Could creatine become a surprising new tool in the fight against cancer?

• A new study suggests that creatine could support a part of the immune system that directs T cells that fight cancer.
• Reducing cells’ ability to take up creatine also appeared to impair dendritic cells’ ability to respond to threats.
• The researchers say their findings suggest that creatine could one day play a role in improving cancer treatment and vaccine development.

Creatine is typically associated with bodybuilding as a supplement to help people build muscle, improve performance, and aid recovery after exercise. The list of its potential benefits might not end there, however. A new study, published in iScience, suggests it could one day play a role in cancer treatment.

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have found that creatine may support the immune system by affecting specialized immune cells called dendritic cells.

Dendritic cells not only help detect tumor cells but also activate the body’s killer T cells, the immune cells responsible for fighting cancer cells.

Previous research from the UCLA team had identified that creatine could boost the activity of these killer T cells. Their new study suggests that creatine could go a step further by boosting the cells coordinating this immune response.

“What this study shows is that creatine doesn’t just help the T cells fighting cancer — it also energizes the entire infrastructure that supports and guides them,” explained Lili Yang, senior author of the study and a professor of microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics at UCLA, in a press release.

“That makes creatine a promising supplement to holistically support the immune response that modern immunotherapies depend on.”