You’ve probably seen it on TikTok or heard it mentioned on your favourite health podcast: creatine, a supplement once synonymous with bodybuilders and gym junkies, is now being hailed as a game-changer for midlife women.
For years, it was synonymous with muscle gains and workout stamina. Not so any more, with a growing body of research shedding light on its benefits for memory, mental clarity and general brain power.
Put simply, creatine doesn’t just help your body perform – it helps your mind, too.
That’s good news for anyone experiencing brain fog – especially women navigating perimenopause. It’s no wonder the powdered supplement – available these days in most supermarkets – has leapt from locker rooms to breakfast routines everywhere.
The primary reason it works so well is down to its ability to deliver energy to cells. Composed of three naturally occurring amino acids already found in the body, creatine is also found in protein-rich foods, such as meat and eggs.
But, says nutritionist and scientist Erin Johnson, obtaining therapeutic dosages of creatine through food alone can be difficult, hence its huge popularity as a supplement.
To understand how this supplement works, it helps to know a little about the body’s energy system. As Johnson explains: ‘Creatine gives your body ATP (adenosine triphosphate), an energy-carrying molecule.
‘When ATP is used, it converts to ADP (adenosine diphosphate). Creatine is able to change this molecule back into ATP, so higher levels of circulating creatine allow your body to have a more consistent energy supply.’
Nutritionist and scientist Erin Johnson says there has been a buzz around creatine, which helps your body recycle energy throughout the day
In other words, creatine helps your cells recycle energy, making it easier for your body and brain to keep firing throughout the day.
‘Recent studies have shown people can feel more energetic in as little as five days, giving you that extra push in the gym, greater mental clarity and a reduced need for sleep too,’ says Johnson.
Even more promising is a study, undertaken this year, which found that creatine could also help those suffering depression, as well as more recent research suggesting it may even help Alzheimer’s patients.
A small minority may experience side effects such as bloating or stomach discomfort, which are still under investigation.
But there’s one side effect that’s not being talked about so much: its possible impact on dental health. Few realise that some – but not all – creatine brands contain ingredients linked to tooth sensitivity and, in severe cases, enamel loss.
‘Generally speaking, flavouring agents like citric acid are used in these powders and these can have an effect on teeth,’ says Professor Dileep Sharma, Head of Discipline – Oral Health at the University of Newcastle.
‘If the powder stays or sticks onto the dental biofilm, that can feed the bacteria already present, then the sugars and nutrients in the powder may contribute to bacterial growth,’ Prof Sharma adds.
‘It’s no different [from] chocolates or other sugars causing the pH reduction and loss of tooth mineral.’
Gym enthusiasts are ‘dry-scooping’ the powder to maximise benefits – but there’s a downside
One of the reasons for this is ‘dry scooping’ – a practice, commonly used by fitness enthusiasts, who aim to get the most out of their workout by taking a scoop of the powder with only a tiny sip of water – or no water at all.
The aim behind this is to ‘supercharge’ workouts by ingesting the supplement in an undiluted form. It’s a trend that has taken off on – surprise, surprise – TikTok.
‘Washing it down with more than a tiny bit of water will be absolutely needed to remove any residual powder from the oral cavity,’ says Prof Sharma.
‘But it’s best to avoid dry scooping altogether to ensure all the powder is removed from the teeth.’
It’s not just flavourings or dry scooping causing potential harm to dental health.
Dr John Rink, a dentist practising in Charleston, North Carolina, has anecdotal evidence to suggest that certain brands of the supplement are causing irrevocable damage.
‘We have had a patient come in recently who had been using creatine hydrochloride for muscle mass increase – a weightlifter. He just wanted to beef up a little bit and what we discovered with this particular patient was that he had severe damage to the enamel on the front surfaces of his upper front teeth to the degree that he actually had to have porcelain veneers placed to build the teeth back up,’ Dr Rink said.
In addition to brushing twice a day, Prof Sharma says that if you’re already suffering from sensitivity, your best bet is a visit to the dentist. ‘A dentist may provide a few options, including topical fluoride varnish among other things for quick relief.’
Dr Rink adds, ‘If you’re using creatine, don’t dry scoop and use creatine monohydrate instead because that’s easier on your teeth.’
New to DailyMail+? Here are our most-read stories from the last week
LIZ JONES: Sorry, but it’s now time for Kate to stop making excuses
