Creatine – What is this supplement and does it work?
Regular readers will know that we are not big fans of supplements in any form. That does not mean that they don’t work or do what they say on the can. The advertisements for the supplement Creatine say it increases muscle mass and improves performances in the gym or in sport. I have known people who take this supplement and overload at the start to such an extent that they seem to constantly have the powder sitting on their face like a freshly topped snowy mountain. People have had different reactions as well, with results ranging from serious muscle growth to adverse reactions like vomiting and nausea.
What is Creatine?
Creatine is found naturally within the body at a cellular level. Approximately half the stored Creatine originates from food like meat, where the body breaks down three amino acids (the building blocks of protein – Beeble) arginine, glycine and methionine to create it. The Creatine is stored within the skeletal muscles (the muscles that move your limbs etc – Beeble) of the body; approximately 95% of the body’s Creatine is stored this way.
What does Creatine do?
Within the body the Creatine acts like a traffic controller on a busy junction helping to keep Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP the body’s energy currency – Beeble) in the cells of the muscle where it is needed. This is where Creatine can also start earning its reputation as it can also act like the best transport system in the world (not like the London Underground then 
– Beeble), taking ATP from where it is produced and taking it straight to the muscle fibres that need it.
And now in English!
Obviously I have tried to simplify the process as much as one can when describing the workings of the body, but that last paragraph was still getting a bit deep for me. So what it means in basic terms is if the body can suddenly utilise the energy it needs for muscle movement and send for more energy when it is required by the muscle fibres, then the theory is that the more Creatine you have the better your muscles should be able to perform.
Does Creatine increase muscle mass?
There is a bit of a debate on how Creatine increases muscle size. It has been agreed through tests that those taking Creatine show an increase in muscle size, when used alongside a good exercise plan. In some tests it even out-performs the athlete’s favourite protein supplements. It is thought in some camps that the Creatine causes water retention within the muscle creating larger muscles, however after some recent findings this is now thought unlikely. Others think that it increases the healing properties at a cellular level allowing for quicker repair and the extra Creatine leads to an increased size in the muscles after exercise. I presume what all this research means is that they can prove that it increases muscle size but still don’t really have a clue what is happening under the skin. Not necessarily the best reason to start taking the supplement, but there doesn’t seem to be any reported “long term” problems to date.
Does Creatine improve Performance?
Understanding how Creatine actually works makes me feel that the true benefit of Creatine supplementation is in improved performance. However research seems to indicate an insignificant benefit to sports or activities that rely on a prolonged movement like marathon or long distance running and a much greater result for activities that require immediate, powerful muscle reaction like sprinting where there is a short burst of huge power. Scientists are not entirely sure why this happens, but it could be to do with the fact that the body uses a slightly different energy system for prolonged activity compared to short burst exercises. The prolonged exercise or aerobic exercise brings oxygen into the equation and this could play a part in the usefulness of Creatine for this type of exercise. So supplementation seems to improve performance in certain areas and should improve the average gym workout especially if the gym goer focuses on strength based exercises with repetitions of 12 or less in each set of an exercise.
Side Effects
There does not seem to be any proven side effect from taking Creatine over long or short periods as long as you keep within the recommended dosage. That said I have seen from personal experience that some people seem to have very adverse effects from taking Creatine especially during the initial phase. The key side effect seems to be water retention in the muscles which can cause dehydration throughout the rest of the body, however as I mentioned earlier this theory is still debatable.
Another side effect can be severe pain in the Tibialis Anterior muscle (the thin long muscle on the front of your shin – Beeble) presumably from the suggested added water retention it creates more pressure within a muscle that has a very thick sheath that does not expand easily if required to do so. Therefore the pressure can build up within the sheath putting pressure on nerves and creating the pain very similar to the effects seen from shin splints. Not a serious problem if it is dealt with early on and your doctor should be made aware that you are using Creatine.
Summary
As long as you stick to the recommended dosage of Creatine you should have no problems. However that said I wouldn’t be too keen on taking a supplement where there still seem to be more questions than answers and the long term benefits or issues are still unknown. Our bodies can get enough Creatine from the foods around us, primarily meat and therefore it is not essential to our diet. As with all supplements you only need it if your are deficient or cannot get enough from your diet. A good example of this is vegetarians who could have low Creatine levels and if they don’t consume enough amino acids from the foods they eat, then supplementation may be important for them, not only for muscle development but also for cellular function.
If you want to take the supplement then you will probably take it what ever I say; the studies do seem to show strong evidence of benefit to muscular development and function. Even so it doesn’t just happen by taking the supplement, you have to work really hard and as Creatine gives you the ability to train harder, the results should naturally be better than without the supplement.
I don’t believe in supplements: I believe in a proper diet that delivers all the nutrients your body needs. However if you are going to take Creatine and you start to suffer from any side effects mentioned in this post or not, then I suggest you seek medical advice immediately. Please consult your Doctor before taking any form of supplement. Please let us know of any Creatine-related stories you may have: good or bad.
December 4th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
It is very nice article on this supplement can it work.