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synergy · 2
Creatine tops up the muscle's phosphocreatine store so that short bursts of high-intensity effort last longer; beta-alanine raises muscle carnosine, which helps buffer the acid produced during hard exercise. The two work in different ways, and the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) considers them fine to combine, but evidence that the combination clearly beats either alone is limited.
Phosphocreatine in muscle is the energy reserve for the first few seconds of an all-out effort. With a bigger reserve, the last few reps of a set hold up better and training volume builds up more easily, which indirectly gives the muscle enough tension. Creatine monohydrate is the most studied supplement for strength training.
cofactor · 1
Creatine is one of the best-value supplements for sarcopenia: combined with strength training it has a fairly consistent effect on both muscle mass and strength, and it is cheap. Taken without training it does much less; it helps you train harder, and it cannot replace the training.
regulates · 1
→Blood Work · Routine Chemistry
Creatinine in the blood is a breakdown product of creatine and leaves the body almost only through the kidneys. So taking creatine raises blood creatinine and makes the calculated eGFR look lower, which muddies the reading of kidney function, even though studies show creatine does not harm healthy kidneys. Before a kidney test, tell your doctor you take creatine.
contrast · 1
≠HMB
Creatine supports muscle building and high-intensity effort; HMB, a breakdown product of leucine, is thought to reduce muscle breakdown. The evidence for HMB is somewhat stronger in older adults losing muscle to acute illness, bed rest or chronic disease; in healthy young people its benefit is small. Whether taking the two together adds anything has been little studied.