Top 8 in Top 10 misunderstandings about nutrition.
Increased Testosterone:
Creatine helps build muscle by helping your cells easily regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a source of energy for the body. To this day, there is no conclusive evidence that creatine can increase testosterone levels.
Three randomized controlled trials (RCTs), involving a total of 60 men, saw small increases in testosterone or dihydrotestosterone (DHT) with creatine supplementation. However, ten other RCT trials, with a total of 218 participants, reported no effect of a 3 - 25 g dose of creatine on testosterone levels.
Those who want to optimize their testosterone levels should focus on more proven ways, such as sleep, exercise, calories, vitamin D, magnesium and zinc. Suboptimal intake of any of these can lower testosterone production.
Hair loss:
The thought that creatine may increase hair loss stems from a single RCT test where participants (20 healthy young male rugby players) saw a small but statistically significant increase in DHT after when taking creatine for 21 days. When DHT, a potent metabolite of testosterone, binds to the DHT receptors in hair follicles of the scalp, those follicles can shrink and stop hair production.
So far, this RCT is the only test that has tested the effects of creatine on DHT. However, some RCT tests have examined the effects of creatine on testosterone. Of the twelve subsequent RCTs, two trials showed significant increases in testosterone. But the remaining ten trials found no effect. Of those twelve RCTs, five also tested the effects of creatine on free testosterone, the form converted to DHT, and all showed no significant increase.
Creatine may not significantly increase free testosterone but significantly increase DHT (that is, a small increase in free testosterone, which can be converted to DHT, can lead to a much larger increase in total DHT). . So, theoretically, creatine may have some effect on hair loss, but current evidence and motorized data suggest it is highly unlikely.
Kidney damage:
Blood creatinine levels (a byproduct of energy production) are used as an indicator of kidney function, but high levels from creatine supplementation are not a sign that your kidneys are working poorly.
No adverse effects on renal function were found in the following cases:
• People with healthy kidneys use up to 10 grams of creatine per day. Short and long term trials have numerous and consistent results.
• People with healthy kidneys take more than 10 grams of creatine per day. However, long-term trials are few, so caution is needed.
• People with suboptimal renal function take up to 5 grams of creatine per day. However, trials in this population are scarce, so caution is needed.
If you plan to check your creatinine level, stop taking creatine at least 3 weeks before your blood test to avoid false positives.
Fact: Of all the supplements on the market, creatine is one of the most widely researched. Most of the evidence suggests that this supplement is safe for long-term use and is often not likely to harm your kidneys, cause hair loss or increase your testosterone.