Dietary creatine supplementation has the potential to ease post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS) attributable to COVID-19, a recent study has found.

In a recent small-scale study published in Food Science and Nutrition, researchers from Germany observed that dietary creatine supplementation could offer relief from a number of the symptoms related to long COVID, comparable to sleep disorders, dizziness, chest pain, depression and anxiety, which could last weeks, months, and even years.

It was observed that individuals who took dietary creatine for 3 months experienced significant improvement of their PVFS symptoms. In line with the study, a rise in creatine within the brain led to improved brain performance, with the participants reporting a 77.8% drop in concentration problems during their three-month follow-up and no difficulties at their six-month follow-up.

On the six-month mark, the participants also showed improvements of their symptoms, comparable to reduced body pain, improved respiratory, improved sense of taste, reduced headaches, and enhancements in symptoms of brain fog, which caused problems concentrating, in comparison to the group that received the placebo.

As a part of the study, researchers analyzed the consequences of creatine on 12 individuals aged 18 to 65, who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the previous three months.

Each participant within the study had a minimum of one persistent, lingering post-COVID symptom, comparable to respiratory difficulties, lack of smell or taste, pain and discomfort of their lungs, head or body aches, and difficulties with concentrating.

Half of the participants got a each day dose of 4 grams of dietary creatine (in the shape of Creavitalis), while the remaining six received an equivalent amount of a placebo often known as inulin.

Creatine is an amino acid situated mostly within the body’s muscles in addition to the brain. Most individuals get creatine from sources like seafood and beef. It’s also widely used as a dietary complement for its potential to boost athletic performance and muscle mass.

Nevertheless, the study’s corresponding creator, Dr. Sergej Ostojic, voiced concerns about its limited scale, saying it posed constraints on the researchers’ ability to discover potential gender-related variations in the information. He stated that more extensive studies could be needed to validate the research’s results and to delve deeper into the impact of creatine on long COVID patients.

“It could be great to perhaps analyze the consequences of creatine supplementation in numerous long COVID populations, particularly in elderly, more severe patients, those that didn’t get a COVID-19 vaccine, and patients where creatine is co-administered with other interventions, comparable to respiratory exercises, physiotherapy, or psychological support,” said Dr. Ostojic, in accordance with Medical News Today.

“Yet another aspect of our study that I would really like to comment on is said to the undeniable fact that long COVID patients reported no major unintended effects of creatine intake in our study, so we consider creatine secure when administered on this dosage for as much as six months,” he added.

Published by Medicaldaily.com