In the battle against time, the body’s muscles face a relentless foe: aging. With every passing decade after 30, muscle mass dwindles, leaving people vulnerable to physical disabilities, especially after 60.
Creatine, a compound discovered over a century ago, can help with strength training, muscle-boosting—and cognitive function.
What Is Creatine?
First identified in 1832, creatine is an amino acid synthesized in the liver and brain. The body produces about 1 gram of creatine daily, according to Darren Candow, who holds a doctorate in kinesiology and is a professor of exercise physiology and metabolism at Regina University in Canada. We also get creatine by eating animal foods like red meat and salmon.Creatine is critical for maintaining the production of ATP—an energy-carrying molecule found in the cells of all living things—when muscles contract, whether lifting a pencil or 500 pounds, Mr. Candow said. ATP enables all muscle movement.
Creatine Can Keep Older Adults Strong
Creatine gained popularity in the 1990s when Olympic sprinters used it to enhance performance. The supplement industry soon marketed it to younger athletes for sports performance. But research shows creatine’s benefits can be even more profound for older adults, according to Mr. Antonio.
“That’s one of the misconceptions about creatine—that it only enhances muscle aesthetics,” said Scott Forbes, a sports science professor at Brandon University. “But it promotes functional muscle growth that genuinely enhances our overall health.”
Creatine by itself does not provide significant strength improvement, Mr. Antonio said. “Ideally, it should be coupled with strength training or resistance exercise at least three times a week,” he added.
Improving Cognitive Function in Older People
Though creatine boosts muscle primarily when combined with training, studies show it may also improve cognitive function.Creatine likely improves cognition by replenishing natural creatine levels that decline with age, Mr. Forbes said. “It is not that creatine enhances our cognitive capacity, but rather its deficiency can succumb to cognitive impairment,” he added.
The optimal dosage is 5 grams a day of creatine monohydrate, according to Mr. Antonio.
Supplementing with creatine—even at high dosages—does not result in unwanted side effects, Mr. Forbes said. “Given its safety and proven health benefits, there is no reason why everyone should not supplement with creatine.”
