Creatine

Creatine is a natural component of muscle metabolism and plays an important role in the rapid energy supply in muscle cells.

In the muscles, creatine is partly stored as creatine phosphate. This serves as a readily available energy reserve for the regeneration of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) – the central energy currency of the cells. Especially during short, intense exertion, creatine thus supports the rapid energy supply to the muscles.

Additionally, creatine binds water within muscle cells. This can lead to an increase in cell volume, which is a natural part of creatine storage in the muscle. Water retention primarily occurs intracellularly, i.e., within the muscle cell.

In the sports field, this effect is sometimes also perceived visually, as the muscles may appear fuller. Physiologically, however, the role of creatine in energy metabolism and the function of muscle cells is primarily in the foreground.

Creatine is now one of the most scientifically studied micronutrients in the areas of muscle metabolism, physical performance, and healthy aging.

Creatine supports the rapid provision of energy in cells. This is particularly relevant for tissues with high energy demands – such as muscles & brain.

The body's energy supply is based on ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the body's central energy currency. Every movement, every muscle impulse, and many processes in the nervous system require ATP. However, since ATP is stored only in small quantities, it must be continuously regenerated.

Here, creatine plays an important role: In the muscle cell, creatine is partly stored as creatine phosphate. This serves as a readily available energy reserve and helps convert consumed ADP back into ATP. This allows energy to be supplied particularly quickly – especially during short, intense exertion.

Creatine thus acts as an energy store and energy buffer within the cell and supports:

• rapid ATP regeneration,
• stabilization of energy availability,
• muscle metabolism,
• and cellular energy homeostasis.

Additionally, creatine binds water within the muscle cells. This increased cell volume is a natural component of creatine storage and is associated with the physiological function of muscle cells.

Creatine is a natural, endogenous substance that plays an important role in cellular energy metabolism. It helps cells quickly replenish their energy stores.

The body can produce creatine itself from the amino acids glycine, arginine & methionine. At the same time, creatine is also absorbed through diet – especially through meat and fish.

The challenge is that a portion of the body's creatine stores is broken down and excreted daily and must be continuously regenerated or replaced through diet. Furthermore, dietary intake, particularly with vegetarian or vegan diets, can be lower.

Additional creatine supplementation directly provides creatine and specifically supports the body's creatine stores. This means that certain amino acids may be used less for the body's own creatine synthesis and are therefore available to the body for other biological processes.

In addition, muscle metabolism, muscle mass, and the body's creatine stores change throughout life. Therefore, creatine is now being studied not only in connection with physical performance but also in areas such as:

• muscle health,
• healthy aging,
• cellular energy supply,
• as well as cognitive function and energy metabolism.

Kreatin kann für unterschiedliche Menschen und Lebensphasen relevant sein – nicht nur im Leistungssport. Da Kreatin überwiegend über tierische Lebensmittel wie Fleisch und Fisch aufgenommen wird, können vegetarisch oder vegan lebende Menschen tendenziell geringere Kreatinspeicher aufweisen.

Auch mit zunehmendem Alter verändert sich der Muskelstoffwechsel. Muskelmasse, Muskelkraft und die körpereigene Kreatinspeicherung können im Laufe der Jahre abnehmen. Deshalb wird Kreatin heute zunehmend auch im Zusammenhang mit gesundem Altern, Muskelgesundheit und körperlicher Leistungsfähigkeit im Alltag betrachtet.

Besonders relevant kann Kreatin sein für:

• Menschen mit vegetarischer oder veganer Ernährung
• Sportlich aktive Personen im Kraft- und Schnellkrafttraining
• Menschen ab etwa 50+ im Rahmen eines aktiven Lebensstils
• Erwachsene über 55 Jahre in Kombination mit regelmäßigem Krafttraining
• Personen mit erhöhtem körperlichem oder energetischem Belastungsniveau

Kreatin wird dabei nicht nur im Sportkontext untersucht, sondern auch im Zusammenhang mit Energieversorgung, Muskelstoffwechsel und Healthy Aging.

Kreatin erhöht die körperliche Leistung bei Schnellkrafttraining im Rahmen kurzzeitiger intensiver körperlicher Betätigung.*

Darüber hinaus kann die tägliche Einnahme von Kreatin die Wirkung von Krafttraining auf die Muskelkraft bei Erwachsenen über 55 Jahren verbessern.*

* Die positive Wirkung stellt sich bei einer täglichen Aufnahme von 3 g Kreatin ein.

Kreatin zählt zu den wissenschaftlich am besten untersuchten Nahrungsergänzungsmitteln weltweit. Besonders gut untersucht ist Kreatin im Zusammenhang mit körperlicher Leistungsfähigkeit & Muskelstoffwechsel. 

Für Kreatin ist folgende gesundheitsbezogene Aussage in der EU zugelassen: 

**Kreatin erhöht die körperliche Leistung bei Schnellkrafttraining im Rahmen kurzzeitiger intensiver körperlicher Betätigung.**¹ * Die positive Wirkung stellt sich bei einer täglichen Aufnahme von 3 g Kreatin ein. 

Darüber hinaus untersucht die wissenschaftliche Forschung Kreatin auch in weiteren Zusammenhängen. Studien und Übersichtsarbeiten weisen unter anderem auf mögliche Zusammenhänge hin in den Bereichen: 

• Muskelstoffwechsel  
• Muskelkraft und Muskelerhalt im Alter  
• zellulärer Energiestoffwechsel  
• kognitive Funktionen  
• Erholungsprozesse  
• energieintensive Gewebe wie Muskulatur und Gehirn  

Einige Forschungsarbeiten untersuchen zudem mögliche Zusammenhänge zwischen Kreatin und gesundem Altern sowie der allgemeinen zellulären Energieversorgung. Für viele dieser Bereiche liegen jedoch bislang keine zugelassenen Health Claims vor. 

• Wissenschaftliche Literatur zu Kreatin Körperliche Leistungsfähigkeit & Sicherheit Kreider, R. B., Kalman, D. S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Wildman, R., Collins, R., Candow, D. G., Kleiner, S. M., Almada, A. L., & Lopez, H. L. (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, 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z 
• Muskelkraft & gesundes Altern Devries, M. C., & Phillips, S. M. (2014). Creatine supplementation during resistance training in older adults – a meta-analysis. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 46(6), 1194–1203. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000220 
• Kognitive Funktion Avgerinos, K. I., Spyrou, N., Bougioukas, K. I., & Kapogiannis, D. (2018). Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Experimental Gerontology, 108, 166–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2018.04.013 
• Energiestoffwechsel & Belastung Buford, T. W., Kreider, R. B., Stout, J. R., Greenwood, M., Campbell, B., Spano, M., Ziegenfuss, T., Lopez, H., Landis, J., & Antonio, J. (2007). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 4, 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-4-6 

The recommended daily intake is 3g of creatine. It should be taken regularly once a day. The key factor is continuous daily use – less so the exact time of intake.

The approved health claims for creatine, as well as a large portion of scientific studies, refer to a daily intake of 3g of creatine.

Creatine can generally be taken at any time. Many people take it:

• in the morning,
• around their workout,
• or with a meal.
  

More important than the time of day is regular daily intake to support creatine stores in the long term.

The powder can be easily integrated into daily life and can, for example:

• be stirred into water,
• be combined with protein shakes,
• be added to muesli or porridge,
• or be mixed into other foods and drinks.
  

Since creatine is considered heat-stable, it can also be used in cooking or baking without losing its function in the body.

A special loading phase is not strictly necessary.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as individuals with existing health conditions or pre-existing illnesses, should consult a doctor before taking creatine.

This applies particularly to diseases affecting metabolism or kidney function, as well as to individuals taking regular medication. An individual medical assessment helps to adequately consider the personal situation.

Because at MITOcare, we consistently rely on high-quality premium raw materials, we deliberately chose the branded raw material Creavitalis® for our creatine – one of the most established and highest quality creatine raw materials worldwide.

Creavitalis® is manufactured by the Alzchem Group in Germany and stands for controlled manufacturing processes, high purity, and consistently standardized raw material quality.

Unlike many generic creatine raw materials, Creavitalis® relies on clearly defined quality and analytical standards, as well as full traceability of the raw materials.

The special features of Creavitalis® include:

• 100% pure creatine monohydrate
• Manufactured in Germany
• Controlled and standardized production processes
• High raw material purity and traceability
• Pharmaceutical production standards (GMP & FSSC 22000)
• Micronized quality for good solubility
• Defined branded raw material instead of varying raw material sources

With Creavitalis®, we deliberately opt for premium quality with consistently high purity and quality standards.

Creatine is often associated with sports & strength training, but it fundamentally performs important functions in cellular energy metabolism – regardless of whether one trains regularly or not.

Every cell in the body needs energy. This is supplied in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) – the body's central energy currency. Especially energy-intensive tissues such as muscles, brain & nervous system rely on a continuous energy supply.

This is where creatine plays an important role:

Creatine phosphate supports the rapid regeneration of ATP and thus acts as a kind of energy buffer within the cells. This mechanism is closely linked to mitochondrial energy production and general cell metabolism.

Therefore, creatine is now considered not only in the sports sector but increasingly also in connection with:

• cellular energy supply,
• muscle metabolism,
• muscle health in old age,
• cognitive function,
• as well as Healthy Aging and Longevity.

With increasing age, muscle mass, muscle strength & muscle metabolism change. At the same time, the body's own creatine stores can also tend to decrease. For this reason, creatine is being intensively researched scientifically, especially in the field of healthy aging.

The scientifically proven effects on muscle strength refer to the combination with regular strength training.* Regardless, creatine's role in cellular energy supply is fundamentally relevant for everyone.

* The daily intake of creatine can improve the effect of strength training on muscle strength in adults over 55 years of age. The positive effect occurs with a daily intake of 3 g of creatine.

Creatine itself is not a hormone and does not have hormone-like effects such as anabolic steroids. Its primary function is in cellular energy metabolism and the rapid provision of energy within cells.

According to current scientific understanding, there is no clear evidence that creatine negatively affects hormone balance. At the same time, research is increasingly investigating how hormonal changes could influence certain creatine-related processes in the body—especially in women.

The focus here is primarily on the female menstrual cycle:

As estrogen and progesterone levels change throughout the cycle, scientific reviews discuss whether this could also lead to phase-dependent changes in creatine metabolism, water retention, regeneration, and energy availability.

Some newer studies also investigate whether creatine might be perceived or utilized differently in certain phases of the cycle—for example, in connection with fatigue, performance, or natural water fluctuations.

It is important to note: The current research landscape is still evolving. Many older creatine studies were predominantly conducted on men. Newer scientific works are increasingly considering female physiology, cycle phases, and hormonal differences.

Furthermore, there are no approved health claims regarding the hormonal effects of creatine. The scientifically proven effects currently refer to physical performance during high-intensity exercise and muscle strength in adults over 55 years of age in combination with strength training.*

* The positive effect is achieved with a daily intake of 3 g of creatine.

Scientific literature

• Ellery SJ, Walker DW, Dickinson H. Creatine for women: a review of the relationship between creatine and the reproductive cycle and female-specific benefits of creatine therapy. Amino Acids. 2016.
• Smith-Ryan AE et al. Creatine supplementation in women’s health: bridging the gap from menstruation through menopause. Women’s Health. 2025.
• Tam R, Mitchell L, Forsyth A. Does Creatine Supplementation Enhance Performance in Active Females? A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2025.
• Stares A et al. The Effects of Creatine Monohydrate Loading on Exercise Recovery in Active Women throughout the Menstrual Cycle. Nutrients. 2023.