This is the sports nutrition society's update of the creatine evidence across exercise, sport and medicine. It reports that creatine raises muscle creatine stores and improves high intensity exercise and training adaptations, and that it has been studied in conditions ranging from muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's to diabetes, osteoarthritis and aging. It also reports that intakes of up to 30 g per day for as long as 5 years have been well tolerated in healthy people and in patient groups.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition published a position stand on creatine in 2007. This document was written to update that earlier position and to state the Society's official view on what the evidence supports.
This is a position stand, not a trial or a meta analysis. It is a narrative review: the authors read the literature, summarized it, and set out conclusions on behalf of an organization. The lead author prepared the manuscript, nine co authors reviewed and approved it, and it was then approved by the Society's Research Committee and Editors in Chief.
The review draws on several hundred references. Unlike a systematic review, the paper does not publish a search strategy, database list, inclusion and exclusion criteria, or a quality rating for the studies it cites. Readers cannot check how the evidence was selected.
On metabolism, the paper reports that muscle holds about 120 mmol/kg of dry muscle mass of total creatine in a 70 kg person, with an upper limit near 160 mmol/kg. A normal diet supplying 1 to 2 g per day leaves muscle stores about 60 to 80 percent saturated.
On protocols, the paper states that the most effective way to raise muscle stores is 5 g of creatine monohydrate, or about 0.3 g/kg bodyweight, four times daily for 5 to 7 days, which raises muscle creatine and phosphocreatine by 20 to 40 percent. Maintenance is put at 3 to 5 g per day, with 5 to 10 g per day for larger athletes.
On performance, the paper states that high intensity or repetitive exercise generally improves by 10 to 20 percent after loading, depending on the rise in muscle phosphocreatine. It notes that most studies were done on men and that some studies suggest women may not gain as much strength or muscle mass. On safety, it concludes that short and long term supplementation up to 30 g per day for five years is safe and well tolerated in healthy people and in patients from infants to the elderly.
The competing interests section is long and should be read in full. The lead author co founded the Society, has received industry grants to research creatine, serves as a scientific and legal consultant, and is a scientific advisor for a supplement company. A second author co founded the Society and works for a contract research organization that has received grants from creatine sellers, and sits on an advisory board to a company selling creatine. Another is chief executive and co founder of the Society. Others declare industry grants, paid consultancy, royalties from sports nutrition product sales, expert witness work, and patent applications in dietary supplements.
Funding for preparing the manuscript came from the Council for Responsible Nutrition, and the lead author states he prepared the update at that body's request. This is an industry funded document written by authors with extensive industry ties, and its safety and policy conclusions should be read with that in view. The absence of a stated search method is a further weakness: a narrative review can select the evidence that supports its position.
Treat this as an organizational position rather than as independent evidence.
It does not carry the weight of a systematic review or meta analysis, because it does not describe how studies were found or judged. Its conclusions about safety in children and adolescents, and its policy claim that restricting creatine may expose sport organizations to legal liability, go further than a summary of trial data and reflect the position of the organization that published it. Anyone using this document should check the underlying studies for the specific claim that matters to them.
That depends on the specific medication and formula. A few, like blood thinners with CurQLife or blood pressure medication with MaxiNOs, are worth a direct conversation with your doctor first. Check each formula's own FAQ section for specifics, or ask your health coach.
No, and we'd rather be upfront about it. Bacopa, the plant in BacoZest, has published human studies, though they used other bacopa extracts. OptiNOs and MaxiNOs each have human studies sponsored by their maker, Laila Nutraceuticals, which haven't been published in a journal. CurQLife's research is still early, from lab and animal studies, and we label it that way.
It depends on what you're building your routine around. BacoZest is built around bacopa, which is studied for memory.* OptiNOs supports strength and muscular endurance alongside resistance training.* MaxiNOs was studied for healthy blood vessel function.* CurQLife's research is still at the lab stage. Your health coach can help you pick a starting point.
All four are built around plant extracts. OptiNOs was reported as well tolerated in its human study, and published bacopa studies reported no serious side effects. CurQLife's safety data so far comes from lab and animal testing. Check with your doctor first if you're pregnant, nursing, on medication, or managing a health condition.
Because the patented ingredients behind our four formulas went through dedicated research, and research costs real money. A generic curcumin or bacopa supplement hasn't been tested in the form you get from us. You're paying for an ingredient with research behind it, not just a label.
Generic ingredients often haven't been studied in the specific form you're buying. Our four core formulas use patented ingredients, and we show you the research behind each one, including where it's still early.
It depends on the formula. In its study, MaxiNOs blood vessel response was higher than placebo 2 to 3 hours after the first dose.* OptiNOs and bacopa were studied over 6 and 12 weeks of daily use, so give them time. CurQLife is meant to be taken daily.
Yes. BacoZest, OptiNOs, MaxiNOs, and CurQLife are built for different goals, and none of them contain stimulants. They haven't been studied together, so ask your health coach how to fit them into your routine.
