Does creatine also help ordinary people, not just athletes?
Creatine is not just for athletes. Combined with strength training, it helps older adults gain more muscle strength, and probably also supports better memory.
Creatine also helps ordinary people, but it depends on what you are looking for. The strongest evidence applies to older adults who do strength training. In that case, take 3 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily for at least 12 weeks, and always combine it with regular training. Without training, it offers little benefit1,2. On the label it will say 'Creatine monohydrate', available as a powder or capsules. More expensive variants such as HCl or citrate offer no proven advantage, so there is no need to spend extra money on them.
For memory in healthy adults aged 55 and over, the results are promising: multiple placebo-controlled studies show improvement, particularly in people aged 66 to 763. In younger people aged 11 to 31, no effect was found. If you want to try it as a person over 55 for your memory, 5 grams per day for at least 4 to 8 weeks is a reasonable starting point. An independent analysis of 6 studies does conclude that the evidence base is still limited and that better studies are needed4.
For women around or after menopause, there are additional indications. Women naturally have 70 to 80 percent less creatine in their muscles than men, and after menopause, muscle and bone loss accelerates5. A small study in 36 women showed that 1500 mg per day for 8 weeks improved reaction time and increased the creatine store in the brain, without serious side effects. However, these are preliminary findings from a single small study6. Note: several authors of positive review studies have ties to creatine manufacturers, which may colour the results.
Creatine monohydrate has been found to be safe in healthy adults across multiple studies. If you have a kidney condition, diabetes, or are taking medications that place a burden on the kidneys, discuss its use with your doctor first. For people with a physical disability, such as a spinal cord injury, the evidence is contradictory and too thin to support recommendations7.
Based on multiple review studies and controlled studies (PMID 30762623, 33800439, 35984306, 40673730, 40971619, 40854087, 34208239). The strength of evidence ranges from moderate (muscle and memory effects in older adults) to limited (small study in women around the time of menopause, para-athletes). Possible conflicts of interest with creatine manufacturers have been identified for some authors of the review studies.
Does creatine speed up muscle recovery?
Creatine (3 to 5 grams per day) can probably speed up muscle recovery after intense training and improve strength and muscle mass, but for the recovery effect specifically the research findings are not fully consistent.
Does creatine help with weight loss?
Creatine is not a slimming aid and is not recommended for fat loss as a primary goal. If you combine it with strength training, your body composition improves modestly: slightly less fat, more muscle mass.
What does creatine do for people over sixty?
Creatine has reasonably well-supported benefits for people over sixty in the areas of muscle strength, muscle mass and memory, especially in combination with strength training. A daily dose of 3 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate is safe for healthy people.
What is the best way to use creatine?
Creatine works best in combination with strength training: optionally start with a loading phase of 20 grams per day for 5 days and then maintain with 2 to 5 grams per day. If you have a kidney condition, discuss it with your doctor first.
What does creatine do in your body besides building muscle?
Creatine does more in the brain than in the muscles: it buffers energy and protects the brain against stress such as sleep deprivation. For healthy people, however, the effect on cognitive ability is small and most visible under pressure, not at rest.
Does creatine also help with memory and concentration?
Creatine can improve your memory, but mainly if you are older, vegetarian, or your brain is under pressure. If you are a young, healthy meat eater who sleeps well, the effect is small to negligible.