen improvement in some symptoms when taking an oral creatine.

Creatine has also been found to be beneficial for aging skin, as it helps reduce wrinkles and sags in the skin.

Vegetarians and vegans sometimes have low levels of creatine because they do not get it from meat and fish, so creatine supplements give them the nutrients they need.

In older adults, creatine may boost brain function, protect against neurological diseases, and reduce age-related loss of muscle and strength.

Some recent research has found that giving high doses of creatine to football players just before a game can be neuroprotective. The International Society of Sports Nutrition stated in a 2017 report that “government legislatures and sport organizations who restrict and/or discourage use of creatine may be placing athletes at greater risk—particularly in contact sports that have risk of head trauma and/or neurological injury thereby opening themselves up to legal liability. This includes children and adolescent athletes engaged in sport events that place them at risk for head and/or spinal cord injury.”

And Scott Forbes, PhD, professor of kinesiology, concurs, telling Medical News Today that “creatine may reduce the risk of depression and anxiety, be neuroprotective against brain injury, and help support brain health and development.”

Understanding all of these benefits, Performance Inspired has created two creatine monohydrate supplements, which is the most beneficial kind of creatine. The Cleveland Clinic explains that creatine monohydrate is “a dietary supplement that increases muscle performance in short-duration, high-intensity resistance exercises, such as weightlifting, sprinting and bicycling. Other forms of creatine don’t appear to have these benefits.”

First, we offer Creatine Chews. They contain 5mg of pure creatine monohydrate, which helps increase muscle performance in high-intensity and short-duration resistance exercises such as sprinting, weightlifting, and bicycling.

And we also offer Micronized Creatine—a pure 100% micronized creatine monohydrate. This powder is unflavored so it can mix well with your favorite drink. Each scoop contains 5 grams.

Both the chews and the powder will help you reap the benefits of this amazing supplement. Order today to see what it can do for you and your health.