New Research Suggests Creatine Benefits May Go Beyond Muscle
(CNN) – Creatine has traditionally been associated with athletes and strength training. However, emerging research suggests the supplement may offer benefits to a broader group, including adults who do not regularly exercise.
In a 12-week study from Texas A&M University, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, researchers examined creatine’s effects on muscle performance and cognitive function in adults between 45 and 65 years old.
What the study found
The research involved 64 adults split into two groups. One group followed an exercise and dietary weight-loss program, while the other did not. Within each group, participants were randomly assigned to receive either 10 grams of creatine monohydrate per day or a placebo.
Participants who took creatine gained approximately 2.4 pounds of lean tissue and improved their strength, even without following an exercise routine or weight-loss diet.
Among those who exercised and followed the diet plan, creatine users gained nearly 3 pounds of lean tissue. They also experienced a larger decrease in body-fat percentage than participants who received the placebo.
Richard Kreider, director of Texas A&M’s Exercise and Sport Nutrition Lab, has researched creatine for more than three decades. He said the findings suggest the supplement could have applications well beyond athletic performance.
“If you take creatine and don’t train, you get some effect,” Kreider said. “When you train, you can get more because the exercise actually helps with brain function — so the take home is creatine is for everybody.”
Cognitive benefits still being explored
The researchers also observed improvements in certain measures of memory and cognitive performance. They cautioned, however, that these findings are exploratory and require confirmation through additional research.
Even so, Kreider said the broader evidence surrounding creatine remains promising.
“Really no reason to not take creatine,” he said. “Everything is particularly positive in human studies.”
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in foods such as meat and fish. Kreider said it acts as a primary energy source in the body. Although it functions in some ways like an amino acid, creatine is not technically an amino acid.
