“My ‘favorite’ quotes in media reports about pseudoscientific studies are: ‘People who eat/do [something] are more likely to die than those who do not.’
There is a likelihood of death other than 100%?“
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
On May 18, 2023, powerlifter Mary Duffy shared an Instagram video of herself capturing a 140.6-kilogram (310-pound) raw deadlift with chains during a training session. According to the caption of Duffy’s social media clip, the 73-year-old’s loaded barbell came out to 180 pounds. By affixing chains to each end, Duffy clarified that they added an additional 130 pounds to the strength of her final lift.
Duffy wore a lifting belt to help her with the massive pulling feat and completed it from a conventional deadlift stance while utilizing a mixed grip. This chain deadlift is nearly three-times Duffy’s most recent competition body weight of 52.2 kilograms (115 pounds).
Duffy has been competing as a powerlifter since her mid-60s when the athlete made her sanctioned lifting debut at the 2015 International Powerlifting Association (IPA) Connecticut Ironman Push/Pull Showdown. In the years since, the now Amateur Masters 70-74 athlete has maintained a mostly sterling competitive record, losing just once over the length of her career.
However, Duffy might have true headlines and rose to prominence in 2022 when she crushed a 136-kilogram (300-pound) raw trap bar deadlift with chains. The feat was 2.4 times Duffy’s usual competition body weight, and she has now built on it accordingly with a more traditional pulling position and implementation.
After achieving that trap bar deadlift in the summer, Duffy would go on to come in first place with wraps in the 57-kilogram weight class as an Amateur Masters 70-74 competitor during the 2022 IPA Connecticut State Powerlifting Championships in the fall. The victory gave Duffy her fifth title with wraps in six appearances in the contest (2015-2017, 2019, 2022). What’s clear is the athlete might have her own powerlifting dynasty on hand in “The Constitution State.”
These days, as might usually be the case for Duffy, she’s keeping busy with her strength training, at least according to the occasional tidbit shared over her Instagram page. At the time of this article’s publication, Duffy hasn’t announced any immediate plans to compete any time soon and it’s unclear when she’ll step on an official platform again. If her commitment to fitness greatness says anything, though, it should only be a matter of time for this older but still powerful athlete.
A little appreciated (but important) fact: for most of human history, the average person would have been regularly exposed to ketosis. This was mostly light and transient, sometimes more protracted, but they were never far from a mildly ketogenic state. Food wasn’t always a sure thing, after all, and carbs weren’t necessarily readily available year-round. Ketosis was normal, it was frequent, and it was beneficial, even life-saving.
Today, few people achieve ketosis without intentionally fasting or following a ketogenic diet. The latter refers to any very low-carb diet—low enough that your liver churns out ketones that your cells can use for energy in place of glucose. It may feel like keto exploded into popularity out of nowhere, but doctors have actually been prescribing therapeutic keto diets to treat epilepsy for more than a century. Today, keto is popular mostly as a weight-loss diet, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits a keto diet has to offer.
That’s because keto diets have two things going for them: the carbohydrate restriction and the resulting ketones. Each profoundly affects health and longevity, beyond halting seizures and helping people fit into smaller jeans. I’ve been talking about keto since the early days of the Primal Blueprint because I firmly believe that everyone should spend time in a state of ketosis.
Here are some of the reasons why.
Why Go Keto? The Big Picture
The number one reason I recommend that everyone try keto is for metabolic flexibility. To put it bluntly, if you want to be metabolically healthy, you must be metabolically flexible. Metabolic flexibility, you may recall, is your cells’ ability to use any available substrate—glucose, fat, or ketones—for energy on an on-demand basis. It’s the opposite of carbohydrate dependency, the metabolic state that characterizes the vast majority of the population today.
Keto diets upregulate your cells’ ability to burn ketones, obviously, but they also make you more fat-adapted. And being able to metabolize fatty acids efficiently is important whether you’re keto or eating a “regular Primal” pattern.
There are other things that keto does uniquely well compared to other types of diets, namely lowering blood glucose, insulin, and inflammation. Hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and chronic inflammation are the triumvirate of doom when it comes to chronic disease. I can’t think of a single chronic disease of any kind—metabolic, autoimmune, neurodegenerative, cancer—that doesn’t have one, if not all three, as a contributing factor.
It’s obvious why seriously restricting carb intake would reduce blood sugar and insulin secretion, in turn reducing inflammatory markers.1 Keto diets also trigger more complex downstream biochemical processes that account for many of their beneficial effects. For example, keto modulates the action of a critical enzyme called AMPK that is involved in cellular energy regulation—improving glucose uptake by cells, improving insulin sensitivity, and decreasing inflammation.2 The ketone body beta-hydroxybutyrate has direct anti-inflammatory effects.3
In short, with keto diets, you reap the benefits of NOT eating too many carbs plus a host of other benefits that are specifically due to being ketotic.
Benefits of the Keto Diet
The Keto Diet for Treatment of Major Disease States
The ketogenic diet remains the only thing with the consistent ability to prevent epileptic seizures. We have better medicines than doctors did a hundred years ago, but not everyone responds to them. Whether it’s Thai kids with intractable epilepsy,4 Scandinavian kids with therapy-resistant epilepsy,5 or adults with refractory epilepsy,6 ketogenic diets just work.
Ketosis improves epilepsy via several mechanisms.
It increases conversion of glutamate into glutamine into GABA, reducing neuronal excitability.7
It increases antioxidant status in the neuronal mitochondria, improving their function.
It reduces free radical formation in neurons, a likely cause of seizures.8
It provides an alternate fuel to brain neurons that may be dysfunctionally metabolizing glucose.9
These effects on neuronal function and health, along with the ability of aging or degenerating brains to accept and utilize ketone bodies, also have implications for other brain conditions, like Parkinson’s,10Alzheimer’s,11 and bipolar disorder.12Ketogenic diets aren’t just beneficial for brain disorders, though. People with mild cognitive impairment and even generally healthy folks can enjoy cognitive benefits like improved memory, mental clarity, increased focus, and positive mood, to name a few.
And the impact of keto extends well beyond the brain. For example…
A Spanish ketogenic diet (keto with wine, basically) reversed metabolic syndrome and improved health markers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Over 92 percent of subjects improved their liver health; 21 percent resolved liver disease entirely.13
Keto diets are poised to be the next big tool in preventing and treating cancer. Keto diets significantly reduce circulating glucose—the preferred fuel of most types of cancer—inhibiting the ability of cancer cells to proliferate. Although research results are still very preliminary, it is suggestive that keto diets can be used to augment (not replace) traditional cancer therapies in many cases. In cancer patients, a keto diet also preserves lean mass and causes fat loss.14
Ketogenic diets may improve symptoms of PCOS, which is strongly related to insulin resistance.15
The Keto Diet for Physical Performance
Being keto-adapted has several advantages for anyone interested in physical performance.
It increases energy efficiency. At any given intensity, a keto-adapted athlete burns more fat and less glycogen than a sugar-burning athlete. Long-term elite keto athletes can burn up to 2.3 times more fat at peak oxidation and 59 percent more fat overall than non-keto athletes, and they do it at higher intensities. They remain in the predominantly fat-burning zone at 70 percent (or higher!16) of VO2max, whereas non-keto athletes switch over from primarily fat burning to a spike in sugar-burning at 55 percent VO2max.17
It spares glycogen. Glycogen is high-octane fuel for intense efforts. We store it in the muscles and liver, but only about 2400 calories worth—enough for a couple hours of intense activity at most. Once it’s gone, we have to carb up to replenish it, lest we hit the dreaded wall. Keto-adaptation allows us to do more work using fat and ketones for fuel, thereby saving glycogen for when we really need it. Since even the leanest among us carry tens of thousands of calories of body fat, our energy stores become virtually limitless on a ketogenic diet.
It builds mitochondria. Mitochondria are the power plants of our cells, transforming incoming nutrients into ATP. The more mitochondria we have, the more energy we can utilize and extract from the food we eat—and the more performance we can wring out of our bodies. Ketosis places new demands on our mitochondria, who adapt to the new energy environment by increasing in number.
The Keto Diet for Fat Loss
Ketosis isn’t “magic”—it doesn’t melt body fat away. Instead, it works for many of the same reasons a standard low-carb Primal way of eating works: by reducing insulin, increasing mobilization of stored body fat, and decreasing appetite.
Ketosis suppressing appetite may be the most important feature. The overriding drive to eat more food is the biggest impediment to weight loss, and it’s the reason why most diets fail. When people attempt to eat less food despite wanting more, they butt up against their own physiology. Few win that battle. Ketogenic dieting avoids this issue altogether, suppressing the increase in hunger hormones that normally occurs after weight loss.18
Many diets work in the short term and fail in the long run. Weight loss isn’t worth anything if you can’t keep it off. Ketogenic diets appear to be good for long-term maintenance of weight loss, at least compared to low-fat diets.19
How to Go Keto the Right Way
The real benefits of keto come from doing keto the right way. Almost no one reading this needs to follow a strict therapeutic diet of the type usually prescribed to epileptic patients, typically involve exceedingly high fat and low protein.
For most of us, keto works best when we prioritize nutrient density, healthy fats, and a good amount of protein—a Primal way of eating but with fewer carbs. My books The Keto Reset Diet and Keto for Life go into detail about how to implement this way of eating, or start with my Definitive Guide to Keto.
The point I want to make clear is that keto diets are beneficial in ways that other diets aren’t by virtue of the ketones and the carb restriction, but you don’t need to be keto forever to reap the rewards. Dipping into ketosis for four to six weeks at a time, a few times a year, is sufficient. If you discover that you feel best in ketosis, then you can absolutely stay there. For everyone else, it can be a periodic thing.
Just don’t pass up the opportunity to achieve ultimate metabolic flexibility!
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Bodybuilding legend Dexter Jackson likely won’t be making a formal comeback to contests like the returning Masters Olympia any time soon. However, that doesn’t mean the former 2008 Mr. Olympia and 2012 Masters Olympia champion is neglecting to take care of his fitness. If anything, he’s training exactly the way one would expect of a retired dynamo.
On May 14, 2023, Jackson shared a video on his YouTube channel where he walked through an efficient but effective chest workout. For this 54-year-old who clearly makes it a point to keep the elements of his athleticism up — at least, if various training videos on his social media platforms are any indication — it’s a worthy insight into the process of an icon.
Jackson’s chest routine does not necessarily reinvent the wheel. Nor is it a comprehensive workout from top to bottom. What is clear from the way the retired athlete lays every movement is that extensiveness isn’t the central focus. It might be more about efficiency and complete upper-body development. Note: Jackson did not disclose the precise weight for each portion of his workout.
Here’s an overview of Jackson’s complete chest workout on a set and repetitions basis:
Dexter Jackson Chest Workout | YouTube Channel May 2023
Hammer Isolation Flat Bench Press (Four sets of 10 reps)
Machine Incline Chest Press (Four sets of 10 reps)
Arsenal Incline Flye (Four sets of 10 reps)
Decline Cable Flye (Four sets of 10 reps)
Here’s a short breakdown of each chest exercise Jackson performed through the workout.
Hammer Isolation Flat Bench Press
Jackson begins his workout by jumping in with the hammer isolation flat bench press, a compound movement. Like with several exercises used in his overall workout, Jackson performs the movement on a plate-loaded machine. Jackson performs four sets with gradually heavier weights and views this bench press on the machine as a means to help balance his strength.
Machine Incline Chest Press
In a seamless transition, Jackson next performs some chest presses on an incline machine. The athlete again works through four sets of high repetitions, centering on endurance and tone. It is here where Jackson talks up the benefits of working out on machines, especially in easing joint pain for a retired athlete like him.
“All the free weight stuff with heavy weights that I used to do, really, really tore my joints up,” Jackson explained. “So if you guys got joint pain and you’re looking to ease the pain, make sure you try and do some more machine work. That’ll take a lot of stress off the joints versus free weights.”
Arsenal Strength Incline Flye
In the interest of further developing his upper chest musculature, Jackson next performs a few high-rep sets of incline flyes on an arsenal strength machine. These also had the added benefit of pushing his biceps muscles to stabilize the weight during the movement.
Decline Cable Flye
To conclude his workout, Jackson finishes with another chest flye variation, this time at a cable station while moving his arms in a low-to-high angle which Jackson referred to as a” at a “decline cable flye.” As the name suggests, this aimed to make sure each part of Jackson’s chest muscles had appropriate attention, in this case, the lower portion.
Toward the end of the video, Jackson inserted an old clip of himself performing an 183-kilogram (405-pound) bench press for eight repetitions, filmed during his contest preparation for the 2000 Mr. Olympia where he eventually placed ninth.
These days, even though he isn’t competing at the high and prolific level of his professional bodybuilding days, it’s apparent Jackson still puts his fitness at a premium. For an older character like him, it also seems clear he’s eager to leave the ladder behind him and reward others with his workout knowledge.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
The 2023 Giants Live Strongman Classic (GLSC) is scheduled for Jul. 8, 2023, in London, England. With a loaded lineup featuring reigning champion Oleksii Novikov and new World’s Strongest Man (WSM) victor Mitchell Hooper already on tap, this strength battle across the pond promises to be a doozy. Giants Live, the organizing body, has now revealed the expected events for some of the strongest athletes on the globe via its Instagram page.
At the time of this article’s publication, with information on the 2023 GLSC’s events limited to the details provided over Instagram, a precise outline for the lineup is unclear. Specific information regarding exact implements, weight, and format for each event may be provided at a later date.
From a glance, it might be easy to ascertain that Novikov, Hooper, and Stoltman are the clear favorites for a victory in the contest. Such a speculative assertion is both based on their WSM success — they are the only athletes on hand with wins in strongman’s biggest contest — and their overall standard as established strongman superstars. That said, depending on the format, some of the events could favor a dark horse or two.
For example, on the Nicol Stone Carry, Kevin Faires is undoubtedly a huge favorite on paper to win the event. The American athlete is the current Nicol Stones Carry World Record holder with a carry of 24.61 meters, beating the previous record of 22.2 meters — which Faires also held. Meanwhile, an overhead press-centered event like the Viking Press might favor Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou, the current owner of the Axle Press and Log Lift World Records. Assuming Tom Stoltman continues his usual proficiency on the Castle Stones (a variation on the traditional strongman Atlas Stones), that leaves a potentially wide-open slate on the Super Yoke and Axle Deadlift.
All of this is to say that even with household names in attendance in London this July, the 2023 GLSC could be anyone’s contest to win when the dust settles.
The 2023 GLSC is but one significant event on the major strongman calendar. With the roster and events for the competition now set in stone, it should still act as a quality notch in the lifting belt of one stellar strongman when this summer rolls around.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Pablo Olivares is the younger sibling of Jesus Olivares, the current owner of the all-time heaviest raw World Record total (1,152.5 kilograms/2,540.8 pounds) in powerlifting history. That means the athlete has a lot to live up to from an ambitious strength perspective. At the rate of the lesser-known Olivares’ training, he might not have much to worry about in this regard soon enough.
On May 16, 2023, Olivares posted a video to his Instagram profile where he captured a raw 400-kilogram (881.1-pound) squat during an intense training session. According to the caption of Olivares’ post, the lift is a personal record (PR) by five kilograms (11 pounds). Olivares used wrist wraps, knee sleeves, and a lifting belt to help him score the massive squat. It’s feats like this that evidently might put Olivares on a fast track to achieving milestones akin to those of his brother — who can be seen spotting him in the background of the clip.
While Olivares doesn’t have the same lofty profile as his World Record-holding brother — who is also the reigning two-time International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) raw World champion in the 120-kilogram (264-pound)-plus division — that doesn’t diminish what he’s accomplished to this stage of his career. Based on his precedent, monstrous squat PRs like this could only be scratching the surface of what he’s capable of at an individual level.
Here’s an overview of the younger Olivares’ all-time raw competition bests. The athlete has notably fluctuated from appearances in the 120-kilogram (264-pound)-plus, 124.3-kilogram (274-pound)-plus, and even 139.7-kilogram (308-pound)-plus divisions:
Some of the more noteworthy triumphs in Olivares’ powerlifting career include wins in the 2023 USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Texas Strength Classic, the 2022 Powerlifting America (AMP) Nationals, and the 2021 USAPL Texas Open. Since September 2021, Olivares has lost a powerlifting competition just once in five appearances.
Based on a recent Instagram post from 2023, Olivares has aspirations of eventually squatting 422 kilograms (930 pounds) by the end of the calendar year. At this rate, even if he does have some work to do to catch up to his more decorated sibling, it doesn’t seem like Olivares is running into any insurmountable obstacles.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
From May 2-7, 2023, during the 2023 European Powerlifting Federation (EPF) Equipped Powerlifting Championships in Thisted, Denmark, Daria Rusanenko captured a 276-kilogram (608.4-pound) back squat. Rusanenko competed in the Juniors division, but the equipped squat mark set an all-time World Record for the 84-kilogram weight class overall.
Rusanenko was fully equipped for her squat record, wearing knee wraps, wrist wraps, a lifting belt, and a single-ply lifting suit to help her reach the new strength height. Rusanenko weighed in at 77.17 kilograms (170.1 pounds) for the competition, making her by far the lightest of all her 84-kilogram competitive class peers. The squat helped the athlete achieve third place in her specific division.
Rusanenko could’ve theoretically vied for more on her World Record equipped squat mark, separating herself further from the field. However, after the athlete notched 260 kilograms (573.2 pounds) on her first attempt, she wasted no time pushing for the record. Rusanenko would easily achieve her 276-kilogram (608.4-pound) lift on a second attempt, electing to forgo a third squat after officially surpassing Yevheniia Tishakova’s established milestone.
According to the records database on Open Powerlifting, Tishakova’s past equipped squat World Record of 275.4 kilograms (607.3 pounds) in the 84-kilogram class was notched at the 2018 EPF European Women’s Championships. It stood for approximately five years, with Rusanenko tying the record at the 2022 IPF World Open Equipped Powerlifting Championships, before finally eclipsing the power barrier in her recent performance.
Here’s an overview of Rusanenko’s complete performance from the 2023 EPF Equipped Powerlifting Championships:
Per her page on Open Powerlifting, Rusanenko has been competing in some powerlifting capacity since January 2015 — at 13 years old, she made an equipped first-place Sub-Juniors 57-kilogram weight class debut at the 2015 Ukraine Powerlifting Federation (UkrainePF) Donetsk Powerlifting Championships. The athlete can boast more than a few victories in her career, especially in the early stages, but has not won since the 2021 UkrainePF Powerlifting Championships.
Nonetheless, Rusanenko has managed to rewrite the record books on this occasion.
Judging off her recent competitive precedent, Rusanenko will likely next turn her attention to the 2023 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Open Equipped Powerlifting Championships. The athlete finished in third place during both the 2021 and 2022 editions and will assuredly be seeking to build on that performance after attaining her equipped squat World Record.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
After some of the presumed top contenders for the 2023 Mr. Olympia recently showed out while guest posing at the 2023 Pittsburgh Pro, bodybuilder Chinedu Obiekea aka “Andrew Jacked” might appear to be on the outside looking in. Given the early indications from his offseason, training, and mass-building, the rising star might actually be prepared to shine in early November when he steps on stage at the 2023 Mr. Olympia in Orlando, FL.
On May 15, 2023, Jacked shared a physique update to his Instagram profile that was apparently “10 days” into the Men’s Open competitor’s offseason. According to the caption of his post, Jacked weighs a whopping 136.8 kilograms (301.6 pounds) in the clip where he’s “maintaining his leanness.”
Jacked’s latest monstrous physique update coming before the onset of the 2023 summer is paired with a recent stellar competitive profile. It might resemble the resume of an up-and-coming bodybuilder ready to climb the Olympia summit and then some as a household fixture.
In 2022 alone, Jacked was a consistent finisher near the top of the podium in almost every International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League competition he participated in. According to his page on NPC News Online, the athlete began his rap sheet by winning the 2022 Arnold Amateur and followed that performance with triumphs in the 2022 Texas Pro and the 2022 Arnold Classic UK (ACUK). Such a sterling start had legends like Ken “Flex” Wheeler asserting Jacked would be a significant factor for the 2022 Olympia title. Jacked would then make his Olympia debut during said edition of the contest, where he finished in eighth place — an impressive showing for a newcomer.
In a stacked Men’s Open field, it might be difficult for any of the current competitors to find a way to stick out amongst their peers. At his current pace, it doesn’t seem like Jacked is having much difficulty in this regard. If anything, he’s building himself up as a legitimate part of the conversation for the 2023 Olympia title.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
CrossFit superstar Mal O’Brien has withdrawn from the 2023 CrossFit Semifinals, set to take place from May 18 to Jun. 4, 2023. In an Instagram post on May 16, 2023, O’Brien announced that she will temporarily step away from the sport, citing “personal challenges” that she needs to take care of. As such, she will not participate in August’s 2023 CrossFit Games. The Semifinals are a necessary qualifier for all participating athletes to earn a berth in the annual Games.
As the 2023 CrossFit Games approached, O’Brien was one of the presumed top contenders for the Women’s Individual title. After former six-time defending champion (2016-2022) Tia-Clair Toomey stepped away during her pregnancy with her first child, O’Brien — the youngest-ever person to win the CrossFit Open (2022), the runner-up during the 2022 edition of the Games, and the 2021 Rookie of the Year — seemed like a lock to vie for the 2023 victory.
Instead, the athlete will first work to find a healthy life balance for those mentioned, yet undisclosed, personal reasons.
“Sometimes, we face personal challenges that demand our attention and care,” O’Brien wrote in her Instagram post. “It’s important to prioritize our well-being and embrace the support of loved ones … Remember, life isn’t just about winning trophies or achieving goals. It’s about finding balance, taking care of ourselves, and cherishing the moments that truly matter. I’ll be taking this time to focus on what’s important to me, and I appreciate your understanding during this period. I wish the best of luck to my teammates and competitors.”
O’Brien steps away from the 2023 CrossFit season after winning the 2023 CrossFit Open and leading all Women competitors following the 2023 CrossFit Quarterfinals. Her departure leaves a potential opening for other top contenders like Laura Horvath, Arielle Loewen, and Emma Lawson.
Horvath was the winner of the 2022 CrossFit Rogue Invitational and took home third place for the Women in the 2022 CrossFit Games. Perhaps more of an up-and-comer, Loewen finished in third in the 2023 CrossFit Quarterfinals. Meanwhile, then-17-year-old Lawson was the 2022 CrossFit Rookie of the Year and enjoyed a sixth-place result in her CrossFit Games debut in 2022. With an established heavyweight like O’Brien out of the picture, the Women’s Individual field seems wide open at a glance.
For close observers of the sport, O’Brien’s withdrawal while on the potential precipice of a first CrossFit Games title might come as a shock. However, sometimes there are more significant and important things in life than athletic competition. Even if the athlete won’t be a factor in the 2023 CrossFit Games, this will likely not be the last instance anyone sees of her in CrossFit.
Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss
Relatively few sports supplements have an abundance of nearly undeniable research supporting their effectiveness. Many fall into the vague category of “probably works for most people most of the time.” Creatine is one of the rare standouts.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) concluded creatine is the most effective performance supplement available for supporting high intensity exercise and muscle mass. (1)(2) The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has published a similar stance. (3)
Despite favorable position stances in the scientific community, decades of research, and more than 500 peer-reviewed publications, creatine supplementation is still misunderstood. (4) This misunderstanding is largely limited to the uninitiated public, which is a shame because a wide variety of people (even non-lifters) might benefit from creatine supplementation. (5)
Credit: PintoArt / Shutterstock
If you are unfamiliar with creatine, or if you could use a science-based refresher, it’s best to start with the basics. No, creatine is not a steroid. And, no, it won’t melt your kidneys. In fact, creatine monohydrate, the most common form of supplemental creatine, is generally recognized as safe (G.R.A.S) — an official designation which can only be applied to foods and products which have undergone stringent examination and critical review. (1)(6)(7)
Creatine’s potential benefits extend beyond athletic competition and the gym. Check out the benefits, potential side effects, and common dosing protocols below.
Editor’s Note: The content on Breaking Muscle is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen, diet plan, and/or supplement protocol, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for individualized consulting with a qualified medical professional.
Creatine supplementation has been studied among individuals young and old, athletes and non-athletes, healthy and injured. Creatine exerts effects on the musculoskeletal system, nervous system (e.g. brain), and endocrine system (e.g. hormones).
Some of these effects are immediate — better lifts, higher work capacity, and cognitive benefits. Others take a bit longer to register — increased muscularity, better recovery between workouts, and potentially increased performance during injury rehabilitation. Find a summary of some of the most exciting benefits of creatine below.
Supercharged Strength
In training studies, creatine supplementation is consistently shown to improve strength. (1) For example, in just six weeks, lifters taking creatine showed greater improvements in chest press and leg press strength compared to those taking a placebo. (8) Strength improvements have been documented with creatine supplementation across the lifespan — from young to very old. (5)(9)
Without getting too deep into biochemistry, creatine supports energy production via the phosphagen system — this is the system that supplies energy for brief high-intensity efforts such as short sprints, jumps, and heavy, low repetition lifts. Creatine is found in foods like meat and seafood, and our bodies are able to synthesize it from other amino acids. However, supplemental creatine appears to be necessary to “top off” or saturate our muscles with creatine.
Recharged Repeated Efforts
Anyone who has ever sprinted 50-meter repeats or hit high-effort cluster sets knows the phosphagen system takes time to replenish before you’re ready to go again. Creatine supplementation may reduce the time needed to restore energy for the next high intensity set.
Credit: PeopleImages.com – Yuri A / Shutterstock
The mass action from having extra creatine available drives more rapid re-synthesis of phosphocreatine, the active form of creatine used for quick energy. In addition to benefiting training performance, this potential effect of creatine supplementation may have performance implications in sports like basketball, hockey, football, and volleyball. (1)
More Muscle Mass
Because creatine promotes the ability to move more weight and higher performance across repeated efforts, it should come as no surprise that it ultimately supports gains in muscle mass and improvement in body composition.
Once again, this effect is seen among individuals ranging from young to very old. (1)(9) Bodybuilders, athletes, folks who want to look better at the beach, aging adults wishing to remain independent, and more may benefit from the muscle-building effects of creatine.
Increased Training Tolerance
Creatine supplementation is known to help improve recovery from a single session of hard exercise. (10)(11) Perhaps surprisingly, some studies show increases in exercise-induced muscle damage following consistent use of creatine. (10)
Researchers attribute this to the other beneficial effects of creatine supplementation — More strength, more muscle, and more high-intensity sets and reps following consistent supplementation intuitively lead to the potential for more muscle damage during workouts. (10)
Altogether, creatine appears to be a great tool for recovery from isolated bouts of exercise, particularly the sort of workouts that involve high-load eccentric (“lengthening”) muscle contractions or novel exercises.
Credit: Merrick Lincoln, DPT, CSCS / YouTube
Are you a lifter training for a local 5k, half marathon, or triathlon? Or, maybe you’re a trail runner or cyclist dedicated to building some extra strength? Athletes who train for aerobic- and strength performance in the same workouts may struggle to maintain their strength as aerobic training ramps up. Creatine might help. A study on strength-trained men taking either creatine monohydrate or placebo were put through running workouts prior to leg resistance training.
Only individuals taking creatine were able to maintain their leg press strength-endurance (i.e. repetitions to failure at 80%), while the men taking the placebo showed reduced leg press performance. (12) Concurrent training for aerobic and strength- or physique goals is never going to be easy, but supplemental creatine might play a supporting role.
Ramped Up Recovery Following Injury
Injured individuals tend to drop or dial back their supplement regimes, often planning to resume once healthy again. But there’s a strong case for creatine supplementation during times of injury. (13) Due to the aforementioned antioxidant-like effect of creatine, its well-established benefits to muscle mass and strength, and other potential effects, supplemental creatine may have promise for those rehabilitating injuries.
Immediately following injury, affected body parts may be rested or even immobilized. Studies assessing the effects of creatine supplementation among individuals experiencing immobilization show protective effects on muscle protein composition and accelerated recovery of strength and size during their return to exercise. (14)(15)
It should be noted, current evidence for creatine during post-surgical rehabilitation is currently not as strong as the evidence for use during true immobilization. (16) While creatine may not be a panacea, banged up athletes, wrecked weekend warriors, and the clinicians who manage their care should consider the potential role of creatine supplementation post-injury.
Free RadicalsScavenged and Scrubbed Out
Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals related to cell damage, aging, and number of disease processes. For better or worse, free radicals are produced during normal metabolism. Fortunately, creatine acts to scavenge and scrub out a type of free radical called reactive oxygen species (ROS). (1)
While more research is needed to substantiate the potential role of creatine in systemic health, cellular aging, and disease, the antioxidant-like role of creatine points to applications for general health and wellness.
Boosted Brain Power
Just as creatine supplementation increases creatine concentrations in muscle, it also increases levels in brain tissue. (5) Just as muscle runs on creatine-based substrate, so to does the brain. Research is mounting in support of a creatine’s potential role as a nootropic, or brain-booster.
Credit: WeStudio / Shutterstock
Vegetarians on a six-week “maintenance dose” of creatine monohydrate (five grams per day) performed better on tests of working memory and intelligence than they did on a placebo supplement. (17)
Now, one could argue that since a common source of dietary creatine is meat, the vegetarian subjects were simply correcting a deficiency, but the demonstrated link between creatine and brain power remains relevant.
In two separate studies on sleep-deprived youngsters and rested elderly individuals, McMorris and colleagues reported positive effects of creatine supplementation on working memory and long-term recall. (18)(19) In both studies, “loading doses” of creatine monohydrate were used — 20 grams per day for seven and 14 days, respectively.
Since update of creatine in brain tissue may be less efficient than skeletal muscle, more research needed to establish dosing parameters that best elicit creatine’s cognitive effects.
Potential Side Effects
Numerous studies have failed to show clinically-relevant side effects of creatine monohydrate supplementation across a wide variety of populations (athletes, children, adults, older adults) and using a wide range of doses (three to 30 grams per day). (1)(20)
Aside from the benefits discussed above, one potentially relevant side effect is increased body mass, which can occur early due to increased water content in the body.
Early Water Retention
The most commonly reported side effect of creatine is water retention. Studies have reported early increases in body mass during the initial days of creatine supplementation too rapid to be attributed to muscle gain. (4) Instead, these increases appear to be primarily driven by increases in intracellular water, or water found within the cells which plays a key role in cellular health and performance. (21)
Credit: Olena Yakobchuk / Shutterstock
In the first three days or so of creatine supplementation (loading dose), it is common to see gains of two to four pounds of water weight. (21) Fortunately, there is probably no reason to worry about medium- or long-term bloating when supplementing with creatine. Intracellular water levels are shown to normalize after weeks to months of use. (4)
How to Use Creatine
Creatine monohydrate mixes reasonably well with liquid, particularly if you purchase “micronized” powder, which is milled or sifted to smaller particles. Creatine supplementation need not be complicated — standard practices and considerations are provided below.
Steady Supplementation
The most common supplementation protocols involve three to five grams creatine monohydrate per day, or 0.1 gram per kilogram bodyweight. (4)(22) Gradually, creatine levels in muscle cells will increase above baseline and individuals will likely begin to realize the benefits discussed above.
This dosing protocol is referred to as a “maintenance dose,” because once muscle tissues reach creatine saturation, ongoing supplementation at this dose is likely to maintain high or maximum levels. Although about one-third of studies on creatine supplementation involve only a maintenance dose, just as many incorporate a loading dose to “jumpstart” the benefits.
Consider a Loading Dose
With typical creatine doses (i.e. three to five grams per day), it may take weeks before muscles are saturated. Therefore, a “loading dose” is often recommended to accelerate this process. (1)(22) The most common creatine monohydrate loading protocol involves 20 grams per day for five to seven days. (1)(22)
The daily 20-gram loading dose is typically divided into four equal servings throughout the day (five grams each). The loading dose is typically followed by a maintenance dose of three to five grams per day (or 0.1 gram per kilogram bodyweight).
Take with Food
Although creatine taken without other foods has been shown to effectively increase total muscle creatine levels, taking either with carbohydrates or with carbohydrates and protein appear to improve retention. (23)(24) Shoot for about 95 grams of carbohydrate or 45 to 48 grams each carbohydrate and protein. (25)
Credit: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock
Common carbohydrate sources used in creatine studies are dextrose and glucose. Although studies commonly use powdered dextrose or glucose, these carbs are found in starchy foods and non-fruit sugars (i.e. corn flour, pastas, rice). A convenient protein source may be a post-workout protein powder.
Consistent Use vs. Cycling
Little scholarly evidence currently informs whether creatine should be cycled (e.g. eight to 12 weeks “on,” followed by four to six weeks “off”) or taken consistently at a maintenance dose. Mechanistically, there does not seem to be a strong rationale behind cycling creatine — Again, creatine is not a steroid, so there is not a risk of “resistance” as a result of prolonged use.
Long-term studies illustrate the safety of consistent creatine supplementation for as long as five years of consistent use. (1) Moreover, since excess creatine is ultimately excreted in the urine (similar to vitamin C), the risk of “overdose” appears low. (25)
Should one decide to “cycle off” creatine, they are still likely to experience benefits for weeks, even months following your last dose.
FAQs
Isn’t creatine related to hair loss, muscle cramps, and kidney damage?
These commonly claimed downsides of creatine are not found in the “Side Effects” section, because none have been substantiated by high-quality studies (i.e. randomized and placebo-matched trials). The claim to hair loss comes from a 2009 creatine study among rugby players who showed an increase in dihydrotestosterone, a hormone occasionally linked to hair loss. (4)(26) To be clear, none of the rugby players were reported to lose hair or go bald, and follow-up studies assessing the effects of creatine on testosterone and related hormones are equivocal. (4) The kidney damage claim appears to stem largely from anecdote and confusion. Creatinine is commonly used as a marker of kidney damage when found in high concentrations in the urine. While it is true that some excess creatine may be discarded in the form of creatinine in the urine, it does not necessarily indicate the kidneys are being damaged or overloaded. (4) Despite creatine being used in some trials as a treatment for the sequelae of kidney disease, Kim and colleagues conservatively recommended individuals at increased risk of kidney issues (e.g. diabetics, those with hypertension, pre-existing kidney dysfunction) avoid creatine supplementation. (1)(20) As always, check with your doctor.
Can I pre-mix my creatine powder in protein or meal replacement shakes?
Busy lifters commonly prepare their food and supplements in advance. Whether you’re facing a busy day or setting yourself up for a successful week, pre-mixing creatine into your meal replacement drink, pre-workout supplement, or post-workout protein shake may be a convenient method of sticking to your supplementation schedule. But you wouldn’t want to sacrifice the efficacy of the supplement for convenience. Fortunately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has measured the stability of creatine monohydrate powder under various conditions. Minimal degradation occurs when creatine is mixed and stored in neutral pH liquids. (6). Milk-based drinks are included in this category. As the pH of the liquid is lowered, stability of creatine decreases, with losses of 12% reported following 72-hours storage at 4.5 pH. (6) If you wish to pre-mix your creatine in liquid in a non-neutral pH beverage such as fruit juice or a fruit smoothie, refrigeration likely slows degradation. (6) Take note: some manufacturers add creatine monohydrate to energy drinks. However, since creatine is known to degrade in low pH solutions, you may wish to avoid creatine/energy drink combos, as the low pH (e.g. pH 2.5- 4.0) paired with long durations non-refrigerated storage has likely reduced the potency of the creatine supplement. Therefore, creatine in acidic shelf-stable energy drinks or pre-workout concoctions appears to be more gimmick than gains.
Can I “stack” creatine with other supplements?
Creatine and caffeine are among the most studied (and most supported) performance-enhancing supplements. Naturally, it follows that many might wish to combine the two. A recent systematic review reported mixed results of co-supplementation protocols of creatine and caffeine. (27) Two studies showed blunted benefits and one study showed synergistic effects of concurrent supplementation. (27) Now, when creatine and caffeine are co-ingested — taken together or in a close timeframe of one another — anecdotal and scholarly evidence suggests the very real possibility of gastrointestinal distress. (28) Altogether, logical recommendations for those wishing to combine creatine and caffeine are to: 1 — separate consumption throughout the day, and 2 — limit caffeine consumption to moderate or low intake during the initial “loading phase” of creatine supplementation. Another study looked at creatine in combination with beta-alanine regarding cycling performance and reported no apparent synergistic effects. (29) More research is needed on the potential effects of combining creatine with other common sports supplements.
I ran out of creatine. Am I gonna lose all my gains?
At times, supply chain disruptions have occasionally made it difficult to maintain consistency with creatine monohydrate supplementation. Next time you run out and your favorite retailer is sold out, don’t panic. You likely have four to six weeks before your supplemented and fully-saturated creatine levels in your muscle return to baseline. (1)(30) Even after muscle creatine concentrations return to baseline, you are likely to enjoy a prolonged twilight period where gains made during supplementation persist.
Are other forms of creatine better than creatine monohydrate?
Creatine monohydrate is far and away the most studied form of creatine. Although other forms often claim superiority in their advertising materials for “better retention” or “increased uptake,” these claims are unsubstantiated by the current body of research (or patently false). (1) Not only do other forms of creatine tend to be similar or inferior to monohydrate in effectiveness, they also tend to be more expensive. At the time of this writing, only creatine monohydrate has achieved the FDA status of “generally recognized as safe” (G.R.A.S). (7) Until convincing data on other formulations is presented, stick with tried-and-true monohydrate.
G.R.A.S. for Mass (with a Disclaimer)
Few, if any, supplements are as well-studied as creatine monohydrate. The scientific research is virtually overwhelming, but if you’re still searching for an anecdote, I’ve taken a creatine monohydrate maintenance dose for over 10 years with minimal interruptions. My wife, my mother, and, occasionally, even my dog supplement with creatine monohydrate — it’s unlikely many lifters would be comfortable giving other sports supplements to any one of those three case studies, let alone all three.
But this article should not be considered an endorsement or nutritional advice — it is simply a brief review of relevant literature. Consult your physician, sports dietician, or veterinarian for individualized advice.
References
Kreider, R. B., et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1), 18.
Kerksick, C. M., et al. (2018). ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15(1), 38.
Thomas, D. T., et al. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: nutrition and athletic performance. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(3), 501-528.
Antonio, J., et al. (2021). Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1), 13.
Rawson, E. S., & Venezia, A. C. (2011). Use of creatine in the elderly and evidence for effects on cognitive function in young and old. Amino Acids, 40, 1349-1362.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration. GRAS Notices. Available online: https://www.fda.gov/media/143525/download (Accessed April 17, 2023).
Kreider, R. B.,et al. (2022). Bioavailability, efficacy, safety, and regulatory status of creatine and related compounds: A critical review. Nutrients, 14(5), 1035.
Mills, S., et al. (2020). Effects of creatine supplementation during resistance training sessions in physically active young adults. Nutrients, 12(6), 1880.
Devries, M. C., & Phillips, S. M. (2014). Creatine supplementation during resistance training in older adults—a meta-analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 46(6), 1194-1203.
Doma, K., et al. (2022). The paradoxical effect of creatine monohydrate on muscle damage markers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 52(7), 1623-1645.
Cooke, M. B., et al. (2009). Creatine supplementation enhances muscle force recovery after eccentrically-induced muscle damage in healthy individuals. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 6(1), 13.
de Salles Painelli, V., et al. (2014). Creatine supplementation prevents acute strength loss induced by concurrent exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 114(8), 1749-1755.
Tack, C. (2016). Dietary supplementation during musculoskeletal injury: Protein and creatine. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 38(1), 22-26.
Elosegui, S., et al. (2022). Interaction between caffeine and creatine when used as concurrent ergogenic supplements: a systematic review. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 32(4), 285-295.
Hespel, P., et al. (2001). Oral creatine supplementation facilitates the rehabilitation of disuse atrophy and alters the expression of muscle myogenic factors in humans. The Journal of Physiology, 536(2), 625-633.
Mistry, D., Lee, P., & Gee, T. (2022). Systematic review for protein and creatine supplements in peri-operative period in elective musculoskeletal surgery-knee and hip replacement. Journal of Arthritis, 11(1), 6-10.
Rae, C., et al. (2003). Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain performance: a double–blind, placebo–controlled, cross–over trial. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 270(1529), 2147-2150.
McMorris, T., et al. (2007). Creatine supplementation, sleep deprivation, cortisol, melatonin and behavior. Physiology & Behavior, 90(1), 21-28.
McMorris, T., et al. (2007). Creatine supplementation and cognitive performance in elderly individuals. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 14(5), 517-528.
Kim, H. J., et al. (2011). Studies on the safety of creatine supplementation. Amino acids, 40, 1409-1418.
Ziegenfuss, T. N., et al. (1998). Acute fluid volume changes in men during three days of creatine supplementation. Journal of Exercise Physiology, 1(3), 1-9.
de Guingand, D. L., et al. (2020). Risk of adverse outcomes in females taking oral creatine monohydrate: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 12(6), 1780.
Greenwood, M., et al. (2003). Differences in creatine retention among three nutritional formulations of oral creatine supplements. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, 6(2), 37-43.
Preen, D., et al. (2003). Creatine supplementation: a comparison of loading and maintenance protocols on creatine uptake by human skeletal muscle. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism, 13(1), 97-111.
Naderi, A., et al. (2016). Timing, optimal dose and intake duration of dietary supplements with evidence-based use in sports nutrition. Journal of Exercise Nutrition & Biochemistry, 20(4), 1.
Van der Merwe, J., et al. (2009). Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 19(5), 399-404.
Elosegui, S., et al. (2022). Interaction between caffeine and creatine when used as concurrent ergogenic supplements: a systematic review. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 32(4), 285-295.
Trexler, E. T., & Smith-Ryan, A. E. (2015). Creatine and caffeine: considerations for concurrent supplementation. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 25(6), 607-623.
Stout, J. R. (2006). Effects of twenty-eight days of beta-alanine and creatine monohydrate supplementation on the physical working capacity at neuromuscular fatigue threshold. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 20(4), 928-931.
Preen, D., et al. (2003). Creatine supplementation: a comparison of loading and maintenance protocols on creatine uptake by human skeletal muscle. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 13(1), 97-111.
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
click this ==>
Warrior Fit Testimonials
First, I want to say thank you for convincing me to do Tabata! I was struggling to lose weight and Finally I found something that helped! I really appreciate your coaching! - Craig T.
Ever since I was convinced to do Tabata I have seen huge results, I lost 6 pounds and gained energy in the first 3 weeks. I have been working out for 3 months before I decided to do Tabata and I struggled to lose weight.
At first I thought "How am I losing weight by bringing my heart rate up then cooling down then bringing it up again?" I don’t know how it works but it does!
Thank you!! - Theresa F.
The first day of Tabata, I wondered WHAT AM I DOING - I AM 56 !! Five weeks later I knew that it was what I needed. I learned that I could push myself well beyond my comfort zone and feel good later. I have a marked improvement in physical as well as emotional endurance. - Lyn C.
When I was first told about Tabata I was very excited from the word go, however that excitement stemmed from the fact that I had no clue what it meant. I missed the first week of class b/c I was traveling for work so when I came in during the 2nd week I had some making it up to do.
It was hard at first b/c my body wasn't used to working out at such a fast pace, but once I got into a rhythm I started to feel very good. These classes are no joke. If you stick with it you will leave there feeling stronger, healthier and overall better about yourself and what you've accomplished.
I would recommend these classes to anyone. Darrin is a great trainer and he'll keep you going with his energy.
- Jami L.
Warriors Fit Audio
Warrior Fit uses High Intensity Music to get ya Moooovin' So we can all "Get Our Sweat On"
The link below will give ya a freeee shot at Audible plus a couple audio books just to try it out and if you haven't used audio books on your commutes you are missing out. Get pumped up before you get to where you are going and exercise your mind. I use it Everyday. Go get yours now!
A little appreciated (but important) fact: for most of human history, the average person would have been regularly exposed to ketosis. This was mostly light and transient, sometimes more protracted, but they were never far from a mildly ketogenic state. Food wasn’t always a sure thing, after all, and carbs weren’t necessarily readily available year-round. Ketosis was normal, it was frequent, and it was beneficial, even life-saving. 
For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
Book your class NOW!
click this ==>
