What is creatine?
Creatine is one of the most popular sports supplements on the market and is used by bodybuilders, athletes, sportsmen and women alike. Creatine is a compound made naturally in our bodies as an energy replenisher. It is manufactured in the liver, kidneys and pancreas and secreted into blood for transport to muscle (amongst other) tissues. Its chemical name is methylguanido-acetic acid, formed from the amino acids arginine, methionine and glycine. Does creatine work? Well no supplement 'works' per se; supplements merely 'supplement'; but, yes, creatine, when consumed in correct doses, will help the individual receive the desired effects. Creatine is probably the most scientifically researched sports supplement ever, providing strong evidence that it helps improve performance. However, a few individuals do report that they have not noticed any notable improvements from using creatine. What does creatine do? Creatine has a number of major functions as a sports supplement. All of these functions revolve around its function as an energy replenisher through it forming the creatine phosphate molecule. What is creatine loading? Creatine loading is where the subject takes a high dose of creatine for the initial few days which is then followed by a maintenance lower dose for a few weeks. Some studies have shown that this achieves a higher concentration of muscle CP then by simply taking a maintenance dose alone (Greenhaff, et al 1993). There are a number of loading regimens, but the following one seems to be optimal and most cost effective: Loading phase: 10g per day, as 2 x 5g servings for 5 days 5g per day, for 5 days 3g per day, for 7 days. Maintenance phase: 2g per day, for 5 weeks. Is creatine loading really necessary? This is very controversial as there are researchers like Greenhaff, et al (1993), who show that it is beneficial to load, and others who show no benefit. The ones who show no benefit recommend 5g per day only for 6-7 weeks and claim that supplement companies advocate loading merely as a way of trying to sell more creatine. If you compare this to companies who advocate a 10g, 15g or eve 20g loading phase and maintenance of 5g per day, then the non-loading advocators are correct. However if you compare 5g per day to the example above you will use a lot more creatine over the few weeks by not loading; (Over a 52 day period using 5g per day throughout uses 260g in total; compared with just 166g in the above regimen). Do I need to cycle creatine? After the maintenance phase you may desire a period of rest from using creatine, or you may go straight back on the loading phase. If you want to have some time off, have at least 2 weeks. There is no evidence that cycling creatine is any better than using is constantly. Anecdotally, there are mixed reports about cycling. When during the day should I take creatine? Creatine can be consumed any time of the day, as it is stored. Many experts advocate taking it immediately post workout, which is not only unnecessary, but also impractical, considering other nutrients which are consumed at this time. Furthermore, after a gruelling workout, you may feel a little sick and gulping down a creatine drink would not be desirable. What do I mix creatine with? Creatine is even more effective when taken with simple carbohydrates. This is due to the effect carbohydrates have on insulin release, and the insulin in turn helps muscle cell uptake of creatine. It has been suggested that a formula of roughly 35g of dextrose plus 5g of creatine monohydrate is the optimum for an effect, though this amount may be a little excessive. Studies on a range of athletes from different sports have shown creatine plus carbohydrates to produce better performance than creatine alone A creatine serving is often preferred in a hot drink (for example tea / coffee) so it dissolves more easily, with a teaspoon of sugar and consume some fruit or fruit juice at the same time. Another idea is to drink your creatine in a hot full sugar cordial drink, like blackcurrant. However do not mix creatine into boiling fluids as creatine is destroyed at very high temperatures, let your drink cool to drinkable temperature before adding the powder. What are the side effects of creatine? Creatine monohydrate has been shown in numerous studies to be, safe, even in large quantities (Robinson, et al 2000), nevertheless there are some side effects of creatine which you need to be aware of before commencing its use. Due to its effect on fluid balance after consuming creatine it can cause mild irritation to the stomach and nausea for a short while. This is particularly apparent during the loading phase. Whilst this is a little unpleasant, it is harmless and minimised if you consume plenty of fluid. For this reason I also wouldn't recommend you use creatine at times when you are prone to feeling a little sick, e.g. immediately after training or first thing when you wake up. Quite intense muscle cramps have been reported in many athletes who supplement with creatine, which could lead to injuries, and impair performance. Muscle cramps tend to be more prevalent in more energetic sports like athletics and football, rather than bodybuilding. Some users have reported headaches, but again, drinking plenty will help prevent this side effect.
creatine affect the kidneys? In the clinical setting, creatinine levels are measured to assess kidney function. Creatine supplementation raises creatinine levels, although it is completely non-toxic to the kidneys (Robinson, et al 2000). If you are supplementing with creatine and your doctor is running some blood tests, it is imperative that you inform him that you are using creatine otherwise this could give misleading information. Pre Workout Various studies have been made to analyze the effectiveness and benefits of using pre and post workout supplements. According to some studies they are useful while some suggest that they are harmful to health, however in most of the cases advantages overweigh disadvantages. Why Supplements Are So Popular? Dietary supplements have become so popular among athletes, bodybuilders, weight lifters and all those who are involved in any sort of athletic activity because all of them want to excel in their respective field and to increase their muscle building properties. The use of protein supplements is popular among bodybuilders, athletes and weight lifters because they desire to increase muscles in size and to reduce the muscle break down. Whey protein is one of the essential nutrients in most of the supplements because it is well known to promote the muscle building process. Casein protein is popular to maintain the level of amino acids in the blood stream, caffeine and beta – alanine is also important ingredients of the supplements to improve muscle growth.
