Exploring Common Myths and Facts About Creatine: A Researcher's Perspective

Creatine supplements, often known as creatine monohydrate (CrM), have been shown to boost performance in sports and exercise, as well as having health benefits throughout life. Despite solid evidence, many people still have questions and misunderstandings about CrM. In 2021, a group published a review addressing whether CrM causes water retention, fat gain, hair loss, dehydration, or muscle cramps, if it's safe for kids and older adults, and if it affects the kidneys or liver. Now, there's a follow-up to explore more questions, such as whether CrM helps without exercise, if timing matters, if mixing it with other compounds helps, and how it interacts with caffeine.It's also important to understand if CrM affects muscle protein, has anti-inflammatory properties, aids recovery, affects blood pressure, is safe during pregnancy, impacts fertility, and if the brain needs more of it than muscles. A team of experts reviewed the latest research to provide answers based on scientific evidence.