Creatine after 40: what the research says, and an easier way to take it

Ask most people to picture creatine and they'll imagine a tub of powder in a bodybuilder's gym bag. It's an image that has kept a lot of sensible people away from one of the most researched supplements there is.

That picture is out of date. Creatine is a nutrient your own body makes every day, and it is one of very few supplements with health claims approved in the UK, including one written specifically for adults over 55 who do strength training.

From our thirties and forties, we gradually lose muscle and strength, a little more with each decade. It happens to everyone, and it's one reason everyday things like climbing the stairs, carrying the shopping or getting up from a low chair can start to feel harder.

The good news is that muscles respond to training at any age. The NHS recommends that adults do activities that strengthen the muscles on at least two days a week, and that advice holds at 70 just as it does at 30. Lifting weights, working with resistance bands, body-weight exercises such as squats, and even heavy gardening all count.

Creatine is a natural compound made from amino acids. Your body produces some every day, mostly in the liver and kidneys, and you take in more from food, mainly red meat and fish. Around 95% of it is stored in your muscles.

Because it comes mainly from meat and fish, people who eat little of either usually get less creatine from their diet.

Creatine monohydrate, the form used in the research and the form in Gummah, is a plain white powder. It is one of the most studied sports supplements in the world, with decades of research behind it.

In the UK, health claims on food and supplements are tightly controlled: a brand may only say what has been reviewed and approved. Creatine has two approved claims, and both are worth knowing.

In plain terms: whatever your age, 3g of creatine a day helps you perform better in repeated short bursts of intense exercise, such as sets of lifting. And once you're over 55, if you already do some form of strength training, it can enhance the effect that training has on your strength. It isn't a replacement for the exercise; it works alongside it.

The trouble with creatine has never been the evidence. It's the routine. Powder has to be measured out, stirred into a drink and swallowed before it settles, and it can taste chalky and gritty. Capsules usually mean several large tablets a day.

And creatine is a daily habit. It builds up in your muscles gradually, so taking it every day matters far more than the time of day you take it. Miss a few days here and there, and it's easy to drift off altogether.

Gummah puts 1,000mg of creatine monohydrate into each fruit gummy. Three a day gives you the full 3g, with no powder to measure, no shaker to wash and nothing large to swallow.

They're made with natural fruit flavouring and come in two flavours, Mango Rush and Fresh Apple. Each pouch holds 90 gummies: a full month at three a day.

Many gummies are set with gelatin, which is usually made from pork or beef. Gummah uses fruit pectin instead, so it is 100% plant-based, suitable for vegans and fully Halal.

The Halal standard goes further than the ingredient list. It covers the production line, the cleaning, the storage and the packaging too: the whole supply chain, start to finish.

There are no artificial colours or flavours (the colour comes from paprika and carrot), and every batch is tested by an independent lab to confirm the dose on the label.

Creatine has been studied for decades, and 3g a day is a modest, standard amount. As with any supplement, speak to your GP or pharmacist before you start if you have a kidney condition, take regular medication, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Gummah contains no declared allergens. It is made without gelatin, dairy, gluten, nuts or soy, and the full ingredient list is printed on every pouch.