Dr. Darren Candow

We don't know any of the effects of creatine on cross-education, where if someone has an immobilized limb and they train the opposite limb, we don't think there's any effect.

It's a great study to do, and that could have huge applications for professional athletes or individuals that are waiting for ACL surgery.

Instead of sitting around all day, go to the gym and train the healthy limb, and maybe creatine could potentially increase more drive there.

It's a study I've always wanted to do.

We just haven't done it yet.

Yeah.

Yeah, there's actually a small body of research in healthy individuals, young and old, that say creatine without exercise actually improves muscle performance.

So those that I think of disuse, bedrest, immobilization, sedentary individuals, maybe they have functional mobility issues or people that don't know or have access to weight training.

Creatine by itself has been shown to improve muscle performance, improve strength, endurance, their ability to perform repetitions to fatigue, primarily in older adults, but there's been studies in younger individuals.

And that's sort of where creatine research blossomed.

All the initial studies were very acute, seven days, the loading phase, and then we saw improvements over time.

on muscle performance, and that's sort of paved the way to lifelong interventions, which include exercise is the main thing, for sure.

Two meta-analyses have been performed, both in Canada.

We were fortunate to do one with Stu Phillips.

I know he's been a guest, I think, for you.

And we've done two meta-analyses.

And then when you look at creatine in older adults with resistance training, though, it did improve tasks of functionality, sit to stand.

So getting out of the bed, off the toilet, getting out of a chair.

Again, that was with exercise.

Without exercise, nothing has been there.