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Can creatine supplements make you stronger, faster and leaner? The answer seems to be a qualified "Yes".
Countless studies have shown that with creatine supplement use, in conjunction with exercise and proper diet, significant
gains can be made in strength and endurance. Creatine has also been shown to improve muscle strength and decrease recovery
times following a work out.
Creatine works the best for activities that require rapid or intense effort. Activities such as weight lifting and
sprinting are good examples. If you are a jogger or marathon runner you may not see the same level of results.
About 90% of all the creatine in your body is stored in the muscles. The reason it is stored in your muscles is that it
plays a key role in providing your body with a boost of energy it needs to perform work.
The normal energy cycle of muscle requires a substance called Adenosine Triphosphate or 'ATP'. Muscle usually has enough
ATP on hand to fuel a burst of energy lasting about 6 seconds. Creatine restores the ATP to a state where it can act as
fuel for the muscle and continue the burst of activity for about another 6-12 seconds.
A good analogy is to think of the muscle as if it were a high performance engine. ATP is the gas for your engine and
creatine is the octane booster that allows you to get better performance from your engine.
While the entire process is not completely understood, the side effects of creatine include bigger muscles and increased
production of muscle tissue.
This translates into more repetitions, more weight lifted and/or the ability to sprint faster. More work equals more muscle
and more muscle equals increased strength and endurance.
Additionally, creatine has been shown to decrease muscle soreness and recovery time needed between work outs. Obviously,
being sore can be a de-motivator when it comes to working out.
Activities such as jogging or marathon running may not benefit as much from creatine supplementation as weight lifting. The
muscles work slower for these activities and seem to be able to restore ATP at a rate that meets the need.
Creatine also occurs naturally and can be produced by the body. It is found in beef, pork, salmon, cod, herring and tuna.
So, why not just eat meat? There are a number of reasons. Some people prefer not to eat meat. It is also impractical to eat
as much as would be required to achieve the amount of creatine supplementation you require. Creatine supplementation also
allows you to know the exact amount of creatine you are getting.
The normal dosage for creatine is between 2-5 grams per day. For the fastest results you can "load" the muscles by taking
between 10-20 grams of creatine for approximately 5 days. Once you have loaded your muscles you can maintain your creatine
levels by taking the normal creatine dose approximately 30-60 minutes before a work out.
The negative side effects of creatine are that it can make you more likely to become dehydrated and if you are working out
very intensely and/or in a very hot climate this can be dangerous. The body can lose up to 2-3 quarts of water per hour if
it is hot enough. The key is to drink plenty of water any time you work out.
Because it is excreted through the kidneys, and due to the increased risk of dehydration, creatine supplements are not
recommended for people with kidney disease.
When you first start taking creatine supplements you may notice an immediate gain of weight of between 2 to 5 pounds.
Creatine causes your muscles to store more water which seems to assist in creating more muscle. This is a side effect that
causes many people to think that creatine is similar to anabolic steroids. Creatine is an amino acid and does not affect
the body the same way that steroids do.
Other side effects can include injuries from stressing the joints and muscles by attempting to work too hard. This is not a
direct result of creatine supplementation but is related to a misunderstanding of what creatine can do for your body.
The results of creatine supplements vary from minor to significant depending on the person using them. A number of factors
come into play that may affect your results. Age, sex, work out intensity and frequency as well as how much creatine store
you start with all play a part in the results you will achieve.
If you suffer from any chronic illness or are on prescription medications for your heart, blood pressure or other medical
conditions you should always consult your medical provider before taking creatine supplements. This article is intended for
informational purposes and is not intended to be used as medical advice.
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