Creatine Shows Promise for Treating Long Covid Symptoms, But Not Fatigue: Study
Creatine, a popular supplement among fitness enthusiasts, may hold promise for treating certain symptoms of long Covid, according to a recent study. Long Covid is a condition where individuals continue to experience Covid-19 symptoms long after recovering from the initial infection. Fatigue is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms associated with long Covid.
Researchers from Serbia conducted a randomized controlled trial involving 12 participants who had recently been diagnosed with long Covid. The study aimed to determine whether daily creatine supplementation could alleviate fatigue and improve other symptoms of long Covid. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a creatine supplement or a placebo, without knowing which group they were in. The trial lasted over six months to allow enough time for the creatine to take effect.
The researchers measured various outcomes, including self-reported fatigue levels, improvement in other long Covid symptoms, duration of physical activity without exhaustion (an objective measure of fatigue), and levels of creatine in muscle and brain tissues. The study found that while the creatine group had higher concentrations of creatine in their muscles and brain compared to the placebo group, there was no significant difference in fatigue levels between the two groups.
However, the researchers did observe that creatine may have some benefit in improving other long Covid symptoms, such as loss of smell and taste, breathing difficulties, lung pain, body aches, headaches, and trouble concentrating. All participants reported improvements in their long Covid symptoms by the end of the study, with greater improvements seen in the creatine group. It is important to note that the study did not provide information on the severity of the symptoms or the scale used to measure improvement.
Several potential mechanisms have been suggested to explain the effects of creatine on long Covid symptoms. One possibility is that creatine aids in energy production and release by recycling adenosine triphosphate in the brain and muscles. Another mechanism could involve the protection of nerve cells and reduction of nerve cell death, which may help alleviate brain-related symptoms. Additionally, creatine is known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which could prevent tissue damage and preserve the function of brain and muscle cells.
While the findings are encouraging, more research is needed to substantiate the use of creatine for treating long Covid symptoms. This study involved a small number of participants, and thus, further investigation is required to determine how different factors such as sex, age, diet, and exercise habits affect an individual’s response to creatine. Additionally, future studies should aim to replicate these results in larger and more diverse groups to establish the efficacy of creatine supplementation for long Covid.
Creatine is generally considered safe with minimal side effects and is relatively inexpensive and easy to consume. As there are currently limited treatment options available for long Covid, further exploration of creatine as a potential therapy is warranted. Researchers may particularly want to focus on individuals with low creatine levels, as previous evidence suggests that people with long Covid tend to have lower creatine levels and may benefit the most from supplementation.
In conclusion, while creatine did not appear to have an effect on physical fatigue in long Covid patients, it showed promise in improving other symptoms. However, more extensive research is necessary to fully understand the potential benefits of creatine supplementation for long Covid and its underlying mechanisms of action.
