I'll be brief on this one but I just HAD to let you know - Creatine may have many other incredible benefits aside from more muscle growth!
I've told you before about the benefits of creatine for muscle growth and performance in the gym - but a very recent analysis hot off the press lends more weight to the findings of creatine outside of the gym too!
Creatine is probably the most researched supplement on the planet, so there's all kinds of interesting information popping up about it here and there - including that it may be great for your brain and bones as you age (1).
This research has been around for a while but the good news is we're getting more of it.
The research declares "there is evidence that creatine may affect the bone remodeling process; however, the effects of creatine on bone accreation are inconsistent".
Creatine for your Bones, Brain and Cognitive Function
If you're like me, you're most interested in the effects of this supplement on the brain.
Well, the above cited research tells us that:
"A number of studies suggest that creatine supplementation improves cognitive processing under resting and various stressed conditions. However, few data are available on older adults, and the findings are discordant. Future studies should focus on older adults and possibly frail elders or those who have already experienced an age-associated cognitive decline."
So whilst nothing is yet definitive, we may just be onto something though.
The "number of studies" the researchers refer to include this one (2), that tell us more about previous findings into creatine and brain health.
It's by a number of the same authors, so let's bring them in again:
"Higher brain creatine is associated with improved neuropsychological performance, and recently, creatine supplementation has been shown to increase brain creatine and phosphocreatine. Subsequent studies have demonstrated that cognitive processing, that is either experimentally (following sleep deprivation) or naturally (due to aging) impaired, can be improved with creatine supplementation."
Whilst it may not work for every subject, it's certainly worth a try.
The authors also state that creatine can obviously improve quality of life due to it's potential ability to "reduce the disease burden associated with sarcopenia and cognitive dysfunction."
Considering the opportunity for more muscle mass, superior bone health and cognitive function, I can't see why creatine shouldn't be part of your supplement routine!
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References
(1) Gualano B, Rawson ES, Candow DG, Chilibeck PD. Creatine supplementation in the aging population: effects on skeletal muscle, bone and brain. Amino Acids. 2016 Apr 23. [Epub ahead of print]
(2) Rawson ES, Venezia AC. Use of creatine in the elderly and evidence for effects on cognitive function in young and old. Amino Acids. 2011 May;40(5):1349-62. doi: 10.1007/s00726-011-0855-9. Epub 2011 Mar 11.
Author
Dayne Hudson