Creatine: a miserable life without it

Parent Summary: This editorial summarizes the science reported during the 2016 Creatine in Health, Sport and Medicine conference and explains how creatine affects many parts of the body beyond energy production, supporting brain development, muscle strength, liver health, and mood, and why a lack of it leads to serious and wide-ranging problems. A key finding is that while some brain cells can make creatine, others rely on a special transporter to bring it in from the blood. This helps explain why creatine transporter deficiency leads to such severe symptoms. The paper also shows that creatine can protect newborn brains during low oxygen at birth and may help reduce damage in stroke. It presents early evidence that creatine might slow tumor growth and improve symptoms in depression, especially in teenage girls. Researchers are now testing creatine-like molecules that might work even when the normal transporter does not. These discoveries open new paths toward possible treatments and better support for children with creatine deficiencies.

Link to article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00726-016-2297-x

PubMed:  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27422546/

Authors: Theo Wallimann, Roger Harris

Key Terms: Multiple CCDS, GAMT, AGAT, CTD