Inside Exercise
#76 - Creatine in exercise and health with Professor Darren Candow
Episode guests
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Creatine supplementation improves muscle creatine levels and enhances performance during high-intensity exercise.
- Creatine increases high-energy phosphate metabolism and buffers hydrogen ions during anaerobic exercise.
- Creatine supplementation combined with resistance training leads to increased muscle mass and a 20% improvement in strength.
- Creatine supplementation has minimal effects on body fat percentage and weight gain.
- Creatine supplementation, when combined with resistance training, may have positive effects on bone health.
Deep dives
Importance of Exercise Research
Exercise research experts provide valuable information on exercise physiology, metabolism, and health, emphasizing the need to rely on research experts rather than influencers for exercise information.
Expertise of Professor Darren Candel
Professor Darren Candel from the University of Regina is an expert on creatine and its impact on muscle mass, strength, bone health, and cognitive function. His extensive knowledge in this area makes his insights valuable.
Importance of Creatine Supplementation
Creatine supplementation is not necessary for individuals with a healthy diet and sufficient creatine production in the body. However, supplementation may be beneficial for vegans, vegetarians, and those with difficulty in obtaining creatine from their diet, as it boosts muscle creatine levels and improves performance during high-intensity exercise.
Mechanisms and Effects of Creatine
Creatine increases high-energy phosphate metabolism, buffers hydrogen ions, and enhances ATP maintenance during anaerobic exercise. It also promotes calcium reuptake, glycogen kinetics, and fluid retention within the muscles, resulting in increased muscle mass, strength, and improved recovery.
Creatine supplementation and effect on muscle mass and strength
Creatine supplementation has been shown to have a positive impact on muscle mass and strength when combined with resistance training. Studies have demonstrated that creatine can lead to an increase in muscle thickness and a 20% improvement in strength compared to placebo. The effects on muscle mass are relatively small, with a potential increase of approximately 3 kilograms over a 10-week training period. However, the improvement in strength is considered more significant and beneficial, especially for older adults. It is important to note that the combination of resistance training and creatine supplementation is necessary to achieve these benefits.
Creatine supplementation and body fat
Studies have found that creatine supplementation alone has minimal effects on body fat percentage or fat mass in healthy individuals. The reduction in body fat percentage is usually less than 1%. However, there is a common misconception that creatine supplementation can lead to weight gain or increased fat mass. This is primarily due to the initial water retention during the loading phase of creatine supplementation. It is important to note that creatine has no direct influence on body fat and is unlikely to be a significant factor in weight management or obesity prevention.
Creatine supplementation and bone health
There is limited research suggesting that creatine supplementation combined with resistance training may have some positive effects on bone health. Studies have demonstrated that creatine can potentially improve bone mineral density, especially in the spine, in both rodents and humans. However, this effect is observed only when creatine supplementation is combined with resistance training. Creatine supplementation alone does not have a significant impact on bone health. More research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits and mechanisms of creatine on bone health.
Creatine and its Effects on Bone Health
Creatine supplementation has shown to have some small, beneficial effects on bone health. It can help preserve bone integrity and offset fractures, especially in postmenopausal females or individuals with reduced estrogen levels. However, the effects on bone density are minimal and not as significant as the effects on muscle. It is important to note that exercise is crucial for maximizing the benefits of creatine on bone health.
Creatine's Impact on the Brain
Creatine uptake in the brain is limited due to the blood-brain barrier and lack of transporters. While the brain can produce its own creatine, supplementation may still have potential benefits in compromised brain conditions such as concussion, depression, anxiety, and neurodegenerative diseases. However, in healthy individuals, creatine supplementation does not seem to enhance cognitive function or brain performance. More research is needed to explore the specific populations and dosages that may benefit from creatine for brain health.
Dr Glenn McConell chats with Professor Darren Candow from the University of Regina. Saskatchewan, Canada. He is an expert on creatine (Cr) and the effects of creatine supplementation on resistance exercise and other exercise. He is also examining the role of creatine in bone metabolism and cognitive function.
Get greater increases in strength than muscle mass when supplement with Cr during resistance training. Vegetarians/vegans have lower muscle but not lower brain Cr. Need to exercise to get benefits of Cr on muscle. Lots more. A very interesting chat. Twitter: @darrencandow
0:00. Introduction
1:40. How Darren got into exercise research
4:15. The early pioneers of creatine and other exercise research
7:30. What is creatine (Cr) and where get it from?
9:30. Do people need Cr and other supplements?
11:50. Effects of Cr supplementation on muscle Cr
14:10. Cr vs creatine phosphate (ATP and H+ buffering)
20:12. How Cr/creatine phosphate effects exercise performance
23:30. Cr supplementation and resistance training
26:30. Vegetarians/vegans and Cr
28:15. Aging and Cr
29:40. Mechanisms that Cr effects exercise performance
33:44. Does Cr increase strength/muscle more if control volume?
40:10. Pre print means not reviewed/published
42:15. Cr causes cell swelling but need exercise
43:40. Use it or lose it
45:10. Cr suppl: how much?
50:40. Cr transporter and muscle creatine levels
52:40. Does age or biological sex affect Cr levels?
54:30. What % increase with Cr suppl during resistance training
55:40. Dissociation of muscle mass and strength
1:00:15. Cr suppl has no effect on fat mass
1:01:15. Cr suppl timing/anti-inflammatory effects
1:05:15. Keep it simple and food first
1:06:45. Top sprinters, vegetarians/vegan and Cr
1:09:00. Time for Cr to decrease after stop Cr suppl
1:10:10. Side effects of Cr suppl?
1:12:00. Sarcopenia, resistance training and Cr
1:14:40. Bone and Cr suppl
1:20:12. The brain and Cr suppl
1:27:00. If brain is compromised Cr suppl may be beneficial
1:28:55. Who can Cr suppl benefit
1:31:50. Do untrained vegetarians/vegans need Cr suppl?
1:35:50. Need to exercise for Cr suppl to have any effect
1:40:10. Caffeine and creatine may interfere with eachother
1:43:40. Can put Cr suppl in coffee?
1:44:12. CHO (insulin) and protein can increases Cr uptake
1:45:19. Volume of resistance training and Cr suppl
1:46:10. Depression and creatine
1:47:08. Surprises with Cr research
1:48:15. Controversies in the field
1:51:15. Need to be careful with info on social media
1:53:42. Takeaway messages
1:54:46. Outro
Inside Exercise brings to you the who's who of research in exercise metabolism, exercise physiology and exercise’s effects on health. With scientific rigor, these researchers discuss popular exercise topics while providing practical strategies for all.
The interviewer, Emeritus Professor Glenn McConell, has an international research profile following 30 years of Exercise Metabolism research experience while at The University of Melbourne, Ball State University, Monash University, the University of Copenhagen and Victoria University.
He has published over 120 peer reviewed journal articles and recently edited an Exercise Metabolism eBook written by world experts on 17 different topics (https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-94305-9).
Connect with Inside Exercise and Glenn McConell at:
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Email: glenn.mcconell@gmail.com
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