What Is Creatine: Sources, Benefits, and Side Effects

Creatine is an amino acid found mostly in the muscles and the brain of your body. Most people get creatine from seafood and red meat, but at levels well below this, people have found synthetic supplements made from creatine.

The liver, pancreas, and kidneys of the body can also produce around 1 gram of creatine a day. Your body mainly stores creatine in your muscles, known as phosphocreatine, and it is used as a source of energy. As a consequence, people use creatine to increase their muscle mass and also to boost their athletic activities.

People also treat some brain disorders, neuromuscular problems, congestive heart failure, and other conditions with oral creatine. Topical creatine is a great source to rebuild aging skin.

Sources of creatine supplements

Creatine is a nutrient found in milk, fish, and meat. You can either consume it in the food containing creatine or can find powders, pills, and supplements from your nearby pharmacy store. The supplements are a great source of energy and can boost your physical activity.

Benefits of Creatine

1. Enhances performance and strengthens muscle size

Oral creatine allows an athlete to work more efficiently during sprints or reps, resulting in greater strength and an increase in muscle mass along with performance.

Creatine is also frequently used by athletes who engage in the high intensity of athletic activities and require a rapid recovery during their duration of training and competition.

2. Prevents from injury

The oral creatine helps to reduce dehydration frequency, muscle cramping, and muscle, bone, ligament, tendon, and nerve injuries.

3. Fights rare creatine-metabolizing syndrome

Children with this syndrome can also benefit themselves with the intake of oral creatine supplements. This helps in improving a few symptoms of it.

4. Improves brain health and cognition

The supplements with creatine nutrient helps to enhance the performance while the cognitive tasks and especially in older age.

5. Boosts bone health and sarcopenia

The creatine supplements can help to reduce declines in skeletal muscle and bone mineral density due to age.

6. Aging of skin

Early research indicates that cream containing creatine and other facial ingredients may minimize sagginess of skin and wrinkles in men if it is applied every day for six weeks. Another research shows that creatine and folic acid-containing cream enhances sun damage and decreases wrinkles.

Side effects of Creatine 

Creatine is said to be safe for up to five years when used orally at sufficient doses. Like any dietary supplement, it is essential to choose a product that follows recommended production practices and subscribes to tests from third parties to guarantee the quality of the product.

Creatine can be the root cause of:

• It can promote weight gain, and generally, it can lean the body mass.
• People with preexisting kidney problems should avoid the intake of creatine as detailed research still needs to be carried out for such patients.