Great reading David, a topic that has been a subject of much debate in rugby circles for years. Creatine's evolution from a supplement shrouded in controversy to one recognized for its myriad health benefits underscores the dynamic nature of sports nutrition and supplement research.
Given the physical demands of rugby, where high-intensity training is routine, and the risk of injury is ever-present, creatine's role in muscle recovery and injury prevention becomes particularly relevant. Thus, what role does creatine play in muscle recovery and injury prevention in high-intensity training, especially in a sport as physically demanding as rugby?
The research I've read isn't completely clear on some of the Marius.
That said, creatine as an ergogenic aid in strength/power sports is well evidenced (and increasingly rugby is heading that way given current intermittent nature of the game). There are theoretical arguments akin to "if you can output more force, submaximal force is less damaging and easier to recover from". But I think even if we had more rugby specific research (which I've not come across) most of it would be acute rather than chronic ie we know this helps but we don't understand the cumulative effects of it. My hunch is this may be where some of the value lies.
There is research on post exercise glycogen resynthesis which is quite positive for creatine in combination with carbohydrates - that said beer probably negates this so perhaps there are bigger rocks to address.
Something I posted on instagram was that my hunch is creatine will be standard of care soon for collision sports; both as a treatment for head injuries but also in prophylaxis (ie damage mitigation). I guess then there's the argument that given concussion raises subsequent risk of all injuries creatine has a role in prevention there too.
In summary, it's hard to answer your question very specifically but I don't think there's a reason to think it wouldn't help rugby players in a number of reals between performance, recovery and injury prevention.
Thank you David, I do think you're spot on with how creatine is a big player in strength and power sports. This really rings true for rugby, where it's all about those intense, powerful bursts. Imagine the edge players could get from creatine, not just in their performance but also in playing safer. And you're right, we seriously need more focused research on the long-term effects of creatine specifically in rugby. It's one thing to see the immediate benefits, but understanding how it impacts players over seasons, that's a whole different ball game.
Your point about recovery is really interesting, especially how creatine helps with muscle glycogen. But as you mentioned, lifestyle choices, like enjoying a beer post-game, which is the norm, which I was/is part of, might tweak how effective creatine can be. It's like there's a balance between the science and how players live their lives off the field.
I'm really intrigued by your take on creatine potentially becoming a go-to for injury prevention in collision sports. If it can make a difference in managing head injuries and general damage control, that could be a major shift in how we approach player safety. And the way you link this to concussion management and overall injury prevention is pretty sharp. It's not just about bouncing back quickly, but ensuring long-term safety and peak performance.
We're in an interesting phase where the benefits are clear, but there's still a lot to uncover, particularly for rugby. Your thoughts are a valuable addition to the broader discussion on sports nutrition and player well-being. It's exciting to think about how our understanding and use of supplements like creatine might evolve, not just for boosting performance but also in safeguarding the health and safety of players.
Well balanced and informative writing on the topic thanks David. I have been taking 5 grams daily of creatine monohydrate since the late nineties. I have read contradictory reports on the effect of creatine on plasma homocysteine levels, i.e., some studies showing an increase and others a decrease in homocysteine levels. I am particularly interested about any possible impacts on cardiovascular health via this pathway. I was wondering if you have any opinion or knowledge of creatine and homocysteine levels?
The body is a complex system (rather than a simple or complicated one) and as such, many different inputs can cause similar results and sometimes a single input can cause different outcomes (in this case creatine perhaps). Homocysteine balance is a really interesting portion of metabolism that's pretty easy to perturb but also rife for being misunderstood. I'd say the inconsistencies probably reflect the fact that creatine could alter homocysteine balance but likely via indirect mechanisms and thus in some individuals this would improve things and in others it would worsen them (with reference to homocysteine).
I am by no means claiming complete proficiency in homocysteine metabolic pathways but I have see a few things of note that impact it greatly including genetic variations in methylation (MTHFR gene mutations). In my mind the simplest way to approach this is via logic and 'black boxing'. For example testing your homocysteine, conceding that if it's high you'll need to run some experiments but if it's low you probably don't need to worry about the creatine. If it's high - remove creatine and see what changes after a few weeks. If it remains high, then creatine is also likely not the issue, if it lowers then whilst creatine may not be the problem it is certainly causing it in part. In either case of high homocysteine, if you're really looking for answers you'd probably need some genetic testing and some other markers tested eg B12, folate etc. Hoping that helps!
Thanks very much David, I really appreciate receiving your time and expertise on this topic. I have had many relevant biomarkers tested and these appear fine. I do have elevated homocysteine and want it lowered so I will go off the creatine for a few weeks and re-test. Failing this, I will go back to my brilliant GP and discuss MTHFR testing as I have tried other methods to lower homocysteine (by ensuring methyl donors are not used up). This includes taking betaine, getting plenty of B6, folate, B12 and choline/lecithin, getting sufficient Vitamin A, taking glycine/collagen, reducing caffeine intake and have not had any alcohol for over 6 months. I do understand that it is not clear whether homocysteine is a sign of problems or may promote cardiovascular dysfunction. Thanks again for taking the time to provide this information, hopefully it will help another blog reader too.
Great reading David, a topic that has been a subject of much debate in rugby circles for years. Creatine's evolution from a supplement shrouded in controversy to one recognized for its myriad health benefits underscores the dynamic nature of sports nutrition and supplement research.
Given the physical demands of rugby, where high-intensity training is routine, and the risk of injury is ever-present, creatine's role in muscle recovery and injury prevention becomes particularly relevant. Thus, what role does creatine play in muscle recovery and injury prevention in high-intensity training, especially in a sport as physically demanding as rugby?
The research I've read isn't completely clear on some of the Marius.
That said, creatine as an ergogenic aid in strength/power sports is well evidenced (and increasingly rugby is heading that way given current intermittent nature of the game). There are theoretical arguments akin to "if you can output more force, submaximal force is less damaging and easier to recover from". But I think even if we had more rugby specific research (which I've not come across) most of it would be acute rather than chronic ie we know this helps but we don't understand the cumulative effects of it. My hunch is this may be where some of the value lies.
There is research on post exercise glycogen resynthesis which is quite positive for creatine in combination with carbohydrates - that said beer probably negates this so perhaps there are bigger rocks to address.
Something I posted on instagram was that my hunch is creatine will be standard of care soon for collision sports; both as a treatment for head injuries but also in prophylaxis (ie damage mitigation). I guess then there's the argument that given concussion raises subsequent risk of all injuries creatine has a role in prevention there too.
In summary, it's hard to answer your question very specifically but I don't think there's a reason to think it wouldn't help rugby players in a number of reals between performance, recovery and injury prevention.
Thank you David, I do think you're spot on with how creatine is a big player in strength and power sports. This really rings true for rugby, where it's all about those intense, powerful bursts. Imagine the edge players could get from creatine, not just in their performance but also in playing safer. And you're right, we seriously need more focused research on the long-term effects of creatine specifically in rugby. It's one thing to see the immediate benefits, but understanding how it impacts players over seasons, that's a whole different ball game.
Your point about recovery is really interesting, especially how creatine helps with muscle glycogen. But as you mentioned, lifestyle choices, like enjoying a beer post-game, which is the norm, which I was/is part of, might tweak how effective creatine can be. It's like there's a balance between the science and how players live their lives off the field.
I'm really intrigued by your take on creatine potentially becoming a go-to for injury prevention in collision sports. If it can make a difference in managing head injuries and general damage control, that could be a major shift in how we approach player safety. And the way you link this to concussion management and overall injury prevention is pretty sharp. It's not just about bouncing back quickly, but ensuring long-term safety and peak performance.
We're in an interesting phase where the benefits are clear, but there's still a lot to uncover, particularly for rugby. Your thoughts are a valuable addition to the broader discussion on sports nutrition and player well-being. It's exciting to think about how our understanding and use of supplements like creatine might evolve, not just for boosting performance but also in safeguarding the health and safety of players.
Well balanced and informative writing on the topic thanks David. I have been taking 5 grams daily of creatine monohydrate since the late nineties. I have read contradictory reports on the effect of creatine on plasma homocysteine levels, i.e., some studies showing an increase and others a decrease in homocysteine levels. I am particularly interested about any possible impacts on cardiovascular health via this pathway. I was wondering if you have any opinion or knowledge of creatine and homocysteine levels?
Hi Damian,
Thanks for the feedback and comment.
The body is a complex system (rather than a simple or complicated one) and as such, many different inputs can cause similar results and sometimes a single input can cause different outcomes (in this case creatine perhaps). Homocysteine balance is a really interesting portion of metabolism that's pretty easy to perturb but also rife for being misunderstood. I'd say the inconsistencies probably reflect the fact that creatine could alter homocysteine balance but likely via indirect mechanisms and thus in some individuals this would improve things and in others it would worsen them (with reference to homocysteine).
I am by no means claiming complete proficiency in homocysteine metabolic pathways but I have see a few things of note that impact it greatly including genetic variations in methylation (MTHFR gene mutations). In my mind the simplest way to approach this is via logic and 'black boxing'. For example testing your homocysteine, conceding that if it's high you'll need to run some experiments but if it's low you probably don't need to worry about the creatine. If it's high - remove creatine and see what changes after a few weeks. If it remains high, then creatine is also likely not the issue, if it lowers then whilst creatine may not be the problem it is certainly causing it in part. In either case of high homocysteine, if you're really looking for answers you'd probably need some genetic testing and some other markers tested eg B12, folate etc. Hoping that helps!
Thanks very much David, I really appreciate receiving your time and expertise on this topic. I have had many relevant biomarkers tested and these appear fine. I do have elevated homocysteine and want it lowered so I will go off the creatine for a few weeks and re-test. Failing this, I will go back to my brilliant GP and discuss MTHFR testing as I have tried other methods to lower homocysteine (by ensuring methyl donors are not used up). This includes taking betaine, getting plenty of B6, folate, B12 and choline/lecithin, getting sufficient Vitamin A, taking glycine/collagen, reducing caffeine intake and have not had any alcohol for over 6 months. I do understand that it is not clear whether homocysteine is a sign of problems or may promote cardiovascular dysfunction. Thanks again for taking the time to provide this information, hopefully it will help another blog reader too.
Hi Damian,
It sounds like you are a) on the right track and b) have a great team around you - both are really important here. Hoping you find some answers!
Thanks David