What exactly is creatine?

Creatine is a natural substance found naturally in the body. It plays a central role as an energy transporter and buffer in every cell. The adult body contains approximately 80–130 g of creatine. Around 1–2% of this amount is broken down and excreted daily, and must be replenished. A portion can be synthesized in various organs. Another portion is absorbed through food. Creatine is found in relevant amounts only in meat and fish, not in vegetables or dairy products.

What is special about Creapure®?

Creapure® is a highly purified form of creatine monohydrate manufactured by the German company Alzchem Trostberg GmbH. Numerous clinical studies have investigated the efficacy and safety of creatine monohydrate, with Creapure® often being used as the preferred source due to its purity and quality.

According to a publication in the Journal Heliyon from 2022, Creapure® is considered the gold standard among creatine monohydrate products, having been used in numerous clinical studies evaluating the benefits, safety and performance of creatine.

Studies have shown that creatine increases physical performance during explosive strength training during short-term peak physical exertion, provided a daily intake of 3 g is ensured. Therefore, this health claim has been approved by the EU – one of very few for food supplements in a sports application.

However, it's not just the effectiveness of creatine that's important, but also its purity. Alzchem has developed a very safe process for producing a highly pure product and has built its own production facility in Germany specifically for creatine and this process. This, combined with regular internal and external quality controls and ongoing, meticulous analytics, ensures the highest possible quality in every production batch.

Current studies and possible use of creatine

Improved performance in sports

The u.gStudies and meta-analyses prove that creatine supplementation is one of the most effective and scientifically proven methods for improving performance in sports:

1. Increase muscle strength and performance

• Nissen & Sharp (2003): The meta-analysis showed that creatine supplementation causes significant gains in lean muscle mass and strength, especially when combined with resistance training.
• Branch (2003): Creatine increased performance during high-intensity, short-term exercise, which had a particularly positive effect in sports involving explosive movements.

2. Improvement of anaerobic capacity and explosive strength

• Kreider et al. (2017): The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) confirms that creatine has been shown to enhance performance during short, high-intensity, repetitive exercise. This is particularly relevant for sports such as sprinting, weightlifting, and soccer.
• EFSA (2011): The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has approved several health claims for creatine, including improved physical performance during repeated, intense, short-term exercise.

3. Support recovery and reduce muscle fatigue

• Terjung et al.(2000): Creatine reduces muscle fatigue by accelerating the recovery of ATP, which has a positive effect on recovery time between intense workouts.
• Thomas et al. (2016): The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American College of Sports Medicine confirm that creatine is one of the few well-documented supplements for improving athletic performance.

4. Promote aerobic capacity and endurance

• EFSA (2011): Some studies indicate improved aerobic capacity with creatine, particularly through the promotion of mitochondrial function. This could be beneficial for endurance sports.

Sources:

· Kreider, RB, Kalman, D.S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, TN, Wildman, R., Collins, R., Candow, D.G., Kleiner, SM, Almada, AL & Lopez, HL (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 18. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z

· Thomas, D.T.; Erdman, K.A.; Burke, L.M., Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance, J.Acad.Nutr.Diet. (2016), 116 (3), pp. 501 – 528. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221226721501802X?viewFullText=true

· Terjung RL, Clarkson P, Eichner ER, Greenhaff PL, Hespel PJ, Israel RG, Kraemer WJ, Meyer RA, Spriet LL, Tarnopolsky MA, Wagenmakers AJ and Williams MH, 2000. American College of Sports Medicine roundtable. The physiological and health effects of oral creatine supplementation. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 32, 706-717. https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2000/03000/Physiological_and_Health_Effects_of_Oral_Creatine.24.aspx

· Effect of dietary supplements on lean mass and strength gains with resistance exercise: A meta-analysis. nits, S.L.; Sharp, R.L. (2003), 94 (2), pp. 651 – 659 https://www.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00755.2002

· Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis Branch, J.D. Int.J.Sport Nutr.Exerc.Metabol. (2003), 13 (2), pp. 198 – 226 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12945830

· EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to creatine and increase in physical performance during short periods‐term, high intensity, repeated exercise bouts (ID 739, 1520, 1521, 1522, 1523, 1525, 1526, 1531, 1532, 1533, 1534, 1922, 1923, 1924), increase in endurance capacity (ID 1527, 1535), and increase in endurance performance (ID 1521, 1963) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, EFSA Journal 2011;9(7): 2303. https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2903/j.efsa.2011.2303

Strength training

The u.g.Studies show that creatine supplementation in combination with resistance training has numerous positive effects on muscle strength, muscle growth and body composition:

1. Muscle strength and performance

• Vandenberghe et al. (1997): Long-term creatine supplementation resulted in a significant increase in maximum strength and performance during resistance training.
• Volek et al. (1999): Creatine supplementation increased performance during heavy strength training and led to improved muscle fiber adaptations.
• Willoughby & Rosene (2001): Creatine promoted the expression of myosin heavy chains (MHC), resulting in improved muscle contractility.

2. Muscle growth and hypertrophy

• Volek et al. (1999): Creatine increased muscle cross-sectional area, especially of fast-twitch muscle fibers (type II).
• Brenner et al. (2000): In women, creatine supplementation during strength training resulted in a significant increase in muscle mass compared to placebo groups.

3. Body composition and metabolism

• Larson-Meyer et al. (2000): Creatine supplementation resulted in an increase in lean muscle mass in female athletes without an increase in body fat.
• Arciero et al. (2001): Taking creatine increased energy consumption during training and promoted blood flow to the muscles, which can have a positive effect on recovery.

Studies show that creatine supplementation accelerates strength development, builds muscle mass, and improves training performance. Particularly noteworthy are the positive effects on fast-twitch muscle fibers and long-term strength gains. These results make creatine one of the most effective and well-researched supplements in strength training.

Sources:

· Volek, J.S., Duncan, ND, Mazzetti, SA, Staron, RS, Putukian, M., Gomez, AL, Pearson, D.R., Fink, W.J. & Kraemer, W.J. (1999). Performance and muscle fiber adaptations to creatine supplementation and heavy resistance training. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 31, 1147-1156. https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/1999/08000/Performance_and_muscle_fiber_adaptations_to.11.aspx

· Brenner, M., Walberg Rankin, J. & Sebolt, D. (2000). The effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training in women. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 14, 207-213. https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/abstract/2000/05000/the_effect_of_creatine_supplementation_during.15.aspx

· Vandenberghe, K., Goris, M., van Hecke, P., van Leemputte, M., Vangerven, L. & Hespel, P. (1997). Long-term creatine intake is beneficial to muscle performance during resistance training. Journal of Applied Physiology, 83, 2055-2063. https://www.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/jappl.1997.83.6.2055

· Enette Larson-Meyer, D., Hunter, GR, Trowbridge, CA, Turk, JC, Ernest, JM, Torman, SL & Harbin, P.A. (2000).The effect of creatine supplementation on muscle strength and body composition during off-season training in female soccer players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 14, 434-442. https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2000/11000/The_Effect_of_Creatine_Supplementation_on_Muscle.11.aspx#pdf-link

· Arciero, P.J., Hannibal 3rd, N.S., Nindl, B.C., Gentile, CL, Hamed, J. & Vukovich, M.D. (2001). Comparison of creatine ingestion and resistance training on energy expenditure and limb blood flow. Metabolism, 50, 1429–1434. https://www.metabolismjournal.com/article/S0026-0495(01)80994-X/pdf

· Willoughby, D.S. & Rosene, J. (2001). Effects of oral creatine and resistance training on myosin heavy chain expression. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 33, 1674–1681. https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2001/10000/Effects_of_oral_creatine_and_resistance_training.10.aspx#pdf-link

Explosive strength exercises such as in football

Creatine supplementation has shown positive effects on the athletic performance of soccer players in several studies:

1. Sprint and explosive strength performance:

• Mujika et al. (2000): In this study, soccer players significantly improved their sprint performance after a short period of creatine supplementation, indicating increased anaerobic capacity.
• Mohebbi et al. (2012): Young soccer players who took creatine showed improvements in sprinting and dribbling tests, indicating increased explosive power and technical performance.

2. Game simulations and endurance:

• Cox et al. (2002): Elite female soccer players who supplemented with creatine showed improved performance, particularly during high-intensity activities, during a field test simulating a soccer game.

In summary, these studies suggest that creatine supplementation may improve sprint performance, explosive power, and possibly endurance in soccer players.

Sources:

· Haff, GG, Kirksey, KB, Stone, MH, Warren, B.J.Johnson, R.L., Stone, M., O'Bryant, H. & Proulx, C. (2000). The effect of 6 weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation on dynamic rate of force development. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 14 (4), 426-433. https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/abstract/2000/11000/the_effect_of_6_weeks_of_creatine_monohydrate.10.aspx#pdf-link

· Ostojic, SM (2004). Creatine supplementation in young soccer players. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 14, 95–103. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/8552/c8dde9ca0db3efaee0abd93babbd98fafe80.pdf?_ga=2.46015520.566837585.1563266315-1959673618.1563266315

· Cox, G., Mujika, I., Tumilty, D. & Burke, L. (2002). Acute creatine supplementation and performance during a field test simulating match play in elite female soccer players. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 12, 33–46. http://www.humankinetics.com/acucustom/sitename/Documents/DocumentItem/606.pdf

· Mohebbi, H., Rahnama, N., Moghadassi, M. & Ranjbar, K. (2012).Effect of creatine supplementation on sprint and skill performance in young soccer players. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, 12 (3), 397-401. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2fd0/dd0909210c0406e1648b51019521d5089f9d.pdf

· Mujika, I., Padilla, S., Ibanez, J., Izquierdo, M. & Gorostiaga, E. (2000). Creatine supplementation and sprint performance in soccer players. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 32 (2), 518–525. http://www2.unavarra.es/gesadj/depCSalud/mikel_izquierdo/creatinamujika.pdf

To swim

Creatine supplementation has shown positive effects on athletic performance, particularly in swimming, in various studies:

• Individual sprints: A study of Division III swimmers found that after 5 days of creatine supplementation, times for 50- and 100-yard sprints were significantly reduced, indicating improved sprint performance.
• Repeated sprints: Research on 14 elite swimmers showed that after 5 days of creatine supplementation, performance in repeated 50-yard sprints improved, while performance in a single 50-yard sprint remained unchanged.
• Long-term supplementation: In a study with elite swimmers, a 4-day creatine loading phase led to improved performance in maximal interval swimming sessions. However, subsequent 2 months of supplementation with 5 g of creatine per day showed no additional performance improvements.

Sources:

· Harris, RC, Viru, M., Greenhaff, P.L. & Hultman, E. (1993). The effect of oral creatine supplementation on running performance during maximal short-term exercise in man. Journal of Physiology, 467, 74

· Havenetidis, K., Cooke, C., King, R. & Denison, T. (1996). Repeated creatine supplementation and swimming performance. Abstracts of the 1st Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science, 566–567. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3818661/

· Selsby, J.T., Beckett, KD, Kern, M. & Devor, S.D. (2003). Swim performance following creatine supplementation in division III athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 17,421-424. https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2003/08000/Swim_Performance_Following_Creatine.1.aspx

· Peyrebrune, MC, Nevill, ME, Donaldson, F.J. & Cosford, D.J. (1998). The effects of oral creatine supplementation on performance in single and repeated sprint swimming. Journal of Sports Sciences, 16, 271-279. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/026404198366803

· Theodorou, AS, Cooke, C.B., King, RF G.J., Hood, C., Denison, T., Wainwright, BG & Havenetidis, K. (1999). The effect of longer-term creatine supplementation on elite swimming performance after an acute creatine loading. Journal of Sports Sciences, 17, 853-859. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/026404199365416

· Ziegenfuss, T.N., Rogers, M., Lowery, L., Mullins, N., Mendel, R., Antonio, J. & Lemon, P. (2002). Effect of creatine loading on anaerobic performance and skeletal muscle volume in NCAA division I athletes. Nutrition, 18(5), 397-402. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0899900701008024?viewFullText=true

Longevity (“healthy longevity”)

Creatine, in combination with resistance training, shows promising effects in the context of aging and longevity. The analyzed studies provide the following findings:

1. Combating sarcopenia: Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and function, significantly impacts the quality of life of older adults. Studies show that creatine supplementation combined with resistance training significantly increases muscle mass and strength in older adults. A meta-analysis by Devries and Phillips (2014) found that older adults who took creatine during exercise experienced greater gains in lean mass and muscle strength than those who only exercised.

2. Improve bone health: In addition to its benefits for muscle development, creatine can also have positive effects on bone health. Chilibeck et al. (2005) found that older men who combined creatine with resistance training showed an increase in bone mineral density and mass in certain body regions.

3. Promoting functional performance: The combination of creatine supplementation and resistance training can improve functional performance in older adults. Pinto et al. (2016) reported that this combination led to an increase in fat-free mass, suggesting improved physical function.

In summary, current research suggests that creatine supplementation in combination with resistance training may be an effective strategy to counteract age-related muscle and bone loss and maintain functional performance in old age.

Sources:

· Clark, B.C. & Manini, T.M. (2010). Functional Consequences of Sarcopenia and Dynapenia in the Elderly. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 13 (3), 271 –276. https://journals.lww.com/co-clinicalnutrition/Abstract/2010/05000/Functional_consequences_of_sarcopenia_and.11.aspx

· Ethgen, O., Beaudart, C., Buckinx, F., Bruyère, O. & Reginster, JY (2017). The Future Prevalence of Sarcopenia in Europe: A Claim for Public Health Action. Calcified Tissue International, 100 (3), 229-234. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs00223-016-0220-9.pdf

· MacDougall, JD, Ward, GR, Sale, DG & Sutton, JR (1977). Biochemical adaptation of human skeletal muscle to heavy resistance training and immobilization. Journal of Applied Physiology, 43, 700-703. https://www.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/jappl.1977.43.4.700

· Cruz-Jentoft, A.J., Baeyens, J. P., Bauer, JM, Boirie, Y., Cederholm, T., Landi, F., Martin, FC, Michel, JP, Rolland, Y., Schneider, SM, Topinkova, E., Vandewoude, M.& Zamboni, M. (2010). Sarcopenia: European consensus on definition and diagnosis: report of the European working group on sarcopenia in older people. Age and Aging, 39 (4), 412–423. https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/39/4/412/8732

· Devries, MC & Phillips, SM (2014). Creatine supplementation during resistance training in older adults-a meta-analysis. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 46, 1194–1203. https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2014/06000/Creatine_Supplementation_during_Resistance.16.aspx#pdf-link

· Chilibeck, PD, Chrusch, M.J., Chad, KE, Davison, KS & Burke, DG (2005). Creatine monohydrate and resistance training increase bone mineral content and density in older men. Journal of Nutrition Health and Aging, 9 (5), 352-355. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7544643_Creatine_monohydrate_and_resistance_training_increase_bone_mineral_content_and_density_in_older_men

· Chrusch MJ, Chilibeck PD, Chad KE, Davison KS and Burke DG, 2001. Creatine supplementation combined with resistance training in older men. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 33, 2111-2117. https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2001/12000/Creatine_supplementation_combined_with_resistance.21.aspx

· Pinto, CL, Botelho, PB, Carneiro, JA & Mota, J.F. (2016). Impact of creatine supplementation in combination with resistance training on lean mass in the elderly. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 7 (4), 413-421. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jcsm.12094

· Pinto, CL, Botelho, PB, Carneiro, JA & Mota, J.F. (2016). Impact of creatine supplementation in combination with resistance training on lean mass in the elderly. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 7 (4), 413-421. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/jcsm.12094

· Wallimann, T. (2014). Positive effects of creatine in aging and rehabilitation. Swiss Journal of Nutritional Medicine, 1, 31–32. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264043408_Positive_Wirkung_von_Kreatin_im_Alter_und_fur_Rehabilitation

Positive effects of creatine on muscles and bones in older people

The two u.gStudies by Chilibeck et al. investigated the effects of creatine supplementation combined with resistance training on muscle and bone health in older adults:

1. Study on older men (2005): In this 12-week study, 29 men with an average age of 71 were supplemented with either creatine or a placebo while performing resistance training. The results showed that both groups experienced improvements in bone mineral density throughout the body, specifically in the legs. Notably, the creatine group experienced a significant increase in bone mineral content in the arms by 3.2 % recorded, wäwhile the placebo group had a Rüdecrease of 1.0 %. This increase correlated with an increase in lean muscle mass in the arms, suggesting that the increase in muscle mass through creatine led to increased stress on the bones and thus to their strengthening.

2.Study on postmenopausal women (2015): This one-year study included 47 postmenopausal women who received either creatine or a placebo while performing supervised resistance training three times a week. The results showed that the creatine group significantly reduced the loss of bone mineral density in the femoral neck (−1.2 %) compared to the placebo group (−3.9 %). Furthermore, an increase in the subperiosteal width of the femoral shaft, an indicator of bone flexural strength, was observed in the creatine group. These structural improvements suggest that creatine, in combination with resistance training, may positively influence bone health in postmenopausal women. ​

In summary, these studies suggest that the combination of creatine supplementation and resistance training in older adults can improve both muscle mass and bone health, potentially reducing the risk of osteoporosis and related fractures.

Sources:

· Chilibeck, PD, Chrusch, M.J., Chad, KE, Davison, KS & Burke, DG (2005). Creatine monohydrate and resistance training increase bone mineral content and density in older men. Journal of Nutrition Health and Aging, 9 (5), 352-355. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7544643_Creatine_monohydrate_and_resistance_training_increase_bone_mineral_content_and_density_in_older_men

· Chilibeck, P.D., Candow, D.G., Landeryou, T., Kaviani, M. & Paus-Jenssen, L. (2015). Effects of creatine and resistance training on bone health in postmenopausal women. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 47 (8), 1587–1595. https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2015/08000/Effects_of_Creatine_and_Resistance_Training_on.5.aspx