Is Creatine Safe For Long-Term Use?

F

or many athletes and fitness enthusiasts, Creatine has always been a staple supplement. Many use Creatine to enhance performance, build strength, or support recovery. Creatine is backed by science; trainers have been advocating its use for years; and it is naturally found in our own bodies. Despite its popularity, one question continues to surface - Is long-term use of Creatine safe?

With so much buzz and misunderstanding - including a few unsubstantiated myths - it’s very easy to get lost in the crossfire debating factual versus fictional information. Is a daily scoop of this trusted supplement safe for long-term use with no potential side effects, and can you rationally weigh any concerns that come from research?

In this article, we will breakdown what long-term use of Creatine means; cut through the confusion; and find out what the research actually says.

Also Read: Can I Take Creatine If I Am a Beginner At The Gym?

What is Creatine, Really?

Creatine is not an exotic lab-generated chemical or steroid, it’s a naturally occurring substance that your body already produces, primarily in the liver and kidneys, and stores in its muscle tissue. If you think of Creatine as a cellular energy catalyst, you would not be far off, since Creatine helps resynthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP); and it plays a substantial role in energy creation for short bursts of explosive effort like sprinting or heavy resistance exercises. 

As a broad-stroke generalization, Creatine provides instant energy for explosive muscular effort.

Trace amounts of Creatine can be found in food sources such as red meat and fish. For individuals aiming to optimize explosive speed, strength and recovery, Creatine supplementation is the best way to top-up the body’s natural stores and maintain a continued elevated store.

One of the more interesting features of Creatine is its versatility. Research continues to demonstrate and emerge with implications for Creatine supplementation beyond mere a supplementation for speed, strength and recovery. Creatine more recently has the potential to influence physical factors, while considering cognitive function and healthy aging. This means that although Creatine is often merely marketed with an image of weight training, Creatine’s purpose is not only evolving, it has implications beyond muscle.

Also Read: Creatine Benefits For Non-Athletes

The Benefits That Have Made Creatine Famous

Creatine did not become popular just because of the hype; it became popular because of the results.

It is one of the most researched, evidenced-based supplements available because of decades of scientific study and applied performance.

· Creatine aids in the physiological processes to regenerate ATP—the main energy currency of the body—especially during high-intensity action that is sustained for short durations. This leads to greater strength, greater performance in resistance training sessions, and improved output in explosive action such as sprinting, jumping or heavy lifting.

· When you supplement with Creatine, you will increase the amount of water in your muscle cells which will be favourable for muscle growth and possible reduction of exercise-induced muscle damage.

· Many studies have reported that users experienced less soreness and faster recovery from session to session, which is helpful for athletes training consistently. New research is emerging regarding the potential metabolic benefits of Creatine supplementation for brain energy metabolism. This ranges from reported benefits for memory to possible protective effects from cognitive decline due to aging.

With such far-reaching benefits, it becomes very clear why Creatine continues to dominate the landscape of sports supplementation. 

Also Read: Is Creatine a Steroid?

Is Long-Term Use of Creatine Safe?

Practitioners and researchers who deal with sports nutrition consider Creatine as one of the most studied supplements because there is evidence showing that it is safe for long-term use for healthy individuals (with proper use instructions).

Research has shown, commissioned in several scientific journals that individuals who used Creatine at some point during their training for a period of months (and in some cases up to five years) reported no negative impacts of the use of Creatine on their kidney and liver or cardiovascular function.

The International Society of Sports Nutrition and several other groups have said on multiple occasions that "long-term use of Creatine is safe".

Despite all this evidence, many individuals are still skeptical about the safety of Creatine use usually referring to its effects on kidney health. The confusion around Creatine most likely originates from the fact that Creatine may cause an increase in Creatinine as Creatinine is the primary byproduct of the metabolic breakdown of Creatine and also the process that your kidneys filter the Creatinine. Increased Creatinine levels in the blood do not indicate kidney damage, they show that you are having normal Creatine metabolism instead of decreased kidney function.

And like all supplementation, when being used responsibly (3-5g daily recommended dosage), Creatine is not only effective, but it is a remarkably safe supplement for a healthy adult for the long term.

Also Read: Myths On Creatine Monohydrate

Who Should Be Cautious?

Creatine is deemed safe for nearly all healthy adults; there are some groups of individuals that should be more mindful about using Creatine: -

· Anyone with kidney or liver problems has a unique risk profile so should first consult with their doctor.

· Specifically pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid Creatine as there is little to no research on the effects it could have.

· Teens should only take Creatine as a supplement with physician's prescription.

· Anyone taking medications (especially drugs for kidney health or problems) should consult with their physician.

· Lastly, anyone who is poorly hydrated should be mindful of hydration as good hydration can help further the benefits of Creatine supplementation.

Final Thoughts

Creatine has evolved into so much more than a typical gym supplement. With positive benefits, evidence, and lots of research backing it, Creatine may be one of the most reliable resources for performance, recovery, and even cognitive support. As with any supplement, Creatine is not for everyone. However, when used appropriately, Creatine is not only safe long term but may facilitate it, meaning you can go the distance.

Creatine will remain timeless, not trending...

With scientific support and athletic success behind it, Creatine continues to stand the test of time…

Reference:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12701816/

https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7922146/

Also Read: Can I Take Creatine Without Taking Protein? 

Follow our Instagram page for the latest updates: badalkhudko