Long associated with youthful weightlifters and athletes, creatine supplements increasingly are being used by older adults to maintain muscle and even improve cognition.
Performance experts and professors at Northeastern University say the latest research shows creatine can help older people stay stronger longer. But it’s not a miracle elixir — people have to put in the work and keep active to see benefits.
Why it should be combined with exercise
“Creatine is used by the muscles to restore and provide energy,” says Carla Bouwmeester, a clinical professor of pharmacy and health systems sciences at Northeastern.
“This supplement can help muscles recover after they’ve been used. So combining this with exercise is where you would see a benefit,” she says.
Creatine is sometimes advertised, particularly to older adults, as something that will work on its own to build muscles even in couch potatoes. “But just taking the powder by itself is not going to (work),” Bouwmeester says.
“You can still ingest your creatine (without exercise), but you will probably just produce expensive urine,” says Rui Li, director of Northeastern’s Exercise Science Program.
How is it consumed? Is it safe?
Creatine is an amino acid that people typically consume in powder form mixed with water.
A well-established supplement since 1985, its use has been endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine, says Li, an associate clinical professor of public health and health sciences.
