Más allá del deporte: la creatina como suplemento en la salud y en la enfermedad. Revisión de la evidencia de la última década

Beyond sports: creatine as a supplement in health and disease. Review of the evidence of the last decade

Abstract

Creatine is the most popular sport supplement for its contribution to sports performance and improvements in body composition. Because it performs functions not only at the muscular level, but in all tissues of the body, especially in the nervous system, the interest as an aid in various health and disease conditions has grown in recent decades. However, much of the research has been carried out in animals, in models that do not adequately represent the realities of humans, in whom creatine would mainly improve characteristics of cognitive function. This narrative review details the most important findings of recent research carried out in humans, aimed at analyzing the benefit of creatine on cognitive functions, depression, damage to the central nervous system, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular health and other relevant conditions. Additionally, it is discussed the concept of safety in its dosing, including the results of individual studies, reviews, and recent meta-analyses.