It's not just for gyms bros — scientists say a 50-cent muscle-building supplement slows aging and may counteract Alzheimer's
Creatine — long beloved by gym rats who mix it into protein shakes — is shaping up to be much more than a muscle building and fat loss supplement.
Mounting research suggests it may also boost heart health, protect against Alzheimer's, improve mood, and strengthen your bones.
While researchers typically have a healthy mistrust of supplements, creatine is the rare exception, recommended even among skeptical scientists and doctors: it's reliably safe, relatively inexpensive, and backed by extensive, high-quality studies. And it costs, on average, less than 50 cents per serving.
"I don't know if there's anything on the planet that comes close to creatine from a multifactorial approach," Darren Candow, a top creatine researcher and professor of exercise physiology, nutrition and aging at Regina University in Canada, told Business Insider.
Over the past decade, interest in creatine has skyrocketed, in tandem with research showing it can double up as a longevity supplement. As of May, the US creatine market is worth $456.6 million, up 36% from the prior year, according to data and analytics company Spins.
"As much as we can define a longevity supplement at this point, creatine is probably one of the best in that category," Jordan Glen, supplement researcher and chief science officer for health startup SuppCo., an app that helps users find the right supplements for their goals, told Business Insider.
Creatine drives your muscles to push harder without getting tired
Creatine was first discovered in muscle tissue in 1832. Nearly a century later, scientists started to figure out how it's stored and used for energy in the human body. They experimented with extracting creatine from meat and later synthesizing it in a lab.
But it wasn't until the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992 that creatine went mainstream. The British gold-medal sprinters, sharing how they got in shape, gushed about the powerful effects of a little-known supplement: creatine. In 1993, the first commercial creatine hit store shelves, and sales boomed.
Creatine is a raw material for producing ATP, a molecule that gives our cells energy.
The majority of creatine is stored in the muscles, where it offers a ready fuel source for high-intensity effort. More creatine can improve strength and muscle gains by providing a bit more energy, helping you push a little bit harder and work out for longer before getting tired.
Our bodies naturally produce creatine through a combination of amino acids. That's only a small amount, though. We can get more of it from some foods like red meat and fish — or, through supplements.
In the past five years, demand for creatine as a fitness aid has spiked, with retail prices up 150% and sales increased by 90% year over year, despite steadily rising costs.
And it's not just for muscle-hungry gym bros.
While men continue to make up the majority of creatine users, about 21% of the creatine buyers are women, according to data from nationwide supplement retailers The Vitamin Shoppe.
At SuppCo, both Glen, the CSO, and Steve Martocci, the CEO, said their wives have recently started taking creatine — reflecting a broader trend of women as a growing consumer base.
What changed?
Martocci pointed to more evidence dispelling the myth that creatine is just for muscle men to bulk up.
Plus, early research suggests creatine can support hormonal health for women, helping to counteract shifts that can occur during the menstrual cycle by helping to maintain levels of glycogen in the muscle for better energy and performance.
Creatine slows aging and boosts brain health, per new research
In June, a small study found that patients with Alzheimer's disease saw a boost to their cognitive function after supplementing creatine.
"We think that just providing more energy to the brain could be useful," Scott Forbes, a sports science researcher and professor at Brandon University who was not involved in the study, told Business Insider.
"The brain actually uses about 20% of your total energy expenditure, even though it only weighs about 2% of your body weight. So for a tissue, it's very energetically demanding," Forbes said.
Creatine also seems to have an anti-inflammatory effect, making the brain more resilient against stresses that would wear down its ability to perform.
"We know that too much inflammation or too much oxidative stress can also lead to poor cognition or poor brain functions," Forbes said.
Other recent studies have found that supplementing creatine could also help to mitigate the effects of aging or a concussion.
"The theory is that the brain can remodel itself or at least maintain its function during times of stress," Candow, the aging researcher at Regina University, told Business Insider. "I don't know anybody in the world that's not stressed."
The new research is expanding creatine's reach to consumers beyond the gym, according to Muriel Gonzalez, president of nationwide supplement retailer The Vitamin Shoppe.
"Creatine is undergoing a major transformation — from a niche sports nutrition supplement to a versatile tool for daily health and longevity," Gonzalez told Business Insider over email.
Total creatine sales have spiked by 300% from 2019 to 2024 at The Vitamin Shoppe, and are continuing to grow at a double-digit pace, according to company data.
Should you be taking creatine?
You'll be disappointed if you expect to transform your life, and health, with a few doses of creatine. A supplement can provide a boost but ultimately makes a relatively small difference. Your overall diet, exercise, and lifestyle are far more important.
Still, the bottom line is that more and more research supports taking creatine for a huge range of benefits, with very little downside.
"I think almost everybody should consider taking creatine," Forbes, the science researcher at Brandon University, said.
Even in high doses over a long time period, side effects are mild, such as gastrointestinal upset and a slight increase in water retention, since creatine pulls water into the muscles.
"Overall it's one of the safest supplements out there," Eric Gonzalez, a neuroscience professor at Texas Christian University who has studied creatine, told Business Insider. "If anyone wants to go on a supplement, creatine won't hurt you, there's only going to be an upside."
If you're losing weight — including those on a GLP-1 drug that triggers weight loss — creatine can help you retain muscle mass, promoting a higher ratio of muscle to body fat.
For those looking to boost brain health or mood, early studies suggest that 10-30 grams a day may be beneficial.
Glen previously conducted research on senior Olympians who took creatine and found it helped them get stronger and faster while avoiding age-related decline.
"We're never too old to take creatine," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
4 hours ago
- Business Insider
It's not just for gyms bros — scientists say a 50-cent muscle-building supplement slows aging and may counteract Alzheimer's
Creatine — long beloved by gym rats who mix it into protein shakes — is shaping up to be much more than a muscle building and fat loss supplement. Mounting research suggests it may also boost heart health, protect against Alzheimer's, improve mood, and strengthen your bones. While researchers typically have a healthy mistrust of supplements, creatine is the rare exception, recommended even among skeptical scientists and doctors: it's reliably safe, relatively inexpensive, and backed by extensive, high-quality studies. And it costs, on average, less than 50 cents per serving. "I don't know if there's anything on the planet that comes close to creatine from a multifactorial approach," Darren Candow, a top creatine researcher and professor of exercise physiology, nutrition and aging at Regina University in Canada, told Business Insider. Over the past decade, interest in creatine has skyrocketed, in tandem with research showing it can double up as a longevity supplement. As of May, the US creatine market is worth $456.6 million, up 36% from the prior year, according to data and analytics company Spins. "As much as we can define a longevity supplement at this point, creatine is probably one of the best in that category," Jordan Glen, supplement researcher and chief science officer for health startup SuppCo., an app that helps users find the right supplements for their goals, told Business Insider. Creatine drives your muscles to push harder without getting tired Creatine was first discovered in muscle tissue in 1832. Nearly a century later, scientists started to figure out how it's stored and used for energy in the human body. They experimented with extracting creatine from meat and later synthesizing it in a lab. But it wasn't until the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992 that creatine went mainstream. The British gold-medal sprinters, sharing how they got in shape, gushed about the powerful effects of a little-known supplement: creatine. In 1993, the first commercial creatine hit store shelves, and sales boomed. Creatine is a raw material for producing ATP, a molecule that gives our cells energy. The majority of creatine is stored in the muscles, where it offers a ready fuel source for high-intensity effort. More creatine can improve strength and muscle gains by providing a bit more energy, helping you push a little bit harder and work out for longer before getting tired. Our bodies naturally produce creatine through a combination of amino acids. That's only a small amount, though. We can get more of it from some foods like red meat and fish — or, through supplements. In the past five years, demand for creatine as a fitness aid has spiked, with retail prices up 150% and sales increased by 90% year over year, despite steadily rising costs. And it's not just for muscle-hungry gym bros. While men continue to make up the majority of creatine users, about 21% of the creatine buyers are women, according to data from nationwide supplement retailers The Vitamin Shoppe. At SuppCo, both Glen, the CSO, and Steve Martocci, the CEO, said their wives have recently started taking creatine — reflecting a broader trend of women as a growing consumer base. What changed? Martocci pointed to more evidence dispelling the myth that creatine is just for muscle men to bulk up. Plus, early research suggests creatine can support hormonal health for women, helping to counteract shifts that can occur during the menstrual cycle by helping to maintain levels of glycogen in the muscle for better energy and performance. Creatine slows aging and boosts brain health, per new research In June, a small study found that patients with Alzheimer's disease saw a boost to their cognitive function after supplementing creatine. "We think that just providing more energy to the brain could be useful," Scott Forbes, a sports science researcher and professor at Brandon University who was not involved in the study, told Business Insider. "The brain actually uses about 20% of your total energy expenditure, even though it only weighs about 2% of your body weight. So for a tissue, it's very energetically demanding," Forbes said. Creatine also seems to have an anti-inflammatory effect, making the brain more resilient against stresses that would wear down its ability to perform. "We know that too much inflammation or too much oxidative stress can also lead to poor cognition or poor brain functions," Forbes said. Other recent studies have found that supplementing creatine could also help to mitigate the effects of aging or a concussion. "The theory is that the brain can remodel itself or at least maintain its function during times of stress," Candow, the aging researcher at Regina University, told Business Insider. "I don't know anybody in the world that's not stressed." The new research is expanding creatine's reach to consumers beyond the gym, according to Muriel Gonzalez, president of nationwide supplement retailer The Vitamin Shoppe. "Creatine is undergoing a major transformation — from a niche sports nutrition supplement to a versatile tool for daily health and longevity," Gonzalez told Business Insider over email. Total creatine sales have spiked by 300% from 2019 to 2024 at The Vitamin Shoppe, and are continuing to grow at a double-digit pace, according to company data. Should you be taking creatine? You'll be disappointed if you expect to transform your life, and health, with a few doses of creatine. A supplement can provide a boost but ultimately makes a relatively small difference. Your overall diet, exercise, and lifestyle are far more important. Still, the bottom line is that more and more research supports taking creatine for a huge range of benefits, with very little downside. "I think almost everybody should consider taking creatine," Forbes, the science researcher at Brandon University, said. Even in high doses over a long time period, side effects are mild, such as gastrointestinal upset and a slight increase in water retention, since creatine pulls water into the muscles. "Overall it's one of the safest supplements out there," Eric Gonzalez, a neuroscience professor at Texas Christian University who has studied creatine, told Business Insider. "If anyone wants to go on a supplement, creatine won't hurt you, there's only going to be an upside." If you're losing weight — including those on a GLP-1 drug that triggers weight loss — creatine can help you retain muscle mass, promoting a higher ratio of muscle to body fat. For those looking to boost brain health or mood, early studies suggest that 10-30 grams a day may be beneficial. Glen previously conducted research on senior Olympians who took creatine and found it helped them get stronger and faster while avoiding age-related decline. "We're never too old to take creatine," he said.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Forget 'biological age' tests — longevity experts are using an $800 under-the-radar blood test to measure aging in real-time
Doctors and scientists are using a blood plasma test to study longevity. The test measures proteins and can tell you about your organ health. This field of proteomics could one day help detect diseases like cancer before they start. Should you have that second cup of coffee? How about a little wine with dinner? And, is yogurt really your superfood? Scientists are getting closer to offering consumers a blood test that could help people make daily decisions about how to eat, drink, and sleep that are more perfectly tailored to their unique biology. The forthcoming tests could also help shape what are arguably far more important health decisions, assessing whether your brain is aging too fast, if your kidneys are OK, or if that supplement or drug you're taking is actually doing any good. It's called an organ age test, more officially (and scientifically) known as "proteomics" — and it's the next hot "biological age" marker that researchers are arguing could be better than all the rest. "If I could just get one clock right now, I'd want to get that clock, and I'd like to see it clinically available in older adults," cardiologist Eric Topol, author of the recent bestseller "Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity," told Business Insider. Topol said armed with organ age test results, people could become more proactive stewards of their own health, before it's too late. "When we have all these layers of data, it's a whole new day for preventing the disease," Topol said. "You see the relationship with women's hormones. You see the relationship with food and alcohol. You don't ever get that with genes." A test like this isn't available to consumers just yet, but it's already being used by researchers at elite universities and high-end longevity clinics. They hope it can become a tool any doctor could use to assess patient health in the next few years. A startup called Vero, which was spun out of some foundational proteomics research at Stanford University, is hoping to beta test a proteomics product for consumers this year. "Knowing your oldest organ isn't the point; changing the trajectory is," Vero co-founder and CEO Paul Coletta told a crowd gathered at the Near Future Summit in Malibu, California, last month. Coletta told Business Insider Vero's not interested in doing "wealthcare." The company plans to make its test available to consumers for around $200 a pop, at scale. Their draw only requires one vial of blood. The big promise of proteomics is that it could be a more precise real-time tool for tracking important but subtle changes that emerge inside each of us as we age. Genetic testing can measure how our bodies are built, spotting vulnerabilities in a person's DNA that might predispose them to health issues. Standard clinical measurements like a person's weight, blood pressure, or cholesterol readings are a useful proxy for potential health issues. Then there are the increasingly popular "biological age" tests available to consumers at home. Most of those look at "epigenetic changes" — how environmental factors affect our gene expression. Proteomics does something different and new. It measures the product that our bodies make based on all those genetic and environmental inputs: proteins. It offers a live assessment of how your body is running, not just how it's programmed. If validated in the next few years, these tests could become key in early disease detection and prevention. They could help influence all kinds of medical decisions, from big ones like "What drugs should I take?" to little ones like "How does my body respond to caffeine or alcohol?" Some high-end longevity clinics are already forging ahead using proteomics to guide clinical recommendations, albeit cautiously. Dr. Evelyne Bischof, a longevity physician who treats patients worldwide, said she uses proteomic information to guide some of the lifestyle interventions she recommends to her patients. She may suggest a more polyphenol-rich diet to someone who seems to have high inflammation and neuroinflammation based on proteomic test results, or may even suggest they do a little more cognitive training, based on what proteomics says about how their brain is aging. Dr. Andrea Maier, a professor of medicine and functional aging at the National University of Singapore, told BI she uses this measurement all the time in her longevity clinics. For her, it's just a research tool, but if the results of her ongoing studies are decent, she hopes to be able to use it clinically in a few years' time. "We want to know what kind of 'ageotype' a person is, so what type of aging personality are you, not from a mental perspective, but from a physical perspective," Maier said. "It's really discovery at this moment in time, and at the edge of being clinically meaningful." "Once we have that validated tool, we will just add it to our routine testing and we can just tick the box and say, 'I also want to know if this person is a cardiac ager, or a brain ager, or a muscle ager' because now we have a sensitive parameter — protein — which can be added," Maier said. The two big-name proteomics tests are Olink and SOMAscan. For now, their high-end screening costs around $400-$800 per patient. "I'm losing lots of money at the moment because of proteomics for clinical research!" Maier said. Top aging researchers at Stanford and Harvard are pushing the field forward, racing to publish more novel insights about the human proteome. The latest findings from Harvard aging researcher Vadim Gladyshev's lab, published earlier this year, suggest that as we age, each person may even stand to benefit from a slightly different antiaging grocery list. To research this idea, Gladyshev looked at proteins in the blood of more than 50,000 people in the UK, all participants in the UK Biobank who are being regularly tested and studied to learn more about their long-term health. He tracked their daily habits and self-reported routines like diet, occupation, and prescriptions, comparing those details to how each patient's organs were aging. He discovered some surprising connections. Yogurt eating, generally speaking, tended to be associated with better intestinal aging but had relatively no benefit to the arteries. White wine drinking, on the other hand, seemed to potentially confer some small benefit to the arteries while wreaking havoc on the gut. "The main point is that people age in different ways in different organs, and therefore we need to find personalized interventions that would fit that particular person," Gladyshev told BI. "Through measuring proteins, you assess the age of different organs and you say, 'OK, this person is old in this artery.'" For now, there's too much noise in the data to do more. Dr. Pal Pacher, a senior investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism who studies organ aging and injuries, told BI that proteomics is simply not ready for clinical use yet. There's just too much noise in the data. But he imagines a future where a more sophisticated protein clock could help link up which people may be most vulnerable to diseases like early cancer, kidney disease, and more. (A California-based proteomics company called Seer announced last weekend that it is partnering with Korea University to study whether proteomics can help more quickly diagnose cancer in young people in their 20s and 30s.) "How beautiful could it be in the future?" Maier said. "Instead of three hours of clinical investigation, I would have a tool which guides me much, much better, with more validity towards interventions." Read the original article on Business Insider
11 hours ago
Diabetes drug may cut migraine days in half with little weight loss: Study
Drugs in the same family as Ozempic and Wegovy are known for treating diabetes and helping with weight loss, but a small, early-stage study suggested they might also ease migraines -- even when there's no weight loss. The benefit appears to come from lowering pressure in the brain, Dr. Simone Braca, a neurologist at the University of Naples Federico II and lead author of the study, explained to ABC News. 'This study is very interesting in that the GLP 1s are hypothesized to lower brain pressure, which can then lower your chance of getting a headache or a migraine,' Braca said. The small, 12-week study tracked 26 adults with obesity who had chronic or frequent migraines. Published in Headache -- the official journal of the American Headache Society -- and presented at this week's European Academy of Neurology meeting in Finland, it tested liraglutide, a type of GLP-1 drug commonly used for diabetes and weight loss. After taking a daily 1.8 mg dose of liraglutide for three months -- the amount typically used to treat diabetes -- their average number of headache days per month dropped from 20 to about nine. Participants also reported less disability from migraines, with scores on a standard headache impact scale cut by more than half. Although some participants lost a small amount of weight, Braca said the few lost pounds were not meaningful enough to explain the improvement in migraines. Instead, Braca pointed to pressure from cerebrospinal fluid -- the liquid that surrounds and cushions the brain and spine. He said he believes that even slight buildups of this fluid can press on nearby veins and nerves in the brain, potentially triggering migraines. 'An increased pressure of the spinal fluid in the brain may be one of the mechanisms underlying migraine,' Braca said. 'And if we target this mechanism, this preliminary evidence suggests that it may be helpful for migraine.' Nearly half of patients reported at least a 50% reduction in headache days, according to the Headache paper. About 40% experienced mild side effects like nausea or constipation. None stopped taking the medication. With such promising results, Braca and his research team, led by Dr. Roberto De Simone, are already planning larger trials. Future studies will measure brain pressure more directly and explore whether other GLP 1 drugs might also offer the same relief but with fewer side effects. 'There are still a substantial portion of migraine patients that face an unmet need and that live with its burden,' he said. 'New drugs that could target other pathways, I think that could be reassuring to those patients and give them hope.' The study adds to growing evidence that GLP-1 drugs may have benefits beyond diabetes and weight loss. Researchers are already studying these medications for a range of other conditions, including reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, easing symptoms of addiction and treating Alzheimer's disease.
