Creatine Overview: Creatine Monohydrate And Creatine Side-Effects
Creatine monohydrate is still on top as the sports supplement that works in body building and intense fitness training.
Of all the sports supplements out there, creatine monohydrate may be energy booster you've been looking for. Used in bodybuilding diets and the fitness training of elite athletes and serious amateur athletes for the last ten years, creatine monohydrate provides you muscles with energy for short burst, strength demanding exercise like bodybuilding, sprinting, and football. In particular, weight lifters and others on bodybuilding diets have great success with creatine monohydrate. The benefits of creatine for endurance athletes are not as clear. But let's take a look.
Creatine itself is a nutrient made by the liver and kidneys. About 95% of the body's creatine is stored in muscle tissue. Inside muscle cells, creatine is transformed into creatine phosphate which provides the short term energy for muscle contractions. So what about creatine monohydrate? Simply stated, creatine monohydrate is the most commonly used form of synthetic creatine (not produced by the body). It is one molecule of creatine bonded with one molecule of water. Most studies of creatine usage have been conducted with creatine monohydrate.
Learn about creatine side effects before trying supplementation
If you are considering taking creatine bodybuilding supplements, you are right to be concerned about creatine side effects. As with any supplement you take, you should educate yourself about what it is and where it comes from. Based on research to date, creatine if taken in the recommended doses from a reputable manufacturer of bodybuilding supplements, causes no harmful creatine side effects.
Creatine occurs naturally in meat and fish and is used in your muscles to generate energy for 1 to 10 seconds of intense exercise. By boosting your creatine levels with creatine powder or pills (bodybuilding supplements), you can work out longer and more intensely.
For healthy adults (over 18), creatine side effects include:
- Short term weight gain due to water retention
- Long term muscle mass gain
Unresearched reports of creatine side effects include:
- Cramping
- Nausea
- Frequent injuries
Other reports of creatine side effects are unproven by the current research. However, as creatine is still a relatively new sports supplement, future research may shed more light on creatine usage.
Remember that creatine supplements are not a shortcut way to improved athletic performance. Creatine can help you train more intensely, but you still have to train! In addition, not everyone responds to creatine supplementation.
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