Strength Benefits

Along with increasing protein awareness, a solid nod towards creatine monophosphate (CMP) is also important as we age.

Because it is one of the most researched supplements in the muscle-building space, we understand its important benefits.

We know;

• It is safe (which is a primary consideration for any exogenous input)
• It facilitates energy recovery in muscle tissue (enabling a few more repetitions)
• It protects muscle from breaking down (combined with the above, it helps build muscle mass and strength)

We know you need to take approximately 5 g per day in powder form, and strength gains are typically 10-20%.

Older Individuals

These results are common across age groups; what about older individuals, specifically with respect to lean body mass (muscle), strength, bone density, and body composition? Remember, we generally lose strength, muscle mass, bone mass, and balance as body fat increases with age.

As you would guess, research uses a combination of the trifecta: CMP, protein and resistance training, a tenet of ExploreFit. For example, Candow et al. reported that using CMP (0.1 g/kg/day) and protein (0.3 g/kg/day) supplementation increased muscle mass and strength and reduced protein degradation and bone resorption markers in older men, while Chilibeck et al. determined that CMP supplementation (0.1 g/kg/day) during 12 months of resistance training increased strength and bone density in postmenopausal women.

Brain Function

We now turn to a newer benefit of CMP supplementation.

Few of us can say our brain function has improved with age.

McMorris et al. reported that CMP supplementation (20 g/day for 7 days) after sleep deprivation (24 hours) improved mental processing, mood and balance. This is interesting because sleep deprivation is known to impair both physical and mental capacity (much like the aging process), so it is a straightforward condition to replicate in research.

The brain, which accounts for only 2% of body weight, consumes approximately 20% of total energy; therefore, if using CMP improves energy recovery in muscles, it could also improve mental functioning. Other studies have examined the benefits of CMP supplementation on improving mental fatigue, cognition, executive function, and memory.

Some studies do not demonstrate this improvement in mental functioning at supplementation levels below 5 g/day. Most likely, this is because muscles are metabolically active and consume the first 5 g/day of CMP. To support brain function, it would seem we need to provide 5+ g/day to account for the muscle demand. Additionally, cognitive functioning has been shown to improve among individuals with diets low in CMP (e.g., vegetarians).

My Creatine Intake Goal and Source Considerations

My intake goal is 10 g per day. Five grams for my muscles and 5 g for my brain. This is usually split into two intakes before noon. One with a protein shake just after my resistance training session, then another mid-morning with my first ‘meal’. I aim to have my muscles and brain fully charged before I enter the low mental period of mid-afternoon. There is evidence supporting the benefit of increased dosing when first using CMP (e.g., 20 g spread across the day for a week) and during periods of increased stress (e.g., infection, post-heavy training, or sleep deprivation). Be aware that some people experience gastrointestinal issues, so spread it across the day and listen to your body.

With regard to the source, note that, as a manufactured product, you want to ensure purity of the substance, safe manufacturing, and the absence of additional fillers. Certifications like Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), which is a mandatory, legally enforced set of standards for specific industries like food, are helpful, but independent testing certification from an organisation like NSF International (National Sanitation Foundation), which includes the entire GMP process but adds an extra layer of rigorous, independent verification, is better.