The Science-Backed Benefits of Creatine: Why Contact Athletes Shouldn’t Skip It
Creatine is one of the most well-researched and widely used supplements in the world of sports performance and for good reason. Known primarily for its role in increasing strength and muscle mass, creatine offers a broad range of benefits that extend far beyond the weight room. For contact athletes especially, creatine supplementation may be even more important due to its effects on recovery, cognitive function, and neuroprotection.
In this article, we’ll break down the key benefits of creatine, highlight why contact athletes in particular should be supplementing with it, and explore its emerging role in supporting brain health, including recovery from concussions.
Commonly Known Benefits: Strength, Power & Muscle Growth
Creatine works by increasing the body’s stores of phosphocreatine, which helps produce ATP, the primary energy currency of the cell. More ATP means more fuel for high-intensity, explosive efforts like sprinting, jumping, and lifting.
Proven benefits include:
Increased strength and power output
Studies consistently show creatine supplementation improves performance in short-duration, high-intensity exercise by 10–20% (Kreider et al., 2017).Enhanced muscle mass and hypertrophy
When combined with resistance training, creatine enhances muscle size due to increased water content and improved training output (Rawson & Volek, 2003).Improved training volume and recovery
Creatine allows for higher-quality training sessions and may help reduce post-exercise inflammation and muscle damage (Cooke et al., 2009).
Creatine and Cognitive Function: Fueling the Brain
The brain, like muscles, uses ATP to function and creatine can help here too.
Mental fatigue resistance
Research shows that creatine improves cognitive performance during sleep deprivation, stressful situations, and mentally demanding tasks (Avgerinos et al., 2018).Working memory and reaction time
Supplementation has been shown to enhance short-term memory and speed of information processing, particularly in vegetarians and during cognitively taxing tasks (Rae et al., 2003; McMorris et al., 2007).
These benefits are particularly valuable for athletes who need to make split-second decisions under pressure.
Neuroprotection & Concussion Recovery
One of the most promising and lesser-known benefits of creatine is its neuroprotective potential, especially relevant for contact athletes who are at increased risk of concussions and repeated head trauma.
Brain energy metabolism and injury resilience
After a concussion, the brain suffers an energy crisis where ATP production is impaired. Creatine may help stabilize cellular energy metabolism and reduce oxidative stress (Sullivan et al., 2000).Reduced neuronal damage
Animal studies have found that creatine supplementation before or after brain injury can reduce damage and improve recovery outcomes (Sullivan et al., 2000; Andres et al., 2008).Increased brain creatine content
Human studies show that oral creatine supplementation raises brain creatine levels, which may help buffer against cognitive decline and facilitate healing after trauma (Dechent et al., 1999; Turner et al., 2015).
Given the physical and cognitive demands placed on contact athletes, creatine serves as a simple, effective tool to potentially reduce long-term risk and aid in neurological recovery.
Why Contact Athletes Should Prioritize Creatine
For contact athletes, football, rugby, hockey, lacrosse, the combination of explosive strength, repeated collisions, and mental pressure demands more than just talent and grit. These athletes are uniquely positioned to benefit from creatine due to its:
Support for explosive power in tackling and sprinting
Neuroprotective properties that may reduce the severity or impact of head injuries
Enhanced cognitive function for decision-making, focus, and memory
Muscle and strength gains that improve resilience and reduce injury risk
Dosing & Safety
Creatine monohydrate is the gold standard form. A typical approach includes:
Loading phase (optional): 20g/day split into 4 doses for 5-7 days
Maintenance phase: .3g per kg of bodyweight/day ongoing
Creatine is safe and well-tolerated, with decades of research supporting its long-term use in both athletes and non-athletes (Kreider et al., 2017).
Final Thoughts
Creatine is far more than a “muscle-building” supplement. For athletes involved in high-impact sports, its value as a brain-supportive, performance-enhancing, and recovery-promoting tool cannot be overstated. Whether you’re chasing peak performance or simply trying to stay sharp and healthy over the long haul, creatine should be a staple in your daily regimen.
References
Avgerinos, K. I., Spyrou, N., Bougioukas, K. I., & Kapogiannis, D. (2018). Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Experimental Gerontology, 108, 166–173.
Cooke, W. H., Grandjean, P. W., & Barnes, W. S. (2009). Effect of oral creatine supplementation on power output and fatigue during bicycle ergometry. Journal of Applied Physiology, 82(1), 234–238.
Dechent, P., Pouwels, P. J., Wilken, B., Hanefeld, F., & Frahm, J. (1999). Increase of total creatine in human brain after oral supplementation of creatine-monohydrate. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 277(3), R698–R704.
Kreider, R. B., Kalman, D. S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Wildman, R., Collins, R., & Lopez, H. L. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1), 18.
McMorris, T., Mielcarz, G., Harris, R. C., Swain, J. P., & Howard, A. (2007). Creatine supplementation and cognitive performance in elderly individuals. Neuropsychology, Development, and Cognition. Section B, Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 14(5), 517–528.
Rae, C., Digney, A. L., McEwan, S. R., & Bates, T. C. (2003). Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain performance: a double–blind, placebo–controlled, cross–over trial. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 270(1529), 2147–2150.
Rawson, E. S., & Volek, J. S. (2003). Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 17(4), 822–831.
Sullivan, P. G., Geiger, J. D., Mattson, M. P., & Scheff, S. W. (2000). Dietary supplement creatine protects against traumatic brain injury. Annals of Neurology, 48(5), 723–729.
Turner, C. E., Byblow, W. D., & Gant, N. (2015). Creatine supplementation enhances corticomotor excitability and cognitive performance during oxygen deprivation. Journal of Neuroscience, 35(4), 1773–1780.
