Both creatine and ashwagandha are safe supplements when taken in isolation, and there’s no current evidence to suggest that it’s harmful to take creatine and ashwagandha together.
In this article, we compare at the benefits of creatine and ashwagandha and see if there are any further benefits of mixing these 2 compounds.
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is a natural organic acid that’s made in the body to help provide energy to cells, particularly muscle cells.
It’s naturally found in red meat and fish, and some people take creatine supplements to improve their performance.
Benefits of Creatine
Creatine Improves Athletic Performance
There are lots of studies which demonstrate creatine’s ability to improve physical performance.
In one of these studies, 8 ice-hockey players supplemented with creatine and 8 ice-hockey players took a placebo.
The results showed that those who took creatine had significantly more power in their sprinting.
Creatine Improves Cognitive Function
One of the lesser-known benefits of creatine is its ability to improve mental function.
In a study of older people, creatine improved the subjects’ memory and recall ability.
Creatine Helps Prevent Fatigue
Another physical benefit of creatine is that it can help reduce muscular fatigue.
For example, in one study, 15 people took either a placebo or 20g of creatine per day for 5 days before performing a cycle test.
Interestingly, those who took creatine had delayed onset of fatigue during the test.
Creatine Helps Increase Muscle Mass
A review of creatine supplementation concluded that creatine increases muscle hypertrophy (i.e. muscle growth) in all healthy young populations.
Some of the studies even showed that creatine increases muscle growth in untrained populations, suggesting that creatine was the direct cause of increased muscle mass.
What Is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) is a herb native to India that’s been used for thousands of years.
And even today, ashwagandha is taken by many to promote feelings of vitality, calmness, and strength.
It shares the same family of plants as potatoes and tomatoes, known as the Nightshades.
Ashwagandha’s name refers to the phrase the smell of a horse in the ancient Sanskrit language, due to its roots smelling similar to horse sweat.
Benefits of Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha May Increase Muscle Size And Strength
Strength-boosting herbs often get a bad reputation, but research shows that ashwagandha may be effective at increasing muscle size and strength.
In one study, 57 people took either 600mg of ashwagandha or a placebo per day.
The results showed that the ashwagandha users had greater increases in muscle size, strength, fat loss, and testosterone levels.
Ashwagandha May Help Improve Anxiety
Did you know that over 40 million American adults are affected by anxiety?
If you’re unfortunate enough to be one of those 40 million, then perhaps you should give ashwagandha a try.
For example, a 2 month study had its subjects take either a 600mg of ashwagandha or a placebo each day.
Compared to the placebo takers, the ashwagandha group had a significant reduction in scores on the “stress test”.
Another study looked at ashwagandha’s effects on anxiety levels.
After 6 weeks, 88% of those who took ashwagandha had less anxiety.
Ashwagandha may help lower blood sugar levels
Like many other herbs, Ashwagandha has been shown to lower blood sugar levels.
A study of 12 people looked at Ashwagandha’s effects on blood sugar levels.
After using Ashwagandha for a month, the subjects had a decrease in blood sugar levels comparable to a blood sugar lowering drug.
Ashwagandha May Boost Testosterone
Many people have lower than ideal testosterone levels these days.
This can be blamed on many things, like increased sugar consumption and poor sleep quality.
But low testosterone levels are no laughing matter – research shows that declining T levels may be to blame for depression in aging men.
So, if you are concerned of declining testosterone levels, then perhaps you should try ashwagandha as many studies (including this one) have shown its effectiveness at boosting T levels.
Are There Any Benefits of Taking Creatine And Ashwagandha Together?
As there are currently no studies, it’s unclear whether taking creatine and ashwagandha together provides further benefits than taking them individually.
When Is The Best Time To Take Creatine And Ashwagandha Together?
Research shows that creatine is best taken after your workout for maximizing muscle and strength gains.
If you take creatine and ashwagandha supplements purely for muscle gain, then you should take them together after exercising for optimal results.
Closing Thoughts
In summary:
- There are no studies which suggest that it’s unsafe to take creatine and ashwagandha together.
- There’s limited evidence that mixing creatine and ashwagandha provides additional benefits than taking them in isolation.
That’s all for creatine and ashwagandha, but is creatine good for skinny guys? Or if you stop taking creatine for a week do you need to load again?
Hope this helped!
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8949037/#B14-nutrients-14-01255
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10573659/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18039377/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17828627/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26609282
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23439798
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11116534
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9919317
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19501822
I’ve been in the fitness and strength training industry for nearly a decade. In that time, I’ve gained 30 pounds of muscle, written hundreds of articles, and reviewed dozens of fitness supplements. As for my educational background, I’m a currently studying for my Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training.