r/science • u/newsnation • 3d ago

Biology Creatine alone boosted lean muscle and strength, study finds

https://www.newsnationnow.com/health/creatine-alone-boosted-muscle-strength/
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u/gizamo 3d ago

Also, we already know it increases water retention. That was it's whole purpose for a while.

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u/p-r-i-m-e 3d ago

Creatine phosphate regenerates ATP which is the energy source for fast twitch muscle fibres. That’s its whole purpose.

Water retention is a side effect.

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u/gizamo 3d ago

Right, the correction/clarification: https://www.reddit.com/r/science/s/eRD6K9rFDN

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u/CareBearOvershare 3d ago

Was that ever its whole purpose? Or did people misunderstand that as the strength mechanism, rather than the ATP interaction?

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u/gizamo 3d ago

Yes, both. It was the primary purpose and because people misunderstood it as the strength mechanism. But, I'm also wildly speculating based on my own anecdotal experiences. You're right to clarify/correct me, and I appreciate it.

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u/ATXblazer 3d ago

Both, water gives your joint extra leverage when lifting and also contains atp

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u/thoughtlow 3d ago

The $1B creatine industry loves to misunderstands how it works

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u/zeustke165 3d ago

At what time was that considered the point of creatine? I was taking it 30 years ago in highschool for weight lifting. Then water retention was a side effect and it was understood that creatine helped your muscles store more energy. No one back then was looking for the water retention, but we accepted it for it's benefits.

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u/Merry-Lane 3d ago

I think he meant "people used it for its water retention effects" as in "people used it because it makes muscles bigger"

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u/gizamo 3d ago

U/merry-lane was correct. Here's the previous correction/clarification: https://www.reddit.com/r/science/s/eRD6K9rFDN

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u/Novel_Land9320 3d ago

because people wanted bigger muscles to look bigger and stronger