A growing body of research is confirming creatine’s role as a valuable nutrient with benefits that extend well beyond muscle building and sports nutrition.
Richard Kreider, a professor at Texas A&M University, with a special interest in kinesiology is an enthusiast. He recently told New Scientist magazine: “It’s a remarkable nutrient, which helps our cells in a variety of ways, not only for exercise performance.”
Research in increasingly shows that creatine has role in everything from growth in children to maintaining brain health.
Scott Forbes, a researcher at Brandon University in Canada, explains that creatine plays a critical role in how our bodies produce energy at the cellular level and appears to protect the structure and function of the mitochondria. Strikingly, it has been found that when someone has a heart attack or stroke, creatine reduces the extent of the damage because it is protecting crucial cells.
Recent studies have shown that creatine supplementation can improve aspects of cognitive performance, with particular benefits for people stressed with sleep deprivation or mental fatigue. While scientist emphasise that the science is at an early stage, there is optimism that creatine could exert a protective effect against neuro-degenerative conditions (people with Alzheimer’s are known to have lower levels of creatine in their brains).
Richard Kreider told New Scientist that as knowledge of the valuable role creatine supplementation can play, it may in time become routinely recommended for a wide range of groups, including older or pregnant people, and those who don’t eat fish or dairy.
