Beyond muscles: The untapped potential of creatine

Abstract

Creatine is widely used by both elite and recreational athletes as an ergogenic aid to enhance anaerobic exercise performance. Older individuals also use creatine to prevent sarcopenia and, accordingly, may have therapeutic benefits for muscle wasting diseases. Although the effect of creatine on the musculoskeletal system has been extensively studied, less attention has been paid to its potential effects on other physiological systems. Because there is a significant pool of creatine in the brain, the utility of creatine supplementation has been examined in vitro as well as in vivo in both animal models of neurological disorders and in humans. While the data are preliminary, there is evidence to suggest that individuals with certain neurological conditions may benefit from exogenous creatine supplementation if treatment protocols can be optimized. A small number of studies that have examined the impact of creatine on the immune system have shown an alteration in soluble mediator production and the expression of molecules involved in recognizing infections, specifically toll-like receptors. Future investigations evaluating the total impact of creatine supplementation are required to better understand the benefits and risks of creatine use, particularly since there is increasing evidence that creatine may have a regulatory impact on the immune system.

Nutritional properties of organic and conventional beef meat at retail

“…Anserine, in combination with carnosine, has been suggested to improve physical capacity, cardiometabolic health and cognitive functioning in the elderly . Meat is one of the primary dietary sources of creatine, which has been suggested to have a positive impact on the immune and neurological system . Creatine is also used by athletes as a dietary supplementation for improved muscle strength and performance .…”

Dietary Creatine as a Possible Novel Treatment for Crohn's Ileitis

“…The most well-understood role of creatine is in energy production, as the reciprocal conversion of creatine to phosphocreatine allows for the regeneration of intracellular adenosine triphosphate using the creatine kinase (CK) reaction. Creatine is often used as a dietary supplement to increase muscle mass and enhance anaerobic exercise performance 5,6…”

Bioactive compounds in meat and their importance in human nutrition

“…Działanie tego związku polega na zwiększaniu aktywności i wzrostu włókien mięśniowych (aktyny i miozyny), co wraz z ćwiczeniami siłowymi skutkuje hipertrofią tkanki mięśniowej [36]. Suplementacja kreatyną może zwiększać wydolność organizmu podczas wysiłku beztlenowego [37], a także krótkich sprintów i ćwiczeń siłowych [38]. W mięśniach szkieletowych zmagazynowane jest ok. 95-98% kreatyny, przy czym 30-40% w postaci wolnej, natomiast 60-70% w postaci fosforanu [39].…”

“…Podczas intensywnej pracy mózgu odnotowano gwałtowne spadki stężenia fosfokreatyny, podczas gdy poziom ATP pozostawał bez zmian, co pozwala wnioskować, iż mózg jest w stanie wykorzystywać go bezpośrednio do wytwarzania energii [33,40]. Z kolei odkrycie wysokich stężeń kreatyny w ośrodkowym układzie nerwowym doprowadziło badaczy do wysunięcia tezy o jej działaniu neuroprotekcyjnym [38,41]. Badania przeprowadzone na myszach wykazały, iż suplementacja kreatyną poprawia ogólny stan zdrowia organizmu w przypadku choroby Huntingtona, hamuje atrofię mózgu i utratę neuronów w istocie czarnej śródmózgowia oraz spowalnia powstawanie szkodliwej huntingtyny [42].…”