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Creatine supplementation beyond athletics: benefits of different types of creatine for women, vegans, and clinical populations-A narrative review

Gutiérrez-Hellín, Jorge, Del Coso, Juan, Franco-Andrés, Arturo, Gamonales, José M., Espada, Mário C., González-García, Jaime, López-Moreno, Miguel, Varillas-Delgado, David·2024·Nutrients
DOI 10.3390/nu17010095
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Abstract

Creatine monohydrate supplementation is widely used by athletes in high-intensity, power-based sports due to its ability to enhance short-term performance by increasing intramuscular phosphocreatine (PCr) stores, which aid in ATP resynthesis during intense muscle contractions. However, emerging evidence suggests that creatine monohydrate offers benefits beyond athletic performance. This narrative review explores the literature supporting the advantages of creatine supplementation in women, vegans, and clinical populations. In women, who typically have lower baseline intramuscular creatine levels, supplementation may help alleviate fatigue-related symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle, particularly during the early follicular and luteal phases. For vegans and vegetarians, who often have reduced creatine stores due to the absence of creatine-rich animal products in their diet, supplementation can improve both physical and cognitive performance while supporting adherence to plant-based diets. Additionally, creatine supplementation holds potential for various clinical populations. It may mitigate muscle wasting in conditions such as sarcopenia and cachexia, support neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s, improve exercise capacity in cardiovascular diseases, and enhance energy metabolism in chronic fatigue syndrome. Creatine may also aid recovery from traumatic brain injury by promoting brain energy metabolism and reducing neuronal damage. In conclusion, creatine monohydrate supplementation can enhance physical performance, cognitive function, and overall health in women, vegans, and clinical populations by addressing creatine deficiencies, improving energy metabolism, and supporting recovery from physical and neurological challenges. Most available evidence supports the effectiveness of creatine monohydrate, which should be considered the preferred form of creatine supplementation over other variants. Additionally, proper creatine dosing is essential to maximize benefits and minimize potential adverse effects that may arise from chronic ingestion of excessively high doses.

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Metadata

Authors
Gutiérrez-Hellín, J., Del Coso, J., Franco-Andrés, A., Gamonales, J. M., Espada, M. C., González-García, J., López-Moreno, M., & Varillas-Delgado, D.
Affiliations
  • Exercise and Sport Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, 28223 Pozuelo, Spain
  • Sport Sciences Research Centre, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28943 Fuenlabrada, Spain
  • Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, Escola Superior de Educação, 2914-504 Setúbal, Portugal
  • Diet, Planetary Health and Performance, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, 28223 Pozuelo, Spain
ORCID
Venue
Nutrients
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2024-12-29
Volume
17
Issue
1
Pages
95
ISSN
2072-6643
DOI
10.3390/nu17010095
Cited by
37
References
43
Language
en
Licence
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (vor)

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