Creatine Reduces Markers Of Aging

A naturally occurring organic acid known as creatine has long been used by athletes to boost their performance and build muscle strength without steroids. But emerging research is showing that creatine also has important anti-aging effects in vital tissues throughout the body.

As we age, the unique benefits of creatine become more pronounced. From protection against cognitive decline and congestive heart failure to reducing insulin levels and shielding against muscle loss, creatine enhances mitochondrial function that helps reduce the ravages of aging.

Recently, creatine has been found to significantly lower the accumulation of a recognized marker of aging called lipofuscin in the brains of aging mice.¹ As a result, creatine-fed mice lived an average of 9% longer than control animals— that’s equivalent to more than seven years for an average human!¹

The supplemented animals also performed significantly better on neurobehavioral testing.¹ ² In fact, creatine is now being hailed by experts as “a starting-point for a novel means of delaying neurodegenerative disease, and/or for strengthening memory function and intellectual capabilities.”³

Because of creatine’s vital impact on your body’s energy levels, it should be considered for anyone interested in slowing aging, improving energy levels, and fighting off age-related diseases.

Creatine’s High-Energy Impact

In order to understand how creatine can have such a powerful impact on a wide range of functions within the body, you have to understand the key role that creatine plays in cellular energy supplies.

Mitochondria are found in every cell and are responsible for converting food into the energy the body needs in order to function. Aging leads to the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria.⁴

The loss of mitochondrial function can cause the buildup of aging pigments known as lipofuscin. Lipofuscin builds up when a cellular “garbage-disposal system” (i.e., autophagy) breaks down. Eventually, with the decrease in autophagy and related increase in lipofuscin, there is increased oxidative stress, decreased energy production, and ultimately, cell death.⁵ ⁶ ⁷

In studies, creatine has been found to help boost cellular energy and to significantly lower accumulation of lipofuscin in the brains of aging mice.¹ ⁸ Creatine also helps maintain adequate levels of high-energy phosphate-containing molecules in tissues with especially high energy consumption, such as the heart, brain, and muscle.⁹ ¹⁰ ¹¹ High levels of creatine support the body’s production of ATP, the universal energy-transfer molecule, when ATP itself is used up by these power-hungry tissues.⁸ ¹² ¹³

Ultimately, supplementing with creatine helps restore the energy loss that is at the root of many age-related diseases. As you’ll see in the next sections, creatine supplementation has a positive impact on everything from cognitive decline to cardiovascular health.

Creatine Provides Energetic Solutions to Cognitive Decline

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease primarily affects memory and cognition, with debilitating loss of the ability to recognize loved ones, to navigate even around the home, and to sustain meaningful conversations.¹⁹

Creatine supplementation shows promise in addressing the underlying causes of this disease—especially when given in the early stages.¹² This is due in large part to creatine’s role as an energy enhancer. That’s because energy loss from dysfunctional mitochondria plays a major role in this disease—and causes damaging lipofuscin pigments to accumulate as a result.¹⁶ ²⁰

Creatine also protects brain cells against the root cause of this energy loss, namely the excitotoxicity that is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases in general, and against the toxic Abeta proteins that are unique to Alzheimer’s.²¹ Creatine protects against this toxicity, which impairs mitochondrial energy production.¹² ¹⁵

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of movement control in the brain; it produces tremors, slowed movements, and a characteristic “mask-like” face. Advanced Parkinson’s disease can also include dementia, with symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s.¹⁹ ²²

Creatine can have a positive effect on a number of the factors involved in this disease. For starters, brain tissue from both humans and animals with Parkinson’s disease show abnormally high levels of telltale lipofuscin pigment. This indicates that problems with cellular energy management and waste control are underlying factors in the disease.¹⁷ ²⁰ As we’ve discussed, creatine has been found to lower the accumulation of lipofuscin.

Creatine also enhances the survival and protection of neurons that produce dopamine, the missing transmitter in the disease.¹¹ ²³ Studies have shown that creatine improves patient mood, allows smaller doses of medication to be used, and also reduces the side effects of those meds.²⁴ ²⁵ This is especially noteworthy for Parkinson’s patients, since the most commonly prescribed medication for Parkinson’s (L-DOPA, a precursor to dopamine) causes disturbing side effects including out-of-control movements.²⁶

Huntington’s Disease

Huntington’s disease is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder that involves damage to motor control centers in the brain, and symptoms include wild, out-of-control movements.⁸

As with the other disorders, the brain cells of Huntington’s patients display excessive amounts of the aging pigment lipofuscin—indicating underlying problems with cellular energy.¹ ¹⁸ This suggests creatine may be an important component in the battle against this disease.

A Naturally Occurring Organic Acid

A naturally occurring organic acid known as creatine has long been used by athletes to boost their performance and build muscle strength without steroids. But emerging research is showing that creatine also has important anti-aging effects in vital tissues throughout the body.

As we age, the unique benefits of creatine become more pronounced. From protection against cognitive decline and congestive heart failure to reducing insulin levels and shielding against muscle loss, creatine enhances mitochondrial function that helps reduce the ravages of aging.

Recently, creatine has been found to significantly lower the accumulation of a recognized marker of aging called lipofuscin in the brains of aging mice. As a result, creatine-fed mice lived an average of 9% longer than control animals—that’s equivalent to more than seven years for an average human!

The supplemented animals also performed significantly better on neurobehavioral testing. In fact, creatine is now being hailed by experts as “a starting point for a novel means of delaying neurodegenerative disease, and/or for strengthening memory function and intellectual capabilities.”

Because of creatine’s vital impact on your body’s energy levels, it should be considered for anyone interested in slowing aging, improving energy levels, and fighting off age-related diseases.

Creatine’s High-Energy Impact

Understanding Creatine's Role in Cellular Energy

In order to understand how creatine can have such a powerful impact on a wide range of functions within the body, you have to understand the key role that creatine plays in cellular energy supplies.

Mitochondria are found in every cell and are responsible for converting food into the energy the body needs in order to function. Aging leads to the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria.

The loss of mitochondrial function can cause the buildup of aging pigments known as lipofuscin. Lipofuscin builds up when a cellular “garbage-disposal system” (i.e., autophagy) breaks down. Eventually, with the decrease in autophagy and related increase in lipofuscin, there is increased oxidative stress, decreased energy production, and ultimately, cell death.

In studies, creatine has been found to help boost cellular energy and to significantly lower accumulation of lipofuscin in the brains of aging mice. Creatine also helps maintain adequate levels of high-energy phosphate-containing molecules in tissues with especially high energy consumption, such as the heart, brain, and muscle. High levels of creatine support the body’s production of ATP, the universal energy-transfer molecule, when ATP itself is used up by these power-hungry tissues.

Ultimately, supplementing with creatine helps restore the energy loss that is at the root of many age-related diseases.

Creatine Provides Energetic Solutions to Cognitive Decline

Neurodegenerative Diseases

Many brain disorders involve a disruption of the brain’s energy supply systems. That applies not only to chronic, age-related diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s, but also to acute conditions such as strokes and traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. Creatine’s role as an energy enhancer suggests it may be helpful in all of these conditions.

In addition, this energy loss leads to the accumulation of the damaging lipofuscin pigments that are present in all of these neurodegenerative diseases. Creatine’s ability to lower the accumulation of this aging pigment offers promise in the treatment of these cognitive diseases.

Here’s a rundown on what we know about creatine supplementation in brain diseases associated with aging:

Alzheimer’s Disease:
Creatine supplementation shows promise in addressing the underlying causes of this disease—especially when given in the early stages.

Parkinson’s Disease:
Creatine can have a positive effect on a number of the factors involved in this disease.

Huntington’s Disease:
The brain cells of Huntington’s patients display excessive amounts of the aging pigment lipofuscin—indicating underlying problems with cellular energy.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS):
Creatine could offer symptomatic treatment for those suffering from ALS.

Stroke:
Mouse studies of creatine supplementation show marked reduction in the size of damaged areas after blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a stroke.

What You Need to Know

Creatine

• Creatine has long been used successfully by athletes to improve performance and combat fatigue; it is now showing promise in strengthening the hearts and minds of older adults.
• Supplementing with creatine may delay the impact of Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases.
• Glucose tolerance may also be improved by creatine supplementation.
• Creatine reduces the accumulation of lipofuscin, “the aging pigment,” in internal organs.

Cardiovascular Effects Of Creatine Supplementation

Creatine supplementation clearly improves skeletal muscle performance in healthy athletes and older adults.^42-44 That has led scientists to consider whether creatine could also function as an energy-enhancer for the most important muscle in the body: the heart. Numerous studies in both animals and humans indicate that it can.

In animal studies, creatine supplementation restored ATP levels in animals subjected to energy-reducing cardiac stress; it also reduced markers of heart muscle exhaustion.⁴⁵ Other studies show similar effects, even in unstressed animals.⁴⁶

Human studies of creatine supplementation remain few, but the results are promising. In one study, patients with chronic congestive heart failure took high doses (20 grams/day) of creatine for 10 days, undergoing cardiac and exercise testing before and after the supplementation period. Supplemented patients had significantly increased levels of energy-rich creatine phosphate in their muscles compared with controls, and they performed as much as 21% better on exercise cycle testing.⁴⁷

In a similar study in patients with congestive heart failure, those taking creatine almost doubled the number of handgrip exercises. They also significantly reduced the amount of muscle waste products they produced.⁴⁸ Since those with congestive heart failure typically experience reduced exercise tolerance,⁴⁸ these improvements bode well for creatine as an enhancer of mobility and quality of life for these patients.^49,50

Contraindications of Creatine Monohydrate

Hundreds of studies to date have shown that creatine monohydrate is an incredibly safe and non-toxic supplement with numerous benefits. Research examining possible side effects, both prospective and long-term retrospective (up to five years), has failed to identify any serious side effects of creatine supplementation.

Are There Specific Groups Who Should Avoid Creatine?

Although creatine monohydrate is clearly safe for healthy individuals with a very low side-effects profile (up to 10 grams per day), specific groups may need to avoid it:

1. History of Renal Disease:

   • Individuals with a history of renal disease should avoid creatine supplementation.
   • A few case reports suggest a tenuous link between high doses of creatine and kidney dysfunction, though the exact forms of creatine used and the presence of other medications or pre-existing conditions were unclear.

2. Those Taking Nephrotoxic Medications:

   • People on medications that are toxic to the kidneys should refrain from creatine supplementation.

Temporary Effects on Creatinine Levels

Creatine supplementation may cause a transient increase in creatinine levels, which can act as a false indicator of renal dysfunction.

Creatine’s Role in Blood Sugar and Insulin Management

Boosting Glucose Utilization

Creatine’s ability to enhance muscle energy levels also increases the body's capacity to utilize glucose as metabolic fuel:

• Increased GLUT-4 Production:
  Creatine supplementation boosts the production of GLUT-4, which facilitates sugar transport from the blood into cells for energy production.

• Improvements in Blood Sugar Control:

  • Healthy Individuals: 10 grams/day of creatine, combined with moderate exercise, significantly improves glucose tolerance.
  • Diabetic Patients: Supplementation enhances glucose tolerance, lowers blood sugar levels, and reduces hemoglobin A1c.

Creatine: Protecting Against Age-Related Muscle Loss

Combatting Sarcopenia

As we age, loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) becomes a critical issue. Creatine supplementation has been shown to:

• Enhance lean body mass and muscle performance.
• Improve short-burst, high-energy actions (e.g., sitting and rising from a chair).
• Increase grip strength.

Creatine and Bone Health

Emerging evidence suggests that creatine may improve bone mineral density and strength, particularly when combined with resistance exercise.

Recommendations for Older Adults

Experts recommend that older adults consider creatine supplementation (5–20 grams/day) along with a resistance training regimen to:

• Enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy.
• Improve quality of life.

Summary

Creatine monohydrate is not only an energy-enhancing aid for athletes but also a promising supplement for managing diseases linked to energy imbalances, including:

• Neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson’s, Huntington’s).
• Heart disease.
• Diabetes.

Animal studies even suggest that creatine may extend lifespan.

Given its strong safety record and potential benefits, creatine is an intriguing option for adults looking to slow aging and improve overall health.

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