Beyond the Brawn: Exploring the Gut-Friendly Benefits of Creatine

Creatine 101: Understanding the Basics

Creatine is a protein derivative in our diets, mainly from animal protein sources such as meat, fish, and poultry. We store creatine as creatine phosphate in our bodies, mainly in muscle cells. Creatine phosphate plays a critical role in bioenergetics, providing us with the fastest method for replenishing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in our cells. ATP is the chemical we use to fuel most cellular operations, including muscle contraction. This makes creatine essential for maximum muscle performance. 

Over the past 30 years, a wealth of research has supported the notion that supplementing diets with creatine above levels provided in food (usually in the form of creatine monohydrate) can enhance gains in muscle mass, strength, and power retention over repeated sprint performances. More recently, creatine supplementation has been recognized to have healthful benefits in other aspects of human performance, such as brain health and, of particular interest to Foodguides.com readers, gut health.  

Beyond Muscle Gains: Creatine and the Gut Microbiome

Creatine’s most recognized function is to enhance ATP synthesis, a function which, while vital to muscle function, also extends to the performance of other tissue types, including the gut. Gut function depends on the selective absorption of nutrients from the intestines into our bloodstream while screening out non-nutritive and potentially harmful substances for elimination. Maintaining a healthy selective gut barrier requires a rapid flow of energy in the cells of the gut lining for them to accomplish this work. Given its role in quick ATP regeneration, creatine phosphate is critical in allowing rapid energy shuttling within this barrier.      

Creatine supplementation helps to maximize creatine phosphate stores in all body tissues. Thus, in theory, it should aid in maintaining a healthy gut barrier. While sound in theory, to date, there is little direct evidence to show that it enhances gut barrier function. In part, this is because gut barrier function is hard to measure directly. 

However, the composition of the gut microbiome can be measured more easily. An optimally functioning selective gut barrier, including a healthier gut microbiome, should improve gut function. Not surprisingly, supplements containing creatine have been found to impact the gut microbiome positively. Ergo- creatine supplementation might benefit gut health and help your skeletal muscles.

Creatine’s Role in a Gut-Friendly Diet

A recent review article recommended several dietary supplements to improve gut function and preserve muscle mass, including adequate protein, magnesium, vitamin D, prebiotics, and Omega-3s. I would also add creatine to this list, aiming for a daily intake of 3-5g per day. That is what I personally do. No evidence suggests that exceeding 5g/day of creatine supplementation provides any benefits. Athletes will sometimes use “loading-dose) of creatine, taking as much as 30g per day for 2-7 days to increase muscle creatine stores quickly, but this is a short-term usage, after which 3g per day is more than sufficient to maintain muscle creatine levels. Further, creatine is a potentially helpful dietary supplement, but as with all supplements, it is merely a potential addition to a balanced, healthy diet.

Practical Tips for Including Creatine in Your Diet

For optimal gut health (and overall health), the best evidence supports a balanced diet of primarily plant-based foods consisting of various fruits and vegetables containing varied sources of dietary fiber (prebiotics). In addition, including some probiotic food sources (yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles) will likely enhance your gut health. Here is an excellent guide to finding gut-healthy foods in the grocery store. Life is an experiment; ultimately, you must determine what works best for you!  

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