Creatine

Overview of Creatine

Creatine is one of the most popular nutritional supplements used by athletes today. You have probably heard good things and bad things about creatine and are now seeking to find out the truth about this relatively new dietary supplement.

Creatine is a naturally occurring molecule that comes from 3 different amino acids and is found in skeletal muscle. It is ingested through meat products in your diet, or by taking a creatine supplement. Creatine is synthesized by enzymes located in the kidneys, liver and pancreas and then delivered throughout the body by the bloodstream.

Creatine was a part of several sporting controversies during it initial stages as a sports supplement. Because little was known about the nutrient early on, the general public, as well as those in sports administrations, thought of creatine as a type of steroid or performance enhancing drug. This is not the case. Creatine is not a steroid and it is a completely legal all-natural nutrient.

Creatine is one of the most popular sports supplements on the market and has been around as a supplement since the early 1990's. It is made and sold by numerous companies and can be purchased over-the-counter at health food stores, local gyms and online.

History of Creatine

Creatine has been known as a component of muscle since the 1830's. Interestingly, it was in the study of the wild fox in the early 1840's, that it was determined that the levels of creatine in the body were determined by exercise. A scientist noted that the wild fox had much higher levels of creatine that other farm raised animals.

There were continued studies on creatine that showed not all of the creatine fed to lab animals was excreted in the urine. This meant that the skeletal muscle was holding onto the creatine. This lead to the understanding that muscle is also a major source of this nutrient; therefore, when you eat meat, such as a steak, you are ingesting creatine into your body. In the 1920's, more became known about creatine. It was discovered that creatine exists in two main forms, one called free creatine and the other phosphorylated creatine. Phosphorylated creatine makes up about 70 percent of the creatine in your body.

As studies continued and the knowledge of creatine and how it works became more apparent, creatine became more in demand for athletes. A study in the early 1990's by a Swiss doctor showed that taking in 20 grams of creatine per day for 4 to 5 days would result in an increase in the creatine content of your muscle by about 20 percent. This type of increase was plenty to induce more muscle energy during high intensity, explosive athletic events such as weightlifting and short sprints.

It was in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics where creatine first grabbed global attention, as many of the British sprinters who had been training with creatine came under scrutiny for their improved performances. Creatine weathered these early misconceptions and has hit the supplement market like a storm since the early 1990's. Since 1995, creatine sales have increased by over 700 percent.

There are still many studies that are seeking to learn more about creatine and how it affects the human body. The National Library of Medicine has a database of over 30,000 studies on creatine, with many more in the works for the future.

Benefits of Creatine

The major benefit of creatine that is touted by those who market the product is its ability to increase athletic performance. The 98-pound weakling can become the 200 pound strong man by taking creatine supplements daily and working out. This is a little overblown, of course, but creatine has shown the ability to increase the effects of exercise.

Creatine works by increasing the amount of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the fuel for muscle contractions. The ATP becomes ADP (adenosine diphosphate) and releases the needed energy for the muscle contractions and lasts about 10 seconds. This means the ATP burned up must be replaced, which is where creatine becomes important. The generation of ATP depends directly on the supply of creatine in the muscle.

By increasing the amount of ATP, and thus the energy of the muscles, creatine allows for you to increase the intensity and effectiveness of your workouts. This is where the gains in speed and strength and overall athletic performance are made.

As the body ages, it decreases the amount of creatine produced in the body and thus the amount of ATP. This part of the aging process causes muscle cells to slowly die off. A creatine supplement as you get older may help in slowing the progression of the aging process. This is one of the more recent findings concerning creatine, so much more information is necessary, though preliminary findings are causing scientists to remain optimistic.

Health Claims of Creatine

Even though creatine is an all-natural nutrient that is needed by the body, there can be side effects from taking a creatine supplement. By taking a supplement, you are adding to your body amounts of creatine for which it is not accustomed. This does not always result in side effects, but some of the people who began taking creatine as a supplement had some of the following side effects.

• Dehydration
• Diarrhea
• Muscle cramping
• Nausea
• Seizures
• Stomach cramps
• Water gain

None of these side effects are particularly dangerous except for the dehydration and seizures. The seizures are extremely rare and it is not definitive that creatine was the cause for those few who did suffer from seizures. Dehydration is much more common, but can be prevented simply by increasing your water intake.

Other than being used as a way to enhance athletic performance and add muscle mass, creatine is being studied as a nutrient that may help treat other health concerns. The following is a list of health issues for which creatine is being considered as a means to treat.

• Heart disease
• Heart failure
• Memory and cognitive function in vegetarians
• Muscular diseases
• Parkinson's disease
• Stroke

The most public of these studies are the clinical trials that are ongoing to determine if creatine can slow the progression of Parkinson's disease. Any sort of muscular and neuromuscular disease could eventually be treated to some degree by creatine supplementation because of creatine's important role in muscle function.

Some doctor's and dieticians are recommending that vegetarians supplement their diets with creatine because of the lack of meat in their diets. Studies have claimed that vegetarians who have taken a creatine supplement have reported marked increases in cognitive function, including better memorization abilities.

Recommended Daily Allowance of Creatine

Increasing your creatine intake, especially for the use of athletic enhancement, is a two-stage process. There is the loading phase, in which you "load" your body with the supplement, and then the maintenance phase, in which you cut back a bit and simply maintain the higher levels of the nutrient in your body. All creatine dosages should be taken with some sort of carbohydrate as this makes the uptake of creatine into the body more efficient.

During the loading phase, you should take 15 to 20 grams of creatine per day, depending upon your bodyweight, for up to 5 days. This amount should be broken up into 3 to 4 separate doses. Taking in amounts above 20 grams per day will most likely result in the excess creatine being eliminated through your urine and not absorbed by your body.

During the maintenance phase, you should take 3 to 5 grams per day until you stop taking the supplement. These numbers are in addition to your daily intake of creatine from your diet. There are currently no agreeable recommendations as to when to stop the maintenance phase, but some sort of cycling plan is recommended.

The average person uses about 2 grams of creatine a day and has a store of about 120 grams of creatine in the body. This, of course, is much more for bodybuilders and athletes. The average person also takes in 1 to 2 grams of creatine per day through diet, while vegetarians ingest much less.

Because of questions concerning the side effects of creatine, children under the age of 18 are recommended to not take creatine, nor should women who are pregnant or nursing. Also, if you are taking any sort of medication, your doctor or pharmacist should be consulted in order to prevent complications from drug interactions with creatine.

Summary of Creatine

From its controversial inception as a nutritional supplement to the present day, creatine has stirred great interest. It can boast countless testimonials from professional and amateur athletes across the globe as to how it has helped them improve their performance. For those who simply want to look better and feel more energized during and after workouts, creatine has shown itself to be helpful. Creatine is used mainly for this purpose, but it may have other uses.

The numerous studies are continuing as you read this on how creatine may help treat certain health issues, as well as any side effects that may come from either short term or long term use of creatine as a dietary supplement. The jury is still out as to the extent of creatine's effect on the human body, so continue to monitor the new developments and definitely make sure to consult your doctor before beginning a creatine supplementation program.