Hello and welcome to the Nutrition Diva podcast, a show where we look into trends, claims,

and headlines so that you can make science-backed decisions about what to eat.

I'm your host Monica Reinegel, and today's episode was prompted by an email from Sandy,

who wanted to know if I'd ever done a podcast on creatine.

Sandy is 75 years old, and apparently something of a super senior.

She says that her personal trainer has recommended creatine for both its muscle-building benefits

as well as for cognitive function.

Creatine is one of the few topics that I haven't covered over the course of the last 15 years.

To be honest, I thought of it primarily as a supplement for bodybuilders, so I left

it for my colleagues on the Get Fit Guy podcast to answer, which they have.

But I have to give Sandy's personal trainer credit for being aware of some newer research

on its potential benefits for older adults.

Creatine is an amino acid that we get from meat and fish, and our own liver also makes

creatine.

It's stored in our muscles where it's used to power short bursts of high-intensity muscle

work, such as the effort involved in lifting, carrying, or pushing something very heavy,

or perhaps jumping from a standing position.

And it's been widely used by bodybuilders and weightlifters for decades to improve performance

gains.

And unlike many of the things that bodybuilders might use to enhance their performance,

this one is both legal and supported by some pretty solid research.

One important thing to note is that creatine doesn't build muscle directly.

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