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Creatine

curlyk

curlyk

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Hi, I was looking for a little bit of advice. My PT has suggested taking creatine to improve my recovery from the gym. I work out 4 times each week strength training and once focused on cardio. I’ve been reading up on creatine and there is conflicting advice about taking it as a person with diabetes. Has anyone got any experience they would be willing to share? Thank you in advance!
 
Hi @curlyk, if creatine is taken in high doses, there's concerns it could be unsafe and damage the kidney, liver and heart. For this reason, it's generally not recommended if you have a history of kidney disease, or if you have a condition, like diabetes, where there's increased risk of kidney and heart problems.

Furthermore, there are very few studies looking at the safety & effectiveness of protein supplements such as creatine, so there is minimal good quality evidence on their effect on blood glucose.  A couple of small studies seem to show a decrease in blood glucose levels associated with creatine use. 

One appeared to show that taking creatine for 5 days reduces blood sugar after eating in people with newly diagnosed diabetes. However, the effects of taking creatine for longer than 5 days in people with diabetes are not known and more evidence is needed to assess the effectiveness of creatine for this use.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20003839/

Another small research study (25 participants) seemed to show improved HbA1c in people with Type 2 diabetes taking creatine supplements in conjunction with an exercise programme.

https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/...tine_in_Type_2_Diabetes__A_Randomized,.5.aspx

These apparent results need to be balanced against the increased risk of kidney damage and athletes who are looking to improve their performance. It's probably worth speaking with your healthcare team (and even a referral to a sport dietitian if possible) if you decide to take it.
 
Thank you for your reply - that’s really informative. I have a meeting with my DN tomorrow, so I will mention it. So far, I’ve said no every time the PT has mentioned it, as I’d read some negative studies but did find a couple of favourable ones. As I’m not an athlete by any stretch, I can’t imagine it will make much difference really!!
 
Let us know how you get on with the DN tomorrow and what they say about taking creatine. :care:
 
My DN was lovely! I feel so lucky to have her. We’ve talked it through and I decided that I don't need the creatine and it was just a bit of well meaning PT peer pressure. She said that if it’s something I really want to do, we’d need to bring in the doctor but I’m happy with my changes so far - I was only diagnosed in August and what I’m doing seems to be working so why mess with it!
 
Sounds like it was a really productive appointment - so good to hear! :starstruck:
 
Hi Curly, just seen your thread about creatine and thought I would share my experience.

I first started using creatine for muscle recovery after cycling about 18 months ago.

It very firmly stopped the traditional muscle soreness I have suffered with my T2.

The really positive surprise was that it also reduced my need to inject insulin significantly pretty much overnight.

I went from injecting 40 units of basal insulin twice a day to 10 units within a few days and over time I now no longer inject at all. Keep in mind I am quite fit and walk or cycle every day.

Are there downsides? Yes, I do feel a little nausea after drinking my creatine dose. You also need to tell your DN you are supplementing with creatine and they will switch to an alternate kidney function test that does not rely on the creatine by products to ensure your function is okay. My first blood test after I started did induce a mild panic in my DN till we discussed my supplements properly.

A lot of the negative feedback you see online etc is from a few years back when "bodybuilders" were taking huge doses without drinking plenty to help the kidneys clear the system.

I would now include a 5mg scoop of creatine daily even without the exercise as it seems to have a very positive effect on my glucose metabolism overall.

There is also a lot of research into creatine being very positive to reduce the effects of aging!
 
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