Creatine for Runners: Is It Worth All the Recent Hype?

You may have been hearing lately about many runners starting to include creatine as a daily supplement. While creatine isn’t new, it seems to have become popular among runners lately. Is creatine for runners worth all of the recent hype?

What is creatine?

Creatine is a naturally occurring source of energy in our bodies that help to keep our muscles working, especially during short, intense burst of exercise. When we supplement with creatine it is stored in our muscles. Creatine also helps to replenish ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the primary energy carrier for cells. While creatine is often called an amino acid, it is technically made from three other true amino acids (arginine, glycine, and methionine).

What are the benefits of creatine for runners?

Creatine contributes to energy production making it easier to do short speed burst or exercises requiring power (think hills sprints, short intervals, etc.). It can also help with muscle recovery after exercise when taken with carbohydrates, possibly because of increased glycogen storage in muscles. Glycogen is broken down into glucose which is needed to help the recovery process. This increased glycogen storage can also be beneficial to endurance runners, since we need this energy source for long distance running.

One potential benefit for runners is that creatine can help with intense surges, such as a sprint to the finish. This can be helpful for endurance runners, even though it’s not clear from the research how well creatine can directly impact longer bouts of exercise.

Creatine may also help to offset sarcopenia, or a loss of muscle mass as we age. Additionally, creatine may help to preserve muscle mass during times of reduced strength training.

There is also some evidence that creatine can improve memory, information processing speed, and reduces mental fatigue. Women may see more of a benefit than men because we naturally have lower creatine stores.

How do you supplement with creatine?

While creatine is found in foods such as meat and fish, many athletes supplement creatine using creatine monohydrate. This is the most well researched and effective form of creatine. It is recommended to take 3-5 g per day. Some athletes like heavy lifters do a “loading phase” where they take 20g per day (split into 4 doses) for 5-7 days; however, this is not necessary for endurance athletes. Ideally, creatine should be taken before or after a workout. It will take about 4 weeks for creatine stores to build up which is why it needs to be taken consistently.

What is the best kind of creatine to take?

When looking for a brand of creatine, try to find one that is NSF certified for sport and third party tested. Momentous is a high quality brand that meets these standards. There is also a branded version of creatine called Creapure which is well studied and has the lowest amounts of impurities. The Feed Lab uses this version of creatine (as does Momentous).

Are there any downsides to creatine for runners?

Some people who supplement with creatine report bloating and/or GI distress. Often this is due to a loading phase which is not necessary. You should also use caution of you have any preexisting conditions such as kidney or liver disease. It’s always a good idea to consult a medical professional before starting a new supplement.

Some people worry about weight gain from creatine. Any weight gain that does happen is due to lean muscle mass. A 2017 meta-analysis showed older adults supplementing with creatine gained 3 pounds more of lean mass on average than non-users during training.

Should runners use creatine?

This really depends. There are some potential benefits, and not many drawbacks. However, paying for high quality creatine can get expensive. It’s important to use it daily so it shouldn’t be something you just take once in awhile. But if you are looking to improve some of your higher intensity training it may be worth a try.

What have you heard about creatine for runners?
Have you ever tried creatine?

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