Does Creatine Make You Taller? (Explained)

With the rise of workout culture more and more people have been taking different types of supplements and multivitamins, creatine is one of those supplements. The creatine supplement sure helps in growing muscles and gaining strength, but does creatine make you taller? Let's find out.

What is creatine?

Creatine is a natural substance found stored in muscles and is made in the liver, kidneys and pancreas.

This substance helps in maintaining muscle mass and can be ingested externally to supplement to fulfill your daily creatine needs if one faces deficiency or needs to put on some muscle mass and increase strength.

The source of natural creatine can be found in red meat and fish. However the most popular form of supplementing creatine is in powder form of creatine Monohydrate, ethyl ester, gluconate and nitrate.

The saying in the fitness/" title="fitness" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">fitness industry is that creatine is the best supplement out there for anyone to add to their diet. Creatine is the most researched and studied among all supplements and has no major side effects on the human body.

Does creatine affect growth?

The creatine compound is naturally occurring in the human body. It is made in pancreas, liver and kidneys and is stored in muscles to increase strength and stamina.

But most bodybuilders and strength athletes supplement it with ingesting externally in powdered form and this helps them put on muscle mass.

So in terms of growth in size and muscles creatine has a huge impact. Even in the post puberty phases around 35-40 years of age creatine has helped in growth of muscles. A younger body can benefit even more if creatine is added to diet early on. The accelerated growth can lead to a higher bone density and an accelerated puberty phase amongst youngsters.

How does creatine affect growth?

The creatine compound is stored in muscles for energy and strength. When the creatine is released in the bloodstream it quickly reacts with the muscle building components and help the water retention in them which results in better recovery and retention of muscle mass.

The testosterone hormone is also boosted indirectly by creatine which can help in synthesis of new muscle fibers when broken under heavy workout.

The excess of testosterone growth can sometimes lead to a byproduct of DHT in blood which may be responsible for hair loss but this cannot be credited as creatine's fault, it was the already free-roaming, unused testosterone which caused the problem to start with.

Some studies have also suggested that the creatine compound also helps in restoring and repairing nerve cells in our nervous system, which helps in a better connection of the brain with the body. A healthy nervous system is as crucial as a healthy circulatory system for growth.

Does creatine play a role in human growth?

The role creatine plays in human growth is as crucial as any other essential nutrient. The building blocks of growth and development of the human body are almost dependent on each other for their effective use. If we don't intake vitamin d then calcium absorption disrupts, vitamin c helps proper absorption of protein and lack of good gut bacteria will result in waste of any good dietary plan, similarly the growth and development of a healthy body is almost unimaginable without creatine.

The proper muscle mass maintenance not only depends on protein synthesis but also on a regular hydration and testosterone supply. Creatine helps replenish the hydration needs of cells and promotes testosterone production which makes creatine a primary supplement for muscular hypertrophy.

Speaking of growth you should not just grow physically but also mentally, old age does introduce small levels of memory loss and Alzheimer's disease in severe cases. One effective nutrient that helps prevent this is creatine.

4 ways creatine supports growth

• Cell Hydration: Our bodies are 65-70% water and what we feel and see as muscles are also mostly water, which means that our bodies are only as strong as well as we are hydrated. This hydration of muscles and cells doesn't just happen with drinking enough water the main ingredient that keeps them hydrated is creatine
• Boosts Testosterone: The introduction of creatine helps in testosterone production which inturn helps keep a good hormone levels and extends your youth phase.
• Nervous system repair: There are many studies proving that adding creatine helps in repair and recover the nervous system cells which are present all over our body with a high density in our brain and spinal cord.
• Improves recovery: The muscle damage and fatigue built up during an intense workout does become a problem when you workout regularly and intensely. This recovery deficit is repaired with adequate diet and intake of protein, healthy fats, enough carbs and all the essential vitamins and an addition of creatine will speed up this process unlike any other supplement in the market.

Best creatine for height growth.

The best source of creatine for height growth is available in red meats and fish. However the evidence for creatine resulting growth in height is non-existent.

[amazon bestseller=”creatine ” items=”5″]

The height of any individual grows till the end of their teen ages or a couple of years after that at best. Taking creatine-rich food in this stage can accelerate your height growth but will not surpass your genetic limitations.

Individuals below 18 also recommend that they should not supplement their creatine needs and should only rely on their food sources for creatine.

Ingredients and benefits

The creatine compound is easily found in food sources like red meat and fish. If you wish to supplement it then you have four options available creatine Monohydrate, ethyl ester, gluconate and nitrate.

All creatine supplements are available in powder form and each serves its distinct purpose. Creatine Monohydrate is the most studied form and is backed by many fitness experts to be the safest supplement to add in your diet.

Ethyl ester creatine is supposed to be an upgrade over the Monohydrate form because of its higher absorption rates but the results didn't reflect that. The ethyl ester creatine still needs more improvement in its recipe until that Monohydrate is the way to go.

The average endurance athlete is going to need more than just muscle mass, they need speed and high glucose level and for that creatine gluconate will be the best choice among other creatine supplements.

Creatine nitrate also shows a higher rate of absorption than creatine Monohydrate. The biggest advantage of taking creatine in nitrate compound is that it will elevate your cardio health and improve your cardiovascular system.

The creatine molecule is still studied and is being developed further to get to a perfect compound till then the best compound which is safe to take is creatine Monohydrate. It should be consumed by mixing in water and daily dose should not exceed 5-7gm.

Pros of Creatine

The creatine substance is made naturally in our bodies in the liver, pancreas and kidneys. To supplement it we can take it from red meats and fishes or even get them in supplemental powdered form.

The creatine molecule is outweighing every other supplement out there it's benefis are as follows

• Increased muscle mass: Creatine supplementation is a staple among bodybuilders and strength athletes. The creatine supplementation improves the water retention of cells which translates to better recovery and gains.
• Improves Nervous system:There are multiple studies showing how creatine affects the nervous system positively and helps grow the connection between neurons.
• Safest supplement: creatine is by far the most studied supplement even more than a protein supplement. The effects of creatine on the human body have been studied for decades and no major side effects or long term damages are recorded among creatine users, even with daily consumers. The average athlete who supplements creatine has shown much higher muscle mass, better recovery, strength and stamina and even prevents diseases like Alzheimer in old age.

Creatine's benefits have time and again shown that this molecule is not just a supplement, but an important building block of our lives.

Cons of creatine

The most researched supplement is not without its flaws. The cons of creatine intake are not as detrimental as taking Steroids or PEDs, they are somewhat containable and are as follows

• Bloating: The average dose of creatine on a daily basis should be 0.1 gm per kg of bodyweight. Which makes an average dosage of 5-8 gm for most individuals. If taken more than the standard amount this could lead to some serious bloating and indigestion.
• Dehydration: An adequate amount of water intake is a must if you are supplementing creatine. The cells hydrate well under creatine but if you didn't drink enough water to begin with this might lead to dehydration in the stomach. Always remember to drink plenty of water when supplementing creatine.
• Weight gain: If you didn't engage in enough workout activity then creatine might not just increase muscle mass, it will also increase your fat too. The reason you are supplementing creatine is because you don't get enough from your diet and if you are not engaging enough workout activity then supplementing creatine might be a better option for you.

Conclusion

The creatine supplement can help you improve your nervous system, gain muscle mass and strength but one thing it can't do is make you taller.

The evidence connecting creatine with height growth is not concrete. The age range for which height grows for men is around 21 years and for women is 19 years. In these ages supplementing creatine is not recommended because the young digestive system can't handle excess supplementation.

The factors like genetics, lifestyle and physical activity still remain prime deciders of how far a person will grow vertically. Having a balanced diet is more than enough to stimulate vertical growth.

Even if you did supplement creatine in growing years under proper supervision it might accelerate your height growth but will not exceed your genetics boundaries.

FAQ’s