Creatine remains the most researched ergogenic aid that exists today. Well over 1,000 peer-reviewed studies have been dedicated to creatine supplementation. Some of the purported benefits of creatine supplementation include an increase in muscle creatine stores, improved exercise and training adaptations, and potential medical uses for clinical populations.
What exactly is creatine?
Creatine is a nitrogen-containing compound found primarily in skeletal muscle. About 95% is found in muscle and the rest is found in the brain and testes. About half of the body's creatine stores is synthesized by the liver, kidneys, and to a lesser extent the pancreas, via the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine. The remaining creatine is obtained from the diet, primarily from animal sources such as meat and fish. An average 155 lb. individual may carry somewhere between 120-140g of creatine in their muscles.
How does creatine work?
Creatine supplementation, usually in the form of creatine monohydrate, is popular amongst athletes and recreational lifters. The goal of creatine supplementation is to saturate the muscles with phosphocreatine and free creatine in order to delay fatigue during short-duration, high-intensity exercise. But how exactly does it do this? Well, without getting too technical, phosphocreatine lends its phosphate (Pi) group to regenerate ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) into ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), the energy currency of the cell. Without ATP, muscle contraction simply cannot continue. When muscles are working at a high rate (such as sprinting), creatine stores become depleted, consequently, lowering the rate of ATP re-synthesis. By saturating creatine stores through supplementation, one can prolong high-intensity, short duration exercise.
Several studies have recorded the positive effects of creatine supplementation on exercise performance, with the majority indicating that creatine supplementation has a statistically significant improvement in exercise capacity. I won't link references to all these studies, but instead encourage a simple search on PubMed.
Here's a list of potential benefits of creatine supplementation:
What about side effects?
The only side effect that has been consistently reported in the scientific and medical literature has been weight gain (in the form of lean mass). Although creatine supplementation has been linked to gastrointestinal distress, muscle cramping, dehydration, increased muscle injury risk, and even concerns for renal stress; recent evidence indicates that creatine is not associated with any of these anecdotally reported issues.
How should you take creatine?
It should go without saying that anyone who wishes to supplement should consult with their physician before doing so. Creatine monohydrate has been shown through several studies to be the superior form of creatine. Therefore, a high-quality, pharmaceutical grade, creatine monohydrate should be favored.
The most rapid way to increase muscle creatine stores is through the use of a loading method. To load, take 0.3g per kilogram per day for 5-7 days. Using an example of a 155 lb. individual, this would equate to about 21g of creatine monohydrate. Studies have shown that this loading protocol can increase muscle creatine stores by 20-40%. Once creatine stores are saturated (following loading phase), a maintenance dose of 3-5g of creatine monohydrate per day will suffice at maintaining elevated stores.
Moreover, because creatine uptake is mediated by the hormone insulin, it is recommended to take creatine monohydrate with a carbohydrate containing drink (e.g., juice). Additionally, creatine ingestion is favorable post-exercise with the co-ingestion of a carbohydrate/protein drink.
References
Butts, J., Jacobs, B. and Silvis, M. (2018). Creatine use in sports. Sports Health. Jan-Feb; 10(1): 31-31. Published online 2017 Oct 23. don: 10.1177/1941738117737248
Kreider, R. B., Kalman, D. S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Wildman, R., Collins, R., Candrow, D. G., Kleiner, S. M., Almada, A. L., ... Lopez, H. L. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 18. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
What exactly is creatine?
Creatine is a nitrogen-containing compound found primarily in skeletal muscle. About 95% is found in muscle and the rest is found in the brain and testes. About half of the body's creatine stores is synthesized by the liver, kidneys, and to a lesser extent the pancreas, via the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine. The remaining creatine is obtained from the diet, primarily from animal sources such as meat and fish. An average 155 lb. individual may carry somewhere between 120-140g of creatine in their muscles.
How does creatine work?
Creatine supplementation, usually in the form of creatine monohydrate, is popular amongst athletes and recreational lifters. The goal of creatine supplementation is to saturate the muscles with phosphocreatine and free creatine in order to delay fatigue during short-duration, high-intensity exercise. But how exactly does it do this? Well, without getting too technical, phosphocreatine lends its phosphate (Pi) group to regenerate ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) into ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), the energy currency of the cell. Without ATP, muscle contraction simply cannot continue. When muscles are working at a high rate (such as sprinting), creatine stores become depleted, consequently, lowering the rate of ATP re-synthesis. By saturating creatine stores through supplementation, one can prolong high-intensity, short duration exercise.
Several studies have recorded the positive effects of creatine supplementation on exercise performance, with the majority indicating that creatine supplementation has a statistically significant improvement in exercise capacity. I won't link references to all these studies, but instead encourage a simple search on PubMed.
Here's a list of potential benefits of creatine supplementation:
- Increased muscle mass and strength
- Increased single and repetitive sprint performance
- Enhanced glycogen synthesis
- Increased work capacity
- Enhanced recovery
- Greater training tolerance
- Potential enhancement of aerobic capacity via greater shuttling of ATP from mitochondria and buffering of acidity
- Potential therapeutic uses
What about side effects?
The only side effect that has been consistently reported in the scientific and medical literature has been weight gain (in the form of lean mass). Although creatine supplementation has been linked to gastrointestinal distress, muscle cramping, dehydration, increased muscle injury risk, and even concerns for renal stress; recent evidence indicates that creatine is not associated with any of these anecdotally reported issues.
How should you take creatine?
It should go without saying that anyone who wishes to supplement should consult with their physician before doing so. Creatine monohydrate has been shown through several studies to be the superior form of creatine. Therefore, a high-quality, pharmaceutical grade, creatine monohydrate should be favored.
The most rapid way to increase muscle creatine stores is through the use of a loading method. To load, take 0.3g per kilogram per day for 5-7 days. Using an example of a 155 lb. individual, this would equate to about 21g of creatine monohydrate. Studies have shown that this loading protocol can increase muscle creatine stores by 20-40%. Once creatine stores are saturated (following loading phase), a maintenance dose of 3-5g of creatine monohydrate per day will suffice at maintaining elevated stores.
Moreover, because creatine uptake is mediated by the hormone insulin, it is recommended to take creatine monohydrate with a carbohydrate containing drink (e.g., juice). Additionally, creatine ingestion is favorable post-exercise with the co-ingestion of a carbohydrate/protein drink.
References
Butts, J., Jacobs, B. and Silvis, M. (2018). Creatine use in sports. Sports Health. Jan-Feb; 10(1): 31-31. Published online 2017 Oct 23. don: 10.1177/1941738117737248
Kreider, R. B., Kalman, D. S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Wildman, R., Collins, R., Candrow, D. G., Kleiner, S. M., Almada, A. L., ... Lopez, H. L. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 18. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
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