Creatine craze explodes across social media

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

The creatine craze is trending on social media, with individuals like Catarina Caruso incorporating it into their daily routines.

"I will say TikTok definitely been a huge help in, like, the way that I found vitamins and supplements that work for me," Caruso said.

Influencers are promoting creatine for its potential benefits in muscle growth and brain health.

"Physically, it has enhanced my muscle growth. It's also helped a lot with like just mental clarity, dealing with anxiety," Caruso said.

To explore whether creatine lives up to its glowing reviews, registered dietitian Erika Graziani from Lee Health explained, "It's something that basically helps to make your muscles, you know, work contract makes them work better. It gives us energy."

New studies suggest creatine can benefit premenopausal women and those going through menopause, and it may also offer neuroprotective benefits, such as preventing conditions like Parkinson's.

"Protecting from things like dementia, memory issues," Graziani said.

Despite its benefits, Graziani warned, "It is still a supplement, and there's no 100% guarantee that it's free from a contaminant or something that shouldn't be in there."

She emphasized the importance of staying hydrated, saying, "That's going to help make it work a little bit better. And, you know, you don't run the risk of maybe getting dehydrated or having more probable GI side effects as a result of it."

Graziani also highlighted that creatine is not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle, stating, "It's not going to replace or magically make something better."

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