WHAT IS CREATINE ?-BENEFITS, SIDE EFFECTS, SOURCES, HOW TO USE IT?
WHAT IS CREATINE ?
WHAT IS CREATINE? -According to Wikipedia
Creatine is an organic compound with the nominal formula (H2N)(HN)CN(CH3)CH2CO2H. Creatine is found in vertebrates where it facilitates recycling of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the cell, primarily in muscle and brain tissue. Recycling is achieved by converting adenosine diphosphate (ADP) back to ATP via donation of phosphate groups.
UNDERSTAND CREATINE IN SIMPLER WORDS
It's primarily made in the liver and to a lesser extent in the kidneys and pancreas. It stores high-energy phosphate groups in the form of phosphocreatine which are donated to ADP, regenerating it to ATP, the primary energy carrier in the body. This role in energy production is particularly relevant under conditions of high energy demand such as intense physical or mental activity.
Creatine is a molecule that's produced in the body from amino acids.
Creatine is an organic compound which is naturally present in our bodies
Creatine is mainly used for fast and short energy production
Athletes commonly take it as a powder or in capsules to enhance their performance
WHAT DOES CREATINE DO?
Creatine turns into creatine phosphate in the body. Creatine phosphate helps make a substance called adenosine triphosphate. ATP provides the energy for muscle contractions. The body produces some of the creatine for its use.
It facilitates recycling of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the cell, primarily in muscle and brain tissue. Recycling is achieved by converting adenosine diphosphate (ADP) back to ATP via donation of phosphate groups.
BENEFITS OF CREATINE ?
- Creatine supplementation can further improve creatine levels and thereby improve exercise performance and training adaptation.
- The primary benefit of creatine is an improvement in strength and power output during resistance exercise.
- Creatine supplementation appears to improve dry muscle mass gains during resistance training
- Creatine supplementation can also increases water retentation, but it does not result in greater overall body water.
- When used in conjunction with resistance exercise, creatine may modestly increase lean mass.
- It has also been tested for anaerobic running capacity in many studies, the results of which are fairly mixed but generally suggest a small improvement in performance.
- A reduction in mental fatigue has been observed in various scenarios such as demanding mental activity, sleep deprivation, and traumatic brain injury.
- Creatine may improve working memory, though likely only for those with below-average creatine levels such as vegetarians and the elderly.
- Athletic and exercise improvement, research has shown that creatine supplementation may enhance post-exercise recovery, injury prevention, thermoregulation, rehabilitation, and concussion and/or spinal cord neuroprotection.
CREATINE HELPS IN BUILD MUSCLE?
Like we have read earlier supplementing Creatine Monohydrate increases the muscle creatine levels which helps individuals to improve exercise performance and training adaptations.
According to a 2017 study by NCBI
- It was found that Creatine is one of the most popular nutritional ergogenic aids for athletes.
- Studies have consistently shown that creatine supplementation increases intramuscular creatine concentrations which may help explain the observed improvements in high intensity exercise performance leading to greater training adaptations.
According to a research where athletes were on a creatine monohydrate supplementation for 12 weeks
- It was found that Creatine is the reference compound for power improvement, "Able to increase a 12% improvement in strength to 20% and able to increase a 12% increase in power to 26% following a training regiment using creatine monohydrate".
STUDY conducted on trained athletes for 8 weeks , main criteria was resistance exercise
after 8 weeks it was found that
- Personel progression in training.
- Potentially allows them to train hard.
- Increases muscle creatine levels.
- Little increase in muscle and strength gains.
Creatine Supplementation increases muscle creatine levels. It allows you to train hard. Able to increase power and strength. It helps in increased volume during workout sessions, thus helps you to gain muscle mass over a long period of time
SIDE EFFECTS OF CREATINE?
Till now any particular side effects have not seen yet but, When taken without sufficient water, stomach cramping can occur. Diarrhea and nausea can occur when too much creatine is taken at once, in which case doses should be spread out throughout the day and taken with meals.
According to creatine research
- It was found that however, think that creatine supplementation should not be used by an individual with preexisting renal disease and that risk should be evaluated before and during any supplementation period. Even if there is a slight increase in mutagenic agents (methylamine and formaldehyde) in urine after a heavy load of creatine (20 g/day), their excretion remains within a normal range.
- No data are currently available regarding the potential production of heterocyclic amines with creatine supplementation. In summary, the major risk for health is probably associated with the purity of commercially available creatine.
IS CREATINE BAD FOR YOU?
In simpler words the answer will be, well IT DEPENDS
SO AGAIN according to a study where 18 males were performing resistance training three times per week were supplemented with 0.3 g/kg per day creatine monohydrate for 7 days Blood and urine samples were collected pre and 30 days post-supplementation to evaluate 41 biochemical parameters and renal function.
- IT WAS FOUND THAT, Creatine monohydrate supplementation did not cause adverse events and promoted an increase of the performance and body weight.
- No modification of red blood cells parameters, white blood cells profile, blood lipid profile, metabolic and urine markers, hepatic and renal function were observed in the supplemented group.
BEST WAY TO TAKE CREATINE?
- There are many different forms of creatine available on the market, but creatine monohydrate is the cheapest and most effective. You can also use micronized creatine monohydrate, which dissolves in water more easily and can be more practical.
- Creatine monohydrate can be supplemented through a loading protocol. To start loading, take 0.3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day for 5–7 days, then follow with at least 0.03 g/kg/day either for three weeks.
- For a 82 kg person, this means you should take 25 g/day during the loading phase and 2.5 g/day afterward, although many users take 5 g/day due to the low price of creatine and the possibility of experiencing increased benefits.
- Higher doses (up to 10 g/day) may be beneficial for people with a high amount of muscle mass and high activity levels or for those who are non-responders to the lower 5 g/day dose.
WHEN TO TAKE CREATINE?
- ACCORDING TO RESEARCHES the increased performance have been seen if it is taken On workout days, that it may be better to take creatine shortly before or after you exercise, rather than long before or after.
- On rest days, it may be beneficial to take it with food, but the timing is probably not as important as on exercise days
SOURCES OF CREATINE?
- Beef, with minimal visible connective tissue: 5 g per 1.1 kg
- Chicken: 3.4 g/kg
- Rabbit: 3.4 g/kg
- Cardiac tissue (ox): 2.5 g/kg
- Cardiac tissue (pig): 1.5 g/kg
Some (uncooked) meats have low levels of creatine:
- Liver: 0.2 g/kg
- Kidney: 0.23 g/kg
- Lung: 0.19 g/kg
Creatine accumulates in the same organs in meat products as in humans. Tissues with a high creatine content include the heart and the skeletal muscles.
Other compounds containing creatine include:
- Blood: 0.04%
- Skim milk, dried (no water content): 0.88%
Dairy products have minimal creatine content, but beyond meat products they are the only significant source of dietary creatine.
CONCLUSION
Creatine is among the most well-researched and effective supplements. It can help with exercise performance by rapidly producing energy during intense activity. Creatine may also provide cognitive benefits but more research is needed in that area. Creatine is produced naturally in our body and can help in short and fast energy production. This short and fast energy production can help you do a little extra volume in your every workout sessions so indirectly it will help you to gain some more muscle on a long period of time(3-5yrs).
Creatine should not be taken if you have preexisting renal diseases. There is not such scientific evedence have been found that if you take creatine supplementation you will be suffering from some kind of renal diseases in future.
Creatine monohydrate can be supplemented through a loading protocol. To start loading, take 0.3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day for 5–7 days, then follow with at least 0.03 g/kg/day either for three weeks. Higher doses (up to 10 g/day) may be beneficial for people with a high amount of muscle mass and high activity levels or for those who are non-responders to the lower 5 g/day dose.
Creatine should be taken on workout days, it may be better to take creatine shortly before or after you exercise, rather than long before or after. On rest days, it may be beneficial to take it with food, but the timing is probably not as important as on exercise days.
Creatine supplement that you can order
REFERENCES:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29059531/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28615996/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14620790/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9707696/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9414070/
https://examine.com/supplements/creatine/
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