Creatine, a naturally occurring substance vital in the energy cycle within cells, could be used to help people recover from lengthy bouts of fatigue after viral infections, according to a new review paper. Creatine could be useful in helping people recover from severe viral infections, according to a recently published review paper. That adds to the many already proven benefits of the dietary ingredient.
The new paper was published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. It was the work of a group of researchers associated with universities in Canada.
The society has members who have been at the forefront of creatine research for decades. The society has published a position stand on creatine, which was last updated in 2017. That document lists the many benefits of the substance that are backed by significant research.
"Studies have consistently shown that creatine supplementation increases intramuscular creatine concentrations, can improve exercise performance, and/or improve training adaptations. Research has indicated that creatine supplementation may enhance post-exercise recovery, injury prevention, thermoregulation, rehabilitation and concussion and/or spinal cord neuroprotection," the position noted. The position paper also mentioned creatine's possible role in the amelioration of symptoms of some conditions such as neurodegenerative disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and others.
Creatine, a naturally occurring nonprotein amino acid compound found primarily in red meat and seafood, is a member the guanidine phosphagen family. Phosphagens are prevalent in all species and play an important role in maintaining energy availability, and it is at this level of the cellular energy cycle that the substance exerts its beneficial effects.
Authors suggest new benefit could be added to list
The new paper adds another probable benefit to the list of creatine's advantages — the ability to help people who are recovering from serious viral infections who are experiencing severe fatigue.
The authors noted this condition has been classified by the World Health Organization as "post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS), a neurological condition characterized by prolonged and debilitating fatigue that persists following a viral infection."
The authors noted that while the cause of PVFS is not well-described, "it likely involves a combination of immune dysregulation, persistent inflammation, and metabolic disturbances triggered by a viral infection."
It is within that bucket of "metabolic disturbances" that creatine is of interest. The authors included five recent studies on the effects of creatine on groups of subjects suffering PVFS, and found results that included increased muscle strength, reduced post-exercise fatigue and faster reaction times. Some of these studies were as short as six weeks while others extended to as much as six months. And not all the results were positive. Null outcomes were observed in several measures. The authors noted that some of that might be attributed to methodological problems such as small sample sizes and inconsistent dosing regimens.
Still, the authors concluded the overall signal the research conveys is in the positive direction, warranting further investigation that could lead to creatine becoming a common adjuvant therapy in cases of PVFS.
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