Bioavailability, Efficacy, Safety, and Regulatory Status of Creatine and Related Compounds: A Critical Review
Research snapshot:
2022 systematic review finds creatine monohydrate as the gold standard for muscle performance enhancement.
2022 |
Systematic Review |
Creatine |
Creatine Levels |
Overview.
The paper reviews the bioavailability, efficacy, safety, and regulatory status of creatine and its related compounds, concluding that only creatine monohydrate has substantial evidence to support bioavailability, efficacy, and safety.
Background.
To assess and compare the bioavailability, efficacy, and safety of different forms of creatine and to evaluate their regulatory status. The objectives included identifying forms that increase muscle creatine levels, assessing their impact on athletic performance, and examining their pharmacokinetics and safety profiles.
Objectives.
To assess and compare the bioavailability, efficacy, and safety of different forms of creatine and to evaluate their regulatory status. The objectives included identifying forms that increase muscle creatine levels, assessing their impact on athletic performance, and examining their pharmacokinetics and safety profiles.
Study design.
The study was a systematic review of literature related to different forms of creatine. It involved a PubMed search of the US National Library of Medicine database, patent searches, and company websites to assess claims and studies. Muscle biopsies were used to determine changes in muscle creatine content.
Results.
The study found that creatine monohydrate was the only form that significantly increased muscle creatine levels and improved athletic performance. Other forms like creatine citrate, creatine pyruvate, magnesium creatine chelate, and creatine ethyl ester had some benefits but were not as effective as creatine monohydrate. Creatine nitrate showed some ergogenic benefit but was not more effective than creatine monohydrate in increasing muscle creatine.
Conclusions.
The study concluded that creatine monohydrate remains the gold standard for increasing muscle phosphogen levels and improving high-intensity exercise performance. Other forms of creatine showed some benefits but were not as effective or safe as creatine monohydrate.
Original paper.
Kreider RB, Jäger R, Purpura M. Bioavailability, Efficacy, Safety, and Regulatory Status of Creatine and Related Compounds: A Critical Review. Nutrients 2022, 14, 1035. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14051035
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