Creatine

Creatine is a well-known dietary supplement, popular among athletes for its ability to enhance physical performance in high-intensity, short-duration activities. Apart from its performance-enhancing benefits, recent studies and analysis also hint at creatine's potential advantages concerning longevity and aging.

Forms of Creatine

Creatine supplements come in various forms, each with its own set of properties and purported benefits. Here are the most common forms:

• Creatine Monohydrate: This is the most common and well-researched form of creatine. It consists of creatine molecules and a water molecule. Numerous studies have confirmed its safety and efficacy in improving physical performance.

• Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE): This form is claimed to have better absorption rates and a longer half-life in the body compared to Creatine Monohydrate. However, some studies suggest that it may not be as effective.

• Creatine Hydrochloride (HCL): Creatine HCL is known for its solubility in water. It is believed to require a smaller dosage and to have better absorption compared to Creatine Monohydrate.

• Creatine Malate: This is creatine bound with malic acid, which is supposed to help with energy production. The malic acid is believed to help in the Krebs Cycle, a pathway that produces ATP.

• Creatine Citrate: Creatine Citrate is creatine bound with citric acid, making it more water-soluble than Creatine Monohydrate but requiring a larger dosage.

• Buffered Creatine (Kre-Alkalyn): This form has a higher pH level, which is claimed to allow for better absorption and less stomach discomfort compared to other forms.

• Creatine Nitrate: This is creatine bound with nitrate molecules. It is supposed to have better solubility in water and higher absorption rates.

• Creatine Magnesium Chelate: This form is chemically bound to magnesium, which is supposed to enhance water solubility and improve muscle contraction.

Each form of creatine has its unique characteristics, and individuals may choose a particular form based on personal preferences, tolerance, and the intended benefits they wish to achieve from supplementation. Creatine Monohydrate remains the most recommended form due to its extensive research backing and proven safety and efficacy. Other forms may also be effective, but more research is needed to confirm their benefits and safety.

Potential Benefits

Creatine supplementation has been associated with various health benefits which may contribute to its potential role in promoting longevity. Here are some of the potential benefits:

Cognitive Function

Older adults supplementing with creatine have shown improvements in tasks of memory and cognition. The cognition-enhancing effects of creatine are particularly significant in tasks requiring rapid speed of processing. Creatine supplementation has also improved performance in complex executive tasks during extended sleep deprivation.

Cardiovascular Health

Creatine supplementation has shown promise in enhancing cardiac muscle performance. In animal studies, creatine restored ATP levels under cardiac stress conditions and reduced markers of heart muscle exhaustion. Human studies, although limited, have also shown promising results in improving cardiac performance in patients with chronic congestive heart failure.

Blood Sugar Regulation

Creatine supplementation has shown potential in managing blood sugar levels by increasing the body's ability to utilize glucose as metabolic fuel. This is particularly beneficial for diabetic individuals. Studies have shown creatine supplementation alongside moderate exercise improves oral glucose tolerance test results, indicating creatine's potential benefit in blood sugar regulation.

Muscle Retention

Creatine supplementation can counteract sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass associated with aging, by enhancing lean body mass, muscular performance, and fatigue resistance. Supplementation with creatine has shown significant improvements in high-energy actions and grip strength, even in the absence of exercise training. This is crucial in reducing the risks associated with falls and serious injuries in older adults.

Potential Longevity Benefits

In animal studies, creatine supplementation has been associated with a 9% increase in lifespan. Creatine-fed mice also demonstrated significantly better performance on neurobehavioral testing. While human trials are needed to confirm these findings, they suggest a potential benefit of creatine supplementation for longevity.

Safety and Dosage

Safety

A double-blind placebo-controlled study conducted in 2020 evaluated creatine monohydrate supplementation's effect on various health indicators in resistance training practitioners. The participants were supplemented with 0.3 g/kg (24g for 80kg) per day creatine monohydrate for 7 days. The study found that creatine monohydrate supplementation promoted an increase in performance and body weight, without causing any adverse events. No modifications were observed in a panel of blood and urine health indicators including red and white blood cell parameters, blood lipid profile, metabolic and urine markers, hepatic and renal function, indicating the safety of creatine monohydrate supplementation for health.

Dosage

The dosage of creatine can vary based on individual factors including body weight, activity level, and the specific goals of supplementation. However, a common dosing regimen is often referred to as the "loading protocol," which aims to saturate the muscles with creatine in a short period. This typically involves taking 20 grams of creatine per day (split into 4 doses of 5 grams each) for 5-7 days, followed by a "maintenance phase" of 3-5 grams per day thereafter.

Alternatively, some individuals may opt for a "no-loading protocol" where they take 3-5 grams of creatine per day consistently without a loading phase. This method may take longer to saturate the muscles with creatine but is often preferred for its simplicity and ease of adherence.

The recommended dosage may also vary depending on the form of creatine being used. For example, other forms of creatine like Creatine Hydrochloride (HCL) or Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE) might require different dosages compared to Creatine Monohydrate.

Conclusion

Creatine supplementation presents a promising avenue for enhancing various aspects of health and possibly longevity, particularly concerning cognitive function, cardiovascular health, blood sugar regulation, and muscle retention. While the evidence is growing, further research, especially large-scale human trials, are required to better understand the full spectrum of creatine's benefits on longevity.

See Also

• Wikipedia article

Alon U: How to choose a good scientific problem. Mol Cell 2009. (PMID 19782018) [PubMed] [DOI]

Choosing good problems is essential for being a good scientist. But what is a good problem, and how do you choose one? The subject is not usually discussed explicitly within our profession. Scientists are expected to be smart enough to figure it out on their own and through the observation of their teachers. This lack of explicit discussion leaves a vacuum that can lead to approaches such as choosing problems that can give results that merit publication in valued journals, resulting in a job and tenure.