The Creatine Episode

From muscle growth to a treatment for Alzheimers, creatine has been touted as the 'King of Supplements'. But what does the science say about one of the most researched products in sport? Enter Dr Eric S. Rawson, Chair and Professor of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Science at Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, who has spent two decades studying the effects of creatine on the brain and muscle. In this in-depth interview, Rawson breaks down the long history of creatine research, how it works, who it works best for, and the latest research into its cognitive benefits. Rawson has been an active member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) since 1996, has served on the ACSM Board of Trustees and is a Fellow of the ACSM (FACSM). Dr Rawson has delivered more than 180 professional presentations, is co-editor of the text Nutrition for Elite Athletes, co-author of Nutrition for Health Fitness and Sport, and has authored/co-authored numerous articles and book chapters. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and various foundations.

SHOW NOTES

Rawson was involved in the IOC consensus papers on supplementation. Here is the latest of these, including a section on creatine

A systematic review and meta-analysis on creatine use, combined with resistance training

A review on safety concerns over creatine

The 13500 person review on the side effects of creatine use with long-term supplementation

Widely hailed as the original creatine paper, by Harris et al, this showed that supplementation with creatine could increase muscle stores significantly

Studies showing that muscular performance was enhanced by creatine supplementation

A recent scoping review explores the available evidence on the possible protective effect of creatine in concussion management

Disclosures from Dr Eric Rawson:

• Been taking creatine since 1992

• Have published/presented a fair bit about creatine and other supplements. You can see Eric’s research profile here

• Been fortunate to receive funding from NIH, various foundations, universities, and companies

• Current research funding: none

• Have received speaking honoraria for lectures that included creatine

• On SAB of Alzchem (studied creatine supplements for 20+ years first).

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