STAY STRONG New Research Backs Creatine for Aging Adults
Creatine can improve performance. Research has found that taking creatine supplements in recommended amounts benefits older adults’
What aging athlete or weekend warrior doesn’t wish for a safe nutritional supplement to improve performance and strengthen muscles and bones? A growing body of research on a popular supplement, creatine monohydrate, supports its use to preserve muscle and extend older adults’ healthy years. Studies show that when coupled with exercise, creatine can benefit men and women alike. The supplement has long had detractors who fear it will cause them to retain water, lose their hair, or cause kidney damage, but research dispels those myths. Creatine is safe. A 2021 research review shows that a widespread fear that creatine is linked to kidney dysfunction appears to be unfounded when healthy people take the supplement in recommended dosages. The study also found no support for the idea that creatine causes hair loss, dehydration, muscle cramping, or increased fat mass.
musculoskeletal tone and physical performance, especially when combined with exercise. A 2019 study found that creatine can combat sarcopenia, or age-related decreases in muscle mass and strength, helping prevent falls and fractures. Use creatine as directed. Based on limited research, creatine does not appear to affect liver or kidney function negatively. However, sticking to recommended dosages is essential. Experts recommend small doses of 0.1 gram of creatine monohydrate per kilogram of body mass. This translates to 5.4 grams of creatine for a 120-pound person or 6.8 grams for one weighing 150 pounds. Taken together, the potential benefits of creatine suggest it is worth a try.
UNEARTHING HISTORY IN SCOTLAND
Ancient Settlement Opens a Window on the Distant Past
Modern-day adventurers exploring antiquity usually stop at Stonehenge or perhaps the Egyptian pyramids. But hundreds of years earlier, on the Orkney Islands off the western coast of Scotland, prehistoric people built an even more ancient marker of civilization.
The settlement of Skara Brae was occupied for about 600 years, beginning around 3180 B.C., hundreds of years before people built the first pyramids in Egypt or placed the earliest stones at Stonehenge in England. Covered with sand for many years and sunken deep into the earth for stability and shelter from Scotland’s harsh winters, the little village remains the best-preserved Neolithic site in Western Europe. What were the lives of these prehistoric people like? An estimated 50 inhabitants occupied a series of homes about 430 square feet in size. Stone doors covered low entrances, secured by bone bars. Several houses contained stone-built cupboards, dressers, seats, storage containers,
and a stone hearth for warmth and cooking. Two beds, a large and a small one, were situated near the door. The inhabitants made and used grooved ware pottery. Some of the dwellings had a small anteroom with access to what appears to be a primitive sewer system that flushed waste out to the sea. Skara Brae is sometimes called “the Pompeii of Scotland” because its well-preserved artifacts appear to have been abandoned in a rush. Experts disagree on why occupants abandoned the settlement, but visitors are welcome to develop their own theories. Skara Brae is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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