This creatine side effects update covers sources of creatine in food,effective supplementation and study results of creatines effectiveness.
Over the last decade, thousands of articles have been written about creatine side effects in scientific journals, magazines, newspapers, and on the Internet. The reason for this interest is that creatine supplements have proven to be one of the most effective methods available to increase strength, power, and muscle mass. Moreover, a number of potential therapeutic creatine benefits have been suggested for various patient populations. Despite this impressive body of research, concerns have been raised about the safety of creatine side effects and ethics of athletes taking performance-enhancing nutritional supplements. While a number of very good reviews have been published about creatine side effects in the scientific literature, a significant amount of misinformation has been written about creatine side effects, particularly in the popular media. Additionally, several nutritional supplement companies have attempted to gain market share by perpetuating some of these creatine side effect myths. The result is that people are often confused about the potential creatine benefits and risks of creatine supplements.
The purpose of this article is to provide an update on the state of the science regarding creatine side effects as well as to answer some common questions about creatine supplements so that you can make an informed decision about
Creatine is a very controversial supplement on the market today. Many endorse the uses of creatine, but others are skeptical about the advantage a person receives from taking it and the dangers one inherits as a result of creatine consumption. The debate remains due to the short amount of time that creatine has been available. People base their opinions on preliminary studies that have been done but no one knows the long-term effects of creatine on the body. Many take the risk without vast knowledge, but others still remain skeptical based on preliminary evidence that discourages the intake of creatine.
Creatine has many drug like uses and people who are oblivious to creatine would think it is a steroid unless told differently. Creatine can be used as a way of cheating and can be abused to a very dangerous level therefore making it a risk for the athlete. Although creatine is a natural substance, supplementing creatine can boost your creatine level by over 500 times. Creatine can be found in red meat but to get 5 grams of creatine which is the recommended dosage you would have to eat 5kg of raw red
Creatine phosphate has been heavily experimented upon to show that it is an important effector towards muscle activity. When creatine phosphate is present in a solution containing muscle fibers without the presence of ATP, it serves as the energy supplier due to the fact that it absorbs bound adenine nucleotide, which is firmly linked to the contractile elements on muscle fibers (Bozler, 1953). Even in low concentrations this nucleotide can be considered an energy transfer mechanism, for it takes full advantage of the creatine phosphates energy supply, thus acting as a substrate for the enzymatic activity of the contractile elements of a muscle group. Consumption of this nucleotide leads to an increase in the strength of contraction. Creatine phosphate also speeds up rate of relaxation of muscles, for it induces the relaxing effect of ATP (Bozler, 1953). Thus, this research suggests that creatine phosphate is directly linked to instigate muscle contractibility.
Creatine Monohydrate has been proven to significantly enhance athletic performance in the areas of power, strength, and muscle mass. Most importantly though, it doesn't seem to have any serious side effects. Also, since Creatine is found naturally in the body and in foods, it is likely that it will not be removed from sports.
Although creatine is fairly expensive (fifty dollars for a one month supply), the original results of creatine testing and usage were very positive. Creatine supplementation helps the body by increasing the amount of creatine in the muscles, thus enabli ng the body to put out more energy more quickly. It was first discovered in the early 1900s, before creatine supplements were available, that increasing dietary creatine in turn increases the amount of creatine in the muscles (Jenkins). Supplementation of creatine in the diet leads to even higher levels of muscular creatine. Research has confirmed this. Current data indicate that muscle creatine levels increase, on average, 20% after six days of creatine supplementation at twenty grams per day (Eichne r 76). This increase of creatine in the muscles in turn increases the body's potential for exertion. Once creatine supplements were tested in humans, those increases were
Opposition to the supplement says that creatine is unnatural. If fact a normal liver makes about 2 grams of creatine each day. Creatine is also found available from the red meat in your diet. Creatine can be a great benefit to those with bodies that don't produce enough of the substance naturally.
Creatine (Cr) is a popular dietary supplement used by athletes to increase sports performance, muscle mass, and strength. Creatine was first discovered in “1835, when a French scientist reported finding this constituent of meat” (Demant & Rhodes, 1999). This organic compound is manufactured endogenously by the liver and kidneys “from the amino acids glycine, arginine and methionine” for energy stipulation during muscular contraction. (Arazi, Rahmaninia, Hoseini, & Asadi, 2011). Creatine is either converted into free form Cr or phosphorylated form as known as creatine phosphate (CP). The endogenous production and exogenous consumption of Cr yields about 1 gram a day for the average person (Cooper, Naclerio, Allfrove , & Jimenez, 2012). In
Periodized heavy resistance training was performed for 12 wk. Creatine or placebo capsules were consumed 25 grams per day for 1 wk followed by a maintenance dose of 5 grams per day for the remainder of the training. RESULTS: After 12 wk, significant increases in body mass and fat-free mass were greater in creatine than placebo subjects. After 12 wks, increases in bench press and squat were greater in creatine subjects. Compared with placebo subjects, creatine subjects demonstrated significantly greater increases in muscle total, creatine concentrations were unchanged in placebo subjects. Muscle creatine was significantly elevated after 1 wk in creatine subjects (22%), and values remained significantly greater than placebo subjects after 12 wk. Average volume lifted in the bench press during training was significantly greater in creatine subjects during weeks 5-8. No negative side effects to the supplementation were reported. CONCLUSION: Creatine supplementation enhanced fat-free mass, physical performance, and muscle morphology in response to heavy resistance training, presumably mediated via higher quality training sessions. This study was conducted by Richard B. Kreider of the Exercise & Sport Nutrition Laboratory Department of Human Movement Sciences and Education The University of Memphis. The one concern I have with this study is it seemed to leave out the limitations that Creatine may have on some body
Taking supplemented creatine can result in a higher increase of muscle mass. Studies have shown that three to five grams of creatine monohydrate orally taken is risk free (EFSA). It increases muscle mass by providing the user to go longer on their exercise. Supplementing with creatine became popular in the nineties for a way to get lean muscle mass. Another study shows that creatine causes water retention in muscles causing mass increase (NCBI). Creatine is also used as a treatment is muscular dystrophy. For people with muscular dystrophy it improves muscular functionality and muscle mass in all. It can be used to treat heart failure and mitochondrial disorders. I personally have been supplementing with creatine monohydrate for the past month and have seen an increase in strength and muscle
Creatine is a “metabolite” that occurs innately in the human anatomy. It occupies red muscle tissue, and
Many athletes use resistance training in their everyday workouts while using creatine. However, the athletes are unaware of the effects it has on their bodies and whether performance is enhanced or not. Therefore, these athletes need to become educated of what they are putting into their bodies and whether creatine is aiding them in gains or not. First, background information will be provided on both creatine and resistance training. Next, there will be discussion on the benefits of resistance training with sex differences and age differences. Then, studies will be provided to help with gaining a better understanding on creatine’s effects with resistance training. Creatine will then be discussed on how it helps other people
Creatine monohydrate supplementation has been shown to result in an increase in skeletal muscle total and phosphocreatine concentration, increase fat-free mass, and enhance high-intensity exercise performance in young healthy men and women. Recent evidence has also demonstrated a neuroprotective effect of creatine monohydrate
Creatine helps in increasing speed, power, and size of the muscles, strength endurance and tolerance to fatigue.
In today’s society, athletes are revered as heroes. There is immense pressure to be the best. Athletes are willing to do whatever it takes to gain an edge, even if it means compromising their health. For almost three decades, athletes have been supplementing their strength program with anabolic steroids to enhance their performance. To be sure, anabolic steroids are effective supplements to strength training programs, but there is no doubt that the consequences can be deleterious.
The scene is set. It is 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, and the final heat of the Olympics is about to commence. The sprinters have been training their entire lives for the opportunity at hand, and the outcome of the most important event of their lives is going to come down to mere milliseconds. With a gold medal on the line, these athletes will be looking for any advantage they can get, whether big or small. One direction these athletes turn for an advantage is supplements. Supplements have emerged as a way for athletes to increase their performance, yet their use is very controversial. Supplements, varying from simple multivitamins to complex chemical supplements, are used by almost every athlete, whether recreational or professional,