Muscle‐Building Compound Benefits Blood Pressure

Creatine is a naturally‐occurring compound that supplies energy to cells throughout the body – primarily muscle. Eduardo Tibiri, from the School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences of the Estacio de Sa University (Brazil), and colleagues enrolled 40 healthy male, moderately physically active subjects, average age 27.7 years, to consume creatine as a dietary supplement (20 g/day of commercially available micronized creatine monohydrate), for one week. Researchers used imaging to assess microvascular reactivity, and conducted video microscopy to ascertain capillary density. Mean blood pressure decreased from 92.1 mm Hg, to 89.8. Significant decreases of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were also observed. The study authors submit that: “Oral supplementation with creatine in healthy, moderately physically active young adults improves systemic endothelial‐dependent microvascular reactivity and increases skin capillary density and recruitment.”