S05E109 Is Creatine the Super Mind AND Body Supplement For Any Age?
Creatine stands as the most heavily researched supplement in the fitness world, yet myths and questions about its use persist. What exactly happens when this natural compound enters your body? Who should take it? Is it truly safe?
Diving deep into the science, host Sam Rhee delves deep into the topic of creatine supplementation. how it works in the body, and its benefits for different age groups including teens, young adults, middle-aged individuals, and seniors. The discussion includes the safety of creatine, potential side effects, and the myths surrounding its use.
But creatine's benefits extend far beyond the weight room. For perimenopausal women, creatine offers unexpected advantages, potentially counteracting hormonal-related muscle and bone loss while supporting cognitive function.
We also tackle practical concerns: Which form works best? When should you take it? How do you choose a quality product? Is loading necessary? The answers might surprise you—while marketing hypes specialized formulations, simple creatine monohydrate remains the gold standard with decades of research behind it.
Whether you're a CrossFit enthusiast looking for a performance edge, a middle-aged adult wanting to preserve strength, or simply curious about supplementation, this comprehensive guide separates fact from fiction to help you make informed decisions about creatine.
What's your experience with creatine? Share your story and join the conversation about this remarkably versatile supplement.
#Creatine #FitnessSupplements #WorkoutBoost #MuscleGain #PerformanceEnhancement #HealthyLiving #GymLife #CrossFit #SportsNutrition #FitnessJourney #BotoxAndBurpees #podcast @botoxandburpeespodcast
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S05E109 Is Creatine the Super Mind AND Body Supplement For Any Age?
TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:00]
Sam Rhee: Hi, I'm Sam Rhee, host of the podcast, Botox and Burpees, and today we're going to take a look at creatine supplementation.
Creatine is one that I've been taking the longest, maybe seven or eight years, and it's the one that the most people ask me questions about. They ask is creatine safe? They ask, is creatine illegal to take for professional competitors?
People ask if they're going through menopause, is it safe for them to take it? Is it safe for my 15-year-old son?
Do I have to exercise for creatine to work? Are there other supplements I should take or avoid while taking creatine? Why is creatine causing my face to bloat up?
How much performance enhancement can I expect with creatine? Which creatine brand should I take?
Fortunately, creatine is one of the most highly studied supplements out there.
And today, we'll explore its ability to boost strength, enhance exercise performance, and promote muscle growth.
We'll start with a quick [00:01:00] overview about what creatine is and how it works in your body.
Then we'll talk about creatine use in different groups, young athletes, perimenopausal women, older adults.
I'll also answer if you need exercise for creatine to work, and we'll also look at other supplements that pair well with creatine.
And how to choose a good creatine product. And finally, because I am a CrossFit enthusiast, part owner of CrossFit Bison in Midland Park, New Jersey, we'll also cover some special considerations for all my fellow CrossFitters out there.
Remember, this podcast is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your medical provider before starting any supplements,
and this podcast is for informational use only.
Alright, let's start with the basics. What is creatine?
I have to admit, I took creatine for years without even knowing exactly what it was. So creatine is a naturally occurring organic compound made from three amino acids, and about 95% of creatine is stored in our skeletal muscles with a small amount remaining [00:02:00] in our brain.
Think about creatine as a fuel reserve for quick explosive movements. It helps regenerate a TP adenosine tri phosphate,
which is the primary energy currency of our cells.
In practical terms, a TP is what your muscles use for energy. When we do something intense, like a heavy lift, a sprint or set of burpees, your muscles burn through a TP rapidly creatine steps in to recharge those A TP reserves a little faster.
Our bodies actually make some creatine on their own, about a gram a day in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas.
And we also get some creatine from our diet. Red meat, fish, and poultry, which are natural sources,
roughly one to two grams a day from a typical diet. But the amounts from food are relatively small, which is why people turn to supplements to top up their creatine levels. By taking a creatine [00:03:00] supplement, usually three to five grams a day,
you can increase the creatine stored in your muscles above normal levels.
More stored creatine means your muscles have more readily available energy for that next sprint or set of heavy squats.
So what does that mean for performance? Essentially creatine gives you more quick burst energy. Studies show that creatine supplementation can help you squeeze out a few more reps, lift a little heavier or sprint a bit faster during high intensity exercise.
It improves high intensity exercise capacity, those short bouts of I intense effort without compromising endurance for longer activities.
Over time, being able to work a bit harder can lead to greater gains in strength and lean muscle mass.
That's why creatine is the go-to supplement for many athletes and gym goers. In fact, the International Society of Sports Nutrition calls creatine Monohydrate, the most effective supplement for [00:04:00] increasing high intensity exercise capacity and muscle mass during training. Importantly, creatine is not a steroid or a hormone, and it's not on any band substance list for sports.
It's a generally safe performance aid used by everyone from Olympic athletes to your average gym goer. Now before we move on, let's clear up safety. Is creatine safe?
For healthy individuals, the consensus is yes. Creatine is generally considered safe when used at recommended doses. It's been around as a supplement since the 1990s and used even earlier by some athletes, and it has a strong safety record.
Extensive research, including long-term studies, up to five years, show no harmful effects on healthy kidney livers or other organs. The old myth that creatine might damage your kidneys has been debunked in healthy people. Now, if you have preexisting kidney disease, that is another story and you should talk to your doctor first.
The main side effects that [00:05:00] some people might notice are usually mild things like slight weight gain, which we'll talk about in a minute, or an upset stomach if you take too much and staying well hydrated tends to minimize any issues. So for the vast majority of people out there, creatine is about as safe as it gets in the supplement world.
Alright. Now that we know what creatine is, what it does, let's talk about how creatine fits into different stages of life. Should teenagers take it middle age beyond?
Let's break it down a little bit. So, for children and teens under 18, is it safe? You might have seen those warning labels on creatine products saying not for use under 18.
Now these warnings are largely put out there by manufacturers, out of caution and legal liability, not necessarily due to documented health dangers. In fact, experts in sports nutrition say that creatine can be used by younger athletes safely if certain conditions are met.
The [00:06:00] International Society of Sports Nutrition, for example, states that with proper precautions and supervision, creatine supplementation in youth athletes is acceptable and can be a safer alternative than for them seeking out riskier performance enhancers. Now, that said, it's not a magic growth formula for kids, and it's certainly not needed for the average active child who's just playing sports for fun.
Most pediatricians and nutritionists would agree that children under 18 should focus on good nutrition, skill development, and safe training practices. First, creatine might be considered for a mature teen athlete who's in serious competitive sports and already has a well structured program and diet, and even then, it should still be done with parental consent, coaching oversight, and within recommended doses.
The typical scenario may be a 16 or 17-year-old football player or swimmer who's at a national level of competitiveness looking for a legal performance edge.
[00:07:00] And under those circumstances, experts say creatine is generally fine.
Talk to your knowledgeable adult
coach, doctor dietician
before starting.
And remember
creatine really works if you're putting in hard work in your training. If you're a teenager, sitting on the couch taking creatine is just not very helpful. And we'll explain in the exercise section later.
So how about young adults say from 18 to 30 years old,
this is the group that most commonly uses creatine if you're in your late twenties, early thirties into weightlifting, sports, CrossFit. Creatine is basically a staple supplement
and for good reason. This is the life stage where many people are pursuing peak performance and muscle gains, and creatine can reliably help with those gains.
What can young adults expect from creatine?
Increased strength and power. Research has shown that young adults taking creatine can lift heavier weights, perform better in high intensity workouts than those who don't.
It allows your muscles to do more work over weeks and months, which translates into better training adaptations
[00:08:00] Secondly, creatine has shown to improve recovery between bouts of intense exercise.
It helps replenish energy faster, so you may feel slightly less wiped out between sets and potentially less sore the day after. Some evidence even suggests creatine can reduce muscle cell damage and inflammation. Post-exercise, eating recovery. Many athletes report less muscle soreness, although individual experiences may vary,
but what about the side effects are downsides for young adults? Honestly, there's very little,
The most noticeable thing athletes report is weight gain from water retention, and that's the facial bloat that I mentioned at the beginning of the podcast.
Creatine pulls water into your muscle cells, which is how it works to increase muscle volume.
You might see the scale go up by one to three pounds in the first week or two, and that's not fat gain. It's mostly water and possibly a little bit of new muscle. Your muscles may look a little bit fuller, and for most young people, that's not an issue. But if you're in a sport with weight classes or you have to be [00:09:00] mindful for extra weight such as wrestling or gymnastics, it's something to consider.
Other than that, as long as you stay hydrated and stick to the recommended three to five grams a day, creatine is extremely low risk for healthy young adults.
Okay, so how about perimenopausal women, say in your early forties or fifties?
Now, this is a group that until recently didn't get much attention in creatine research.
These are women who are experiencing the hormonal changes leading up to menopause.
Recent research has suggested that creatine might offer some unique benefits for women in this stage of life in terms of muscle, bone, and even brain health during perimenopause.
As estrogen levels decline, women often start to lose muscle mass and bone density at an accelerated rate.
Athletes might notice it becomes harder to maintain strength or their workouts, leave them more fatigue than before. And here's where creatine can help. Supplementation, especially combined with resistance training, can help [00:10:00] counteract perimenopausal related muscle and strength loss.
In fact, some studies in Peri and postmenopausal women have shown that taking creatine while doing strength exercise leads to greater improvements in muscle function and even bone density. Compared to exercise alone,
women tend to have lower natural creatine stores than men to begin with. One source suggests women may have 70 to 80% less creatine stored in their muscles on average.
Partly that's because men generally have more muscle mass.
But diet can also play a role if a woman eats less red meat than a man,
which results in less dietary creatine.
So by supplementing women might actually experience a relatively bigger boost in their muscle creatine levels, which could translate into noticeably improved performance and energy benefits.
Many women report feeling stronger, having better workout endurance when they start creatine,
which makes sense if they're starting with [00:11:00] lower starting stores.
Now, beyond muscle and bones, there's also a potential brain benefit too.
Some small studies indicate creatine might help with cognitive function, things like memory or mental fatigue, which can be affected during the menopausal transition.
Creatine is used by brain cells for energy, just like muscle cells.
Researchers have looked at whether it can alleviate the brain fog, some perimenopausal women experience.
While more research is needed,
early results are promising. Creatine supplementation has shown improvements in short-term memory and overall cognitive processing in middle aged adults. There's even ongoing research into mood improvement since menopause can bring mood swings or mild depression and creatine might have some role in supporting brain energy metabolism linked to mood.
We can't make any definitive claims yet, but it's a fascinating area.
Importantly for women worried about bulking up or [00:12:00] creatine, making them look too muscular. If you're not, creatine is not a hormone, and it won't suddenly turn you into a bodybuilder.
You'd need heavy training and a lot of food to try to achieve that.
What creatine will do is help you preserve lean muscle and strength, which is critical for health as we age
Now for those athletes in the middle age range around forties and fifties, which we've partly covered with women, creatine can be viewed as a maintenance and prevention supplement.
As we progress into our fourth and fifth decades, we will start losing some muscle mass every year, and our strength and power decline gradually.
We might not bounce back from hard workouts as quickly as we did when we were 20,
but this is where creatine plus exercise can help to slow down these age related declines.
you're a middle age athlete, getting into strength training for the first time, it can give you a nice boost with your new gains and it can help you build muscle a bit faster. If you've [00:13:00] been a long time athlete, it can help you hang on to those performance levels for a little bit longer.
However, exercise is key. Creatine augments the benefits of exercise. Studies in adults in their fifties have shown that those who did resistance training and took creatine gained more muscle and strength than those who did the same training with a placebo.
It is the combination that works synergistically.
The emerging evidence has shown that creatine might help all middle aged adults with mental sharpness, memory, and reduce mental fatigue
especially in situations of stress or sleep deprivation. And there have been some studies in middle aged adults and older, which have shown improved memory recall.
Now for older adults, age 60 and up, creatine might be helpful too.
Now, you may wonder why a 70-year-old would need to take creatine,
but sarcopenia, which is that loss of muscle mass and strength accelerates in your seventies and [00:14:00] eighties.
That reduced muscle mass and strength means reduced mobility, higher risk of falls, and potentially less independence.
I. Research On adults over 60 have found the same results where those who do resistance training, like weightlifting or body weight exercises, anti take creatine, gain more lean mass and strength than those who exercise without creatine.
And you may not have to do heavy back squats or sprints.
There was one study in seniors which showed taking creatine while doing light exercise, improved grip strength and lower body strength compared to just exercise alone.
The improvements may be a little more modest than in younger ages, but at this stage,
a little more strength can mean the difference between confidently climbing stairs or struggling with them.
and something that's extremely important for people over 60 is that supplementation with creatine might also help cognitive functions such as short-term memory and reasoning.
There [00:15:00] may be some neuroprotective benefits where creatine helps protect nerve cells from damage at this age,
and creatine supplementation has been explored as a possible co-treat in neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's and dementia.
But the results are still pending. The point is creatine isn't just for athletic performance in older adults. It may also help the mind stay sharp,
which may be even more important as we age.
One cautionary point is that older people may have reduced kidney function, which means they should definitely consult with their physicians before considering creatine supplementation.
So just as a reminder for all age groups in all situations. Creatine works if somebody exercises.
If you take creatine and sit on the couch, you're not suddenly going to grow muscles or get stronger. Your muscles need to be stimulated through exercise
to help use that extra energy supply that creatine provides.
One researcher, put it this [00:16:00] way, creatine stored in the muscle is like having a bigger gas tank for high power activities, but if you never drive the car, having that bigger gas tank really doesn't matter.
All right. Let's discuss other supplements that may have synergistic effects with creatine and are commonly taken alongside it, which is often turned a stack in the fitness and nutrition world. I. This is probably the most popular combo, creatine and protein I. They serve different purposes, so they compliment each other well.
Reine, boost your immediate exercise performance and hydration and muscles while protein, like whey protein or a high protein diet provides the amino acids needed to repair and build your muscle after exercise.
So taking them together,
such as a post-workout shake that has protein and a scoop of creatine can be convenient and effective.
In fact, having your protein and carbs with your creatine might even help shuttle the creatine into your muscles a little bit better by spiking that insulin.
Insulin can increase creatine uptake into muscle.
So even on its [00:17:00] own, creatine does work, but adding some protein and carbs to it might optimize the muscle uptake slightly.
Let's talk about branched chain amino acids or BCAAs. These are sometimes taken for muscle recovery or to prevent muscle breakdown during workouts. Again, like protein, there's no direct interaction with creatine, but you can take them together safely
and BCAAs serve a different niche.
Many pre-workout mixes or intro workout mixes that strength athletes take might contain both BCAAs and creatine.
Okay. How about Beta alanine?
So Beta alanine is another supplement that helps performance, but in a different way. Beta alanine increases muscle carine levels, which helps buffer acid in muscles and can improve high intensity endurance.
So stacking beta alanine with creatine is very common in strength and power sports.
Research suggests that this combination can lead to greater improvements in lean muscle mass and body fat reduction than creatine alone.
[00:18:00] And one study on football players found that the group taking creatine plus beta-alanine gained more lean muscle mass and lost more fat over 10 weeks than just taking creatine or just placebo.
So the hypothesis is that creatine helps with the immediate power and strength. Beta alanine helps sustain high intensity effort and delay fatigue, and
so together you could train harder and longer.
This is very popular amongst CrossFit athletes or anyone doing repeated high intensity intervals.
If you do try this combo, just be aware that beta alanine can cause a harmless tingling sensation on the skin, which is normal.
It might help to just spread out the dose to try to mitigate this sensation.
Okay, so let's talk about caffeine and creatine.
Some early studies years ago suggested that taking caffeine and creatine together might blunt some of creatine's effects or cause more dehydration. But more recent understanding is, is that they don't significantly interfere with each other.
In fact, many pre-workout supplements [00:19:00] combine caffeine and creatine because caffeine gives you that immediate alertness and power output while creatine supports your short term energy supply. A recent review noted no negative impact on performance when combining caffeine and creatine and possibly some enhanced power in some cases.
So if you like taking caffeine before training and take creatine daily, you don't have to separate them. Just be aware that both caffeine and creatine may have some diuretic effects, so you have to stay hydrated.
If taking creatine and caffeine together causes stomach upset, you may have to separate the times of day,
but functionally, if you like your cup of coffee or your Celsius and you like taking your creatine supplementation, there are no problems with that.
so One of the most popular supplements now are electrolytes or hydration aids.
Since creatine increases water retention in muscles, it is wise to ensure you're getting enough fluids and electrolytes, sodium, potassium, magnesium, which I've talked about in a previous podcast, especially if you're training [00:20:00] hard. So some people will take electrolyte drinks along with their creatine, particularly in hot weather or intense training cycles
To make sure that that extra water being pulled into their muscles isn't leaving them dehydrated elsewhere. It's a little bit of a balancing act, but it's nothing complicated. Basically drink water regularly, eat a balanced diet and you should be fine.
If you feel you need additional hydration, an electrolyte drink is totally acceptable.
Okay, so let's talk about HMB. Another strength supplement, HMB or beta hydroxy. Beta methyl butyrate is another supplement, which is a metabolite of leucine and amino acid.
Some older adults and bodybuilders use to prevent muscle breakdown. HMB can be used with creatine, although the evidence is mixed.
Unless you're doing very intense training or you're in a caloric deficit, there's no harm in combining HMB and creatine,
but the efficacy of HMB is not as universally supported by research as creatine is.
There are also a number of other [00:21:00] supplements such as Citruline for blood flow or increased pump tart cherry juice for recovery, or Vitamin D for general health, which all have their own roles and we won't discuss their efficacy here. There is no direct conflict with creatine if you so choose to take any of these other supplements at the same time.
So to go into detail about one other mention I made earlier in the podcast, creatine with carbohydrates,
when we intake carbs, our insulin levels increase. Which can help drive creatine into muscles. There were some older supplement protocols that suggested taking creatine with grape juice or a sugary drink for better absorption.
Now, it's true that adding something like this can cause a bigger spike in insulin, which can increase creatine uptake by muscles.
Recent studies have suggested that as long as you take creatine consistently, your muscles will saturate over time regardless. So if you're an endurance athlete or someone who eats a lot of carbs already, you're probably [00:22:00] getting that insulin spike anyway during the day. If you're on a low carb diet, creatine still works, but it might take a little longer to load fully.
At the end of the day, as long as you're supplementing with creatine regularly, your muscles will saturate and that insulin spike may not be necessary.
Alright, so if you decided to take creatine, how do you choose from the five bajillion creatine supplements on the market?
Here are a couple guidelines. The first is that it should be creatine monohydrate. There are many other forms of creatine,
but the vast majority of research and the studied benefits have been with creatine monohydrate.
This is the form proven to increase muscle creatine levels and improve performance. Other forms may claim better absorption or no loading phase needed,
but none of them have conclusively outperformed straight up creatine monohydrate in independent studies.
Some other forms such as creatine, hydrochloride, for example, might dissolve easier or maybe gentler on [00:23:00] the stomach for some people, but they tend to be much more expensive. So for most people, a micronized, creatine monohydrate,
which is basically creatine monohydrate process into a very fine powder, is ideal.
It's effective, affordable, easy to mix. So unless you have a specific issue with monohydrate, you can ignore all the other forms that are out there.
One thing to look for is the purity of the creatine monohydrate.
Some forms use a patented form called Creapure, which is made in Germany and known for its extremely high purity, 99.9% with minimal impurities.
The supplement does not have to be a branded creatine, but Creapure can be a mark of quality. Personally, I have been using Optimum Nutrition, micronized, creatine, monohydrate powder.
But I now plan to switch to FIT eight Essentials, creatine powder, which is made from Creapure and is third party tested.
Avoid supplements that have a lot of different additives. If you see extras such as fillers, artificial colors, [00:24:00] or some other proprietary blend, that's probably unnecessary.
You want a product that's been tested for purity or contaminants.
Certifications such as NSF Certified for Sport Informed Choice or USP can be helpful for guidance.
Products that have been independently tested are certified to contain what it says it does on the label and not contain things such as heavy metals or band substances.
If you are a professional athlete, you may wanna stick with an NSF certified for Sports Supplement.
Currently the website lists first form C four Thorn, and a host of other companies with creatine supplements available. How about form factor? Is the powder better than the pill? Creatine most commonly comes as a flavorless powder. You mix it in water juice or in a shake, and this is usually the cheapest way to buy it, and it works perfectly.
That's the way I use it.
If you're someone who hates mixing powders, reine capsules or chewable tablets are also on the market. Just note, you'll probably have to take a handful of those pills to get a full five gram dose.
[00:25:00] There's really no difference in effectiveness. It's purely preference.
I prefer the powder mix into a smoothie, everyday post-workout, but whatever works for you is probably fine.
however, you may want to avoid liquid creatine shots. Pure creatine is not very stable in liquid. Over long periods they tend to degrade, so it's probably better to stick to some powder and mix it fresh. I.
How about loading creatine when you first start some creatine products or guides? Mention a loading phase where you have to take 20 grams a day for five to seven days to quickly saturate your muscles, then drop to five grams a day. You can do this and it is safe, but it's not strictly necessary. You can simply take five grams a day and after three to four weeks,
and your muscles will reach the same saturation. Point as if you had done loading. Loading can give you performance benefits within a week.
While no loading does take a few weeks.
You can load four doses of five grams spread throughout the day for a week. However, a lot of people do report some stomach [00:26:00] discomfort with that loading phase,
and since they plan on
taking it for a long period of time, taking that five grams a day for a month is totally fine. I.
Is there a specific time when you should be taking creatine in the day? Honestly, timing isn't very critical of creatine.
Some people prefer post-workout with their shake. Like me, some people will take a pre-workout. Some people take it first thing in the morning. As long as you're consistent with your regimen, do what works for you.
There might be a little evidence that taking it around your workout before or after might be marginally better than completely separate from your workout because your blood flow to your muscles might be higher around your workout time.
And if you eat around your workout time, that might help uptake. But that difference is minor. Consistency is more important than timing. Take it every day at a time that you won't forget.
I can't emphasize enough about staying hydrated. Creatine drives water into the muscles, which means you're going to have to stay hydrated.
Now for CrossFit athletes, I. I would say [00:27:00] creatine is a must have.
Most CrossFit workouts or wads involve short intense bursts of activity. A hundred meter sprint max effort cleans 32nd all out row sprint. Now, these efforts rely heavily on the Phosphocreatine energy system, which is the same one that creatine fuels.
So by supplementing creatine, you can improve your capacity in these explosive type movements.
One CrossFit focused article noted that studies show creatine can increase a TP production by up to 40%.
Now while creatine is not an endurance supplement in the classic sense,
longer CrossFit med cons are usually more high intensity interval type endurance, not very slow and steady marathon type workouts. So creatine can help with repeated sprint ability and some wads involve intervals or repeated high power outputs with short rests.
So while creatine is not an endurance supplement per se, it may help you during these high power outputs over [00:28:00] longer interval type of workouts.
So in conclusion, creatine is a safe, effective supplement for improving high intensity exercise performance, supporting muscle health across a wide range of people. It's been backed by decades of research and real world use. It will help you train harder and recover better by boosting your muscles energy supply.
All healthy age groups can benefit young adults, women in perimenopausal, transition, and seniors.
You do need to exercise. It is the catalyst for creatine. You can combine other supplements generally without issue.
Stick to a reputable product with third party testing.
Make sure it's creatine monohydrate.
And whether you take a loading dose or a regular dose, five grams a day eventually will be what you would need to take.
Have you taken creatine and have you noticed a difference? What brand do you prefer? I'd love to hear your personal experiences with it, success stories, or even maybe why you didn't want to take it.
As always, please like and subscribe wherever you catch the podcast, and [00:29:00] thank you again for listening to Botox and Burpees.
