Is creatine information
on the Internet fact or fiction?
Without doubt creatine has proven to be the
darling of sport supplement industry. Elite
athletes, coaches and sport medicine specialists
attest to creatine’s ability to improve muscular
strength. The marketplace, especially the Internet,
is flooded with creatine
information provided by supplement
manufacturers. Creatine information has been
disseminated so well in fact that even average
exercisers are aware of it.
Part of the reason for creatine’s success is that
it has lots of good news to spread around. The
creatine information out there indicates that
athletes in high intensity sports such as football,
weight lifting, sprinting, and cycling who take
creatine monohydrate consistently show the benefits
of supplementation. They can train harder, push
their muscles to fatigue, and experience faster
recovery.
But can it all be good news? There are rumors and
critical concern over creatine usage: “How long can
I take creatine safely?” “Does taking synthetic
creatine cause serious creatine depletion once I
stop taking it?” “I’ve heard that creatine causes
cramping and increases my chance of muscle injury?”
Creatine Long Term Usage
While not much research has been done on the long
term effects of taking creatine, there have been one
and five-year studies on patients taking 1.5 grams
of creatine daily for stabilizing an eye disorder to
no ill effects. Other research has also shown that
once creatine supplementation stops, creatine levels
return to normal, hence no creatine depletion in the
body.
Creatine and Muscle
Injuries
Athletes’ stories of muscle pulls and ligament
strains suggest that creatine users have been more
prone to injury. The theory is that creatine-loaded
muscles are able to contract more powerfully than
non-creatine loaded muscles and therefore cause
muscle tissue that is not yet sufficiently
strengthened to tear. Sounds logical enough, but
research linking this cause and effect still is
outstanding.
Creatine and muscle
cramping
There are many stories about athletes cramping up
while taking creatine, especially in hot weather.
One popular theory is that creatine-loaded muscles
retain more water which dilutes muscle-calcium and
potassium levels, the prerequisites for normal
muscle contraction. But, there are other known
factors that contribute to muscle cramping, such as
poor fitness levels, hot and humid exercise
conditions, inadequate water intake, and poor
nutrition, which means that creatine as the sole
culprit is unlikely. However, it is good training
practice and common sense to stay well hydrated
before, during and after exercise, especially when
taking creatine.
While there’s no question that creatine
information is certainly thin in some areas, the
research into this popular and revolutionary sports
supplement is ongoing, and the pressure is on to
prove it's value. |
