| What is creatine? | | | | neural disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or |
| Creatine is an amino acid (amino acids are the building | | | | Lou Gehrig's disease). Second, a study by Canadian |
| blocks of protein) which is made in the body by the | | | | researchers Mark Tarnopolsky and Joan Martin of |
| liver and kidneys, and is derived from the diet through | | | | McMaster University Medical Center in Ontario found |
| meat and animal products. Creatine (creatine | | | | that creatine can cause modest increases in strength |
| monohydrate) is a colorless, crystalline substance used | | | | in people with a variety of neuromuscular disorders. |
| in muscle tissue for the production of phosphocreatine, | | | | Beal's work was published in the March 1999 issue of |
| an important factor in the formation of adenosine | | | | Nature Neuroscience and the second paper was |
| triphosphate (ATP), the source of energy for muscle | | | | published in the March 1999 issue of Neurology. |
| contraction and many other functions in the body. | | | | I want to start taking creatine -- is it safe? |
| What does creatine normally do in the body? | | | | For the most part, athletes haven't experienced |
| In the body, creatine is changed into a molecule called | | | | adverse side-effects from taking creatine, although |
| "phosphocreatine" which serves as a storage | | | | recently there have been a few reports of kidney |
| reservoir for quick energy. Phosphocreatine is | | | | damage linked to creatine usage. No consistent toxicity |
| especially important in tissues such as the voluntary | | | | has been reported in studies of creatine |
| muscles and the nervous system which periodically | | | | supplementation. Dehydration has also been reported |
| require large amounts of energy. | | | | to be a problem while taking creatine. |
| Why do athletes take creatine? | | | | Athletes generally take a "loading dose" of 20 grams |
| Studies have shown that creatine can increase the | | | | of creatine a day for five or six days, then continue |
| performance of athletes in activities that require quick | | | | with a "maintenance dose" of 2 to 5 grams of creatine |
| bursts of energy, such as sprinting, and can help | | | | a day thereafter. |
| athletes to recover faster after expending bursts of | | | | What are the side effects? |
| energy. Creatine is best for the serious bodybuilder. It | | | | Little is known about long-term side effects of creatine, |
| helps increase muscle mass, rather than muscle | | | | but no consistent toxicity has been reported in studies |
| endurance, so its not well suited for athletes | | | | of creatine supplementation. In a study of side effects |
| participating in endurance activities. However, the | | | | of creatine, diarrhea was the most commonly reported |
| increase in muscle mass may be due to water | | | | adverse effect of creatine supplementation, followed |
| retention and not an increase in muscle tissue. | | | | by muscle cramping.18 Some reports showed that |
| Why have I been hearing so much about creatine and | | | | kidney, liver, and blood functions were not affected by |
| neuromuscular disorders? | | | | short-term higher amounts or long-term lower amounts |
| Two scientific studies have indicated that creatine may | | | | of creatine supplementation in healthy young adults. In |
| be beneficial for neuromuscular disorders. First, a study | | | | a small study of people taking 530 grams per day, no |
| by MDA-funded researcher M. Flint Beal of Cornell | | | | change in kidney function appeared after up to five |
| University Medical Center demonstrated that creatine | | | | years of supplementation. Muscle cramping after |
| was twice as effective as the prescription drug riluzole | | | | creatine supplementation has been anecdotally |
| in extending the lives of mice with the degenerative | | | | reported in some studies. |