Improves Muscle Functions
As a supplement, creatine is effective for increasing muscle mass. The compound can modify cellular pathways, prompting new muscle growth. For example, it increases the formation of proteins that build new muscle fibers and raises insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, a hormone known to promote growth and muscle mass.
Creatine supplements can also increase the muscles’ water content, a process called volumization. Volumization has a significant role in increasing muscle size quickly. Studies also found that creatine supplements play a part in decreasing myostatin levels. This molecule delay significantly impacts the muscles by inhibiting their growth. Reduced myostatin hastens muscle build-up.
One research aims to identify how oral creatine, combined with eight weeks of resistance training, affects myostatin serum levels and factor-associated serum protein-1 (GASP-1). Twenty-seven healthy male participants were involved in the study and split into three groups: control group, creatine supplementation, and training group, and placebo and training group.
For eight weeks, the subjects underwent three days a week of training. Along with myostatin levels and GASP-1, blood, muscle strength, and body composition were also measured during weeks 0, 4, and 8. Results showed that the creatine supplementation and training group had decreased myostatin levels and increased GASP-1.
