Testosterone Boosters With Creatine
Why use creatine?
Creatine is often supplemented by itself by bodybuilders looking to increase strength and size.
As a cheap, plentiful and proven supplement it generally comes in powder format which is odorless and tasteless.
It can also be included as part of other supplements such as ‘all-in-one’ protein products that tend to offer protein with other ingredients such as glutamine, creatine, taurine, B vitamins etc.
LAST UPDATED: March 2019.
Author: Ben
This article is supported by relevant studies from reputable sources.
Creatine and Testosterone
Creatine is actually found in meat and fish, it is naturally occurring by the body and is produced in the liver, kidneys and pancreas.
When it is converted to creatine phosphate it is then stored in the muscles ready to be used as energy.
Therefore it is used by many competitive and amateur athletes because it is able to help improve physical performance, especially high intensity exercise such as weight lifting.
Studies on creatine have shown to increase lean muscle mass and improve strength, it is thought that the body is able to utilize energy more effectively and increase muscle production. [1]
As a result, creatine is a bit of a controversial supplement.
Interestingly it is not a banned substance by the International Olympic Committee.
However, schools within the National Collegiate Athletic Association are not allowed to provide this to their athletes, yet the athletes themselves are not prohibited from using it.
Make of that what you will…
Further benefits
Actually, there are some potential benefits that may surprise you to supplementing with creatine…
It seems to help with a number of physiological issues such as:
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Parkinsons
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Does it increase or mimic testosterone?
Many testosterone booster supplements on the market do just this.
They load the supplement with ingredients that can mimic the effects associated with a higher level of natural testosterone but do not actually help to stimulate more testosterone production at all.
However, creatine is proven to increase natural test levels…
A study involving twenty college aged male rugby players in South Africa noted an increase in testosterone production after just several days when they supplemented with 25g of creatine daily followed up by a dose of 5g for a further 14 days. [2]
This was due to a 56% increase of Dihydrotestosterone levels.
Why does this matter?
Well, Dihydrotestosterone is an androgen hormone that has the responsibility of producing male characteristics such as muscle growth, fat levels, deep voice and hair which is a result of testosterone.
10% of the testosterone produced by daily is actually converted to Dihydrotestosterone and is more potent that testosterone itself.
Which means that an increase of Dihydrotestosterone is down to an increase of testosterone. [3]
Further more, a study involving twenty men showed that those who were supplemented with creatine demonstrated a higher level of testosterone and a lower level of cortisol concentrations when compared to those who were using a placebo and also against baseline levels.
This was based on five days of supplementation incorporated with resistance exercise. [4]
Supplementing creatine with a T booster
If your test booster does not include creatine you can increase the effects by taking it alongside or mixing it with a natural test booster for maximum testosterone secretion.
Creatine Safety
Many people may claim that creatine is unsafe, they may warn you about any potential dangers of the supplement, but all of this is without scientific evidence.
There’s anecdotal suggestion that users of creatine in high doses can cause stomach cramps and diarrhoea.
People may also harbor concerns over potential kidney issues over long periods of creatine use, however, again, the studies do not point to any ill health if you are already a normal healthy adult. [5]
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Conclusion
The studies do demonstrate that large doses of creatine can increase testosterone levels.
That is increase testosterone, not mimic the effects of testosterone.
Furthermore, creatine has other health benefits. And, this appears to be without any negative side effects other than potential stomach ache.
Thus, if you are wishing to increase testosterone and increase your physical performance, creatine is a cheap, effective and so far, safe supplement to use.
References
[2] Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. van der Merwe J, Brooks NE, Myburgh KH. Clin J Sport Med. 2009 Sep;19(5):399-404. doi: 10.1097/JSM.0b013e3181b8b52f. PMID: 19741313
[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0765159715000039#!
[5] Studies on the safety of creatine supplementation. Kim HJ, Kim CK, Carpentier A, Poortmans JR. Amino Acids. 2011 May;40(5):1409-18. doi: 10.1007/s00726-011-0878-2. Epub 2011 Mar 12. Review. PMID: 21399917
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