Overlooked supplement could help you think sharper and age better

Daily Record

17-06-2025

It is gaining recognition far beyond its roots in athletic performance
Scots are growing ever more conscious about what they put into their body. Between TikTok trends and social media adverts, it can be hard to discern what products that are actually good for us - and what are just a fad.
Creatine is a supplement popular with athletes for its ability to help build strength and power, and is more and more being recognised for its broad health benefits.
Creatine is a compound that comes from three amino acids. Creatine is found mostly in your body's muscles as well as in the brain. Most people get creatine through seafood and red meat, though at levels far below those found in synthetically made creatine supplements.
The compound's usefulness extends well beyond the gym, according to Dr Richard Kreider at Texas A&M University, who has spent more than 30 years investigating the effects of creatine.
"When the body is stressed, like in exercise or under metabolic conditions like some diseases, creatine phosphate is needed to maintain energy in the cell," Kreider explainer.
"There it has a lot of protective and health benefits, in addition to the exercise performance effects that have been seen."
Whether you're a gym-goer or not, you may be wondering how much creatine we need. After all, we're so used to seeing all these fitness influencers pouring it into their shakes every morning before heading off for a leg session.
According to Kreider, our bodies create about a gram per day, but it's recommended to get two to four grams of creatine per day, depending on muscle mass and activity levels.
"You only get about a gram of creatine per pound of red meat or fish, like salmon, so it's expensive and takes a lot of calories to get a gram," Kreider said.
"This is why supplementation matters, especially for vegetarians or vegans who do not consume enough creatine in their diet."
There are many creatine supplement options for those who may need it. For instance, Protein Works stock its own Creatine Monohydrate powder in sizes ranging from 100g to 1kg, with prices slashed and varying between £3.99 to £26.99. It also come in a selection of different flavours.
Similarly, a 250g bag of Myprotein Creatine Monohydrate V2 Supplement in blue raspberry flavour costs £13.20 on Amazon.
Kreider recommends athletes supplement five grams, four times a day for a week. Supplementation "helps load the muscle up with more energy," making for improved high-intensity exercise, recovery and even cognitive function.
Consuming five to 10 grams per day will then maintain creatine stores and provide enough creatine for the brain.
Beyond that, for the average person, creatine is important for everyone as they age throughout their lives, Kreider insists. It can help older adults who lose muscle mass and cognitive function as they age, he said, and in adolescents, low dietary creatine intake is associated with slower growth, less muscle mass and higher body fat.
But, most importantly, is creatine safe?
In a review published in February in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 685 clinical trials on creatine supplementation were analysed to assess its safety and the frequency of reported side effects.
The analysis showed there were no significant differences in the rate of side effects for participants taking a placebo and those taking creatine.
As for anecdotal concerns like bloating or cramping, Kreider says those claims don't hold up under scrutiny, and studies have shown creatine can actually prevent cramping because it helps the body retain more fluid.
Harvard Medical School has also waded in on the potential risks in a recent paper. They warn loading up on a higher dose of creatine than three to five grams per day offers no advantages and only "puts more stress on your kidneys".
While the UK regulates dietary supplements, in the US, the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate the accuracy of supplement contents, so it's possible that a creatine supplement contains less or more than the amount on the label. Also, the supplement may contain other ingredients that could potentially be harmful for you.
On retaining a couple of pounds of fluid during the first week they start creatine supplementation, Harvard says this is temporary, and studies of long-term use do not show a persistent problem with holding onto extra water.
In short, in healthy adults, creatine is considered safe even for long-term use.
However, people with kidney disease should consult their doctor before taking it, they advise.
And it's best to take creatine mixed into a liquid, like juice, water or a smoothie, as opposed to "dry-scooping," an influencer stunt in which people eat straight creatine. This method risks powder inhalation and choking.
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