Who Should Take Creatine?

Creatine is probably the most talked about supplement in gyms, athletic circles, and social media; and for good reason – it’s very effective! With tons of research studies conducted, we know that creatine is one of the safest supplements out there, and provides unique benefits to strength, muscle growth, and recovery. With no known side effects in healthy individuals, there really is little-to-no harm in taking creatine… but is it actually NECESSARY to take? Let’s dive into WHO creatine can benefit to see if it’s right for you.

First, and most obvious, is anyone who wants to build muscle. Creatine is known for retaining water is muscle tissues, making them look bigger. And while this is true, that’s not actually why it’s beneficial for muscle growth. Creatine helps improve strength and power output. By having adequate phosphocreatine stores, individuals can add a little extra weight to their exercise or a few more reps to the set, helping to enhance the workload placed on the muscle fibers.

Next is any athlete in a sport that requires strength or power, like hitting or throwing – such as soccer, football, baseball/softball, hockey, golf, or lacrosse. Not only does creatine help improve muscle growth and strength gains during workouts (which in turn leads to faster shots and throws), but these in-game actions ALSO use the phosphagen system (break down of phosphocreatine bonds) for immediate, explosive power. Therefore, supplementing with creatine can assure adequate stores of phosphocreatine to help increase the power you put into your shot, throw, or swing.

On a similar note, and thus a lot of overlap, any sport that requires quick sprints or jumping will also benefit from creatine – such as basketball, track, volleyball, and most of the sports mentioned above. Since creatine plays a key role in explosive movements, power, and quick bursts of action, it provides a huge benefit to sprint speed and vertical.  While supplementation alone won’t nearly produce the benefits of hard training and proper diet, topping off those phosphocreatine stores can you give you that half-second or half-inch advantage that often determines winning vs. losing.

And finally, one of the lesser-known perks of creatine is the neurological benefits. Not only does it help keep memory and cognition sharp, but it also helps protect the brain from inflammation. That’s why it’s strongly recommended for athletes in sports like football, soccer and hockey, where concussions and other head injuries are a huge concern. It’s also helpful for memorizing those long, confusing playbooks!

As you can see, almost any active individual – whether you’re building muscle for aesthetics or playing a sport – can benefit from a supplement like Anea’s Creapure Creatine Monohydrate. Taking just five grams per day, no loading phase or cycling, is enough to start seeing these benefits in as little as 2-3 weeks! And, despite some misinformed rumors flying around, dozens of research studies have shown that regular creatine supplementation does not damage the kidneys in otherwise healthy individuals – so you can reap the benefits without any fear!