By Jacob Seawright
Exploring Creatine
Throughout my whole life I have participated in multiple sports, and for anyone who can relate, this means long practices and tirelessly training for hours. As I got a little older, I started to try to use the weight room to my advantage. Not only trying to do the lifts that will best help me in the sport I play, but the right nutrition to fuel me to become stronger and many other athletes have been in the same boat, that is trying to be the best athlete that you possibly can be. I remember when I first heard about creatine, I was immediately interested. I wasn’t really sure what it was. What was its purpose? Were there side effects? All I knew is that it could help me get stronger, so I started looking into it and I bought some to test it out. With minimal information about creatine, I started taking it. After asking multiple people on Southern Virginia Universities campus about their experience with creatine, I feel like everyone has had one of two experiences.
First, “I am taking creatine, I’m not really sure the science behind it , but it would be cool to know how it actually worked”.
And secondly, “ no I haven’t taken creatine, but I’ve heard of it and it sounds interesting, I have always considered it…i just want to know more”
Being much like the people in the first group, is why I chose to write this article so I can get a deeper understanding about creatine, and help other student athletes at SVU do the same.
Understanding Creatine
Creatine is a naturally occurring molecule. It’s primarily made in the kidneys and completed in the liver by three amino acids: glycine, arginine, and methionine. Then the amino acids are turned into creatine phosphate which is stored in the skeletal muscle and used for energy. Creatine helps your skeletal muscles contract. A good reason why athletes use it is it helps create a steady supply of energy in your muscles so that they can keep working at a higher rate for longer. From my personal experience, I could see the difference. It helped me workout with a higher intensity for longer and complete more reps than I did previously before taking creatine. This is because of Adenosine Triphosphate or ATP. ATP is the most basic form of energy in your cells. ATP is what makes the process of muscle contraction during exercise possible. What creatine does to help the process is boost ATP production so that we have more energy during higher intensity workouts. The problem with ATP is that the body can’t physically store enough to get through a whole workout. Your body can only store enough to get you through 8–10 seconds of high-intensity movements, workouts, or exercise. After your body depletes its supply through physical movement, your body tries to make enough to get you through your workout. For example, when you are completing an exercise, you tend to run out of energy or steam pretty quickly. With a higher creatine level, in theory, it should take a little longer to get tired.
However, the body only produces creatine in small amounts and excretes creatine on a daily basis. “The body itself actually only produces around 1 gram of creatine per day” (blognasm.com). “ In addition to the creatine that the body makes, creatine can also be found in fish, milk, steak, and various other meats. These contain around 1.4 to 2.3 grams of creatine per pound” (University of Delaware). That being said, since the body can only make so little creatine and it’s not practical production to be eating pounds of meat on a daily basis, people often resort to taking a creatine supplement.
For a better visual explanation on how creatine works, check out the video below.
Different Types of Creatine Supplements
So many people, especially athletes, look to creatine supplements. But there are many types of creatine, so how do you know which to take? There are basically 6 types of creatine. I have outlined each of them below:
- Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and the most common form of creatine. A large amount of research indicates that it is safe and effective. Curious to what types of creatine that people on campus took, I asked our sports performance director, Jake Barney, if he had one that he prefers, he said,
“There are a few forms of creatine. Creatine Monohydrate is the most popular and has the most research. Creatine Monohydrate has not only been found to be just as or more effective than the rest, but it is also the cheapest. So it is kind of a no brainer at this point and time.”
2. Creatine Ethyl Ester
Some manufacturers claim that creatine ethyl ester is superior. Evidence shows that it might be better absorbed than creatine monohydrate, but other studies showed that it was not as good at increasing creatine levels in the muscles and the blood.
3. Creatine Hydrochloride (HCL)
Creatine hydrochloride has gained popularity among manufacturers and supplement users. One study found that creatine hydrochloride is 38 more times soluble than the monohydrate form. Although there hasn’t been any published experiments on creatine HCL in humans. This could be one of the most effective forms, but with lack of study it will be hard to tell.
4. Buffered Creatine
Some supplement manufacturers have attempted to improve the stability of creatine in hopes to decrease some “side effects” such as bloating and cramping. In a study comparing buffered creatine to creatine monohydrate, it was found that when it comes to strength increase, it wasn’t better than creatine monohydrate, but it wasn’t worse…both had similar results.
5. Liquid Creatine
Most creatine supplements come in powdered form. But there have been some supplement companies that have experimented with pre-dissolved creatine in water. Some studies show that when creatine sits in water it can break down and not be as effective.
6. Creatine Magnesium Chelate
This form has magnesium attached to the creatine molecule. This form of creatine seems to be effective, but with limited testing it doesn’t seem to be superior to monohydrate.
Benefits of Creatine
Now that we both have a better understanding of what creatine is, let’s get down to the specifics of what it really does. There have been several hundred studies and research studies conducted. “Nearly 70% of these studies have reported a significant improvement in exercise capacity, while the others have reported non significant gains in performance” (blog.nasm.org). I feel like with results like this, the scientific community has reached a consensus that creatine can have a positive impact on physical performance.
Energy Boost
Creatine, if used correctly, can be a tremendous tool for athletes. Creatine supplements have been known to boost energy or performance in short intense activities. But recent studies show that it doesn’t stop there. It can also help with longer aerobic exercises. It’s basically like you are upgrading your body’s energy system to perform better, even during workouts that need more endurance. “Creatine may contribute to decreased time to exhaustion during the early phase of aerobic activity” (blog.Nasm.org).
Handling the Heat
Creatine isn’t just about energy, though. Studies have shown that it can help us handle the heat during tough workouts. “The indirect yet significant contribution of creatine supplements to recovery mechanisms, including post exercise glycogen replenishment, further substantiates its role in long term performance gains.” This sheds light on creatine’s impact on the recovery process, especially after intense exercise. After all the hard work you put in, creatine doesn’t just leave you hanging. It allows you to recover quicker, and post exercise recovery is just as important as the exercise itself when it comes to athletes. Creatine involvement in the road to recovery involves more than just replenishing energy stores; it specifically targets glycogen, a crucial fuel source for muscles. By helping the restoration of glycogen levels, creatine makes sure that the muscles are reenergized for future athletic performance.
Cognitive Function
Though creatine is a great supplement in the world of exercise, there may be benefits that reach beyond the exercise world. Creatine seems to help with cognitive function and acts as a sort of brain booster. “About 5% of creatine our bodies make is in our brain” (modern-age.com). And just like our muscles, our prawns use a lot of energy (from ATP) when we are doing any sort of mental task. By giving our body more creatine, it’s thought that we can give our brains more energy to work with, supporting things like brain cell activity and communication. Although there hasn’t been enough research, some studies show that taking creatine might help with common brain issues like forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and feeling mentally tired. Creatine also seems to be a mood influencer. Some brain regions, especially the prefrontal cortex, seem to have lower creatinine levels when people are struggling with anxiety or sadness, many researchers are curious to see if creatine could help with mood disorders, like a natural mood lifter.
Creatine Concerns
Creatine being one of the most extensively studied and researched and widely used dietary supplements, still there are some misconceptions and some myths that have been circulated and creating unwarranted concerns about potential risks for taking creatine. There have been many concerns and I am going to talk about some of the most common ones associated with taking creatine supplements.
Liver and Kidney Damage
One common misconception with creatine is that it can cause damage to your liver and kidney. Despite this common misconception, there have been numerous studies, some spanning up to five years, that consistently show that creatine supplements (when following the recommended doses), do not have adverse effects on kidney or liver function. “In healthy men, a 12-week heavy resistance training program, with or without creatine did not significantly influence serum lipid profiles, subjective reports of body functioning , or serum creatinine concentrations” (bodybuilding.com). This showed that in a healthy individual, creatine usage does not appear to affect kidney or liver function in any negative way.
Gastrointestinal distress (Stomach Issues)
Another common misconception when it comes to creatine supplementation is that it causes gastrointestinal distress. In a way this can be true…but it is rare. “With only 5–7 percent of people experiencing stomach aches” (bodybuilding.com). Stomach issues usually occur when you take too much creatine at once or on an empty stomach. In efforts to reduce stomach issues, there are micronized forms, which pasically is smaller particle sizes, to increase solubility and faster absorption.
Cramping and Dehydration
One of the most common concerns about creatine supplements is probably that it causes dehydration and cramping. This is simply not the case. If anything, it helps hydrate. To get a better understanding of this, I asked our (SVU’s) sports performance director how creatine affects our hydration. He stated, “creatine pulls water wherever it goes and is stored in the muscle cell. Therefore, creatine is actually hydrating and that has been proven in research” (Jake Barney). The majority of research shows that there is either no change or even improvement. “Researchers from San Diego University reported that creatine supplementation was able to blunt the rise in core temperature during 60 minutes of exercise in the heat” (bodybuilding.com). Be sure to drink enough water so that creatine can reach its full potential.
Weight Gain
Another concern associated with creatine is that you will gain weight. In ways, this is true…but not like you would think. “Creatine loading may lead to an initial weight gain of 0.8 to 2.9 percent of body weight in the first few days due to water being pulled into the muscle” (bodybuilding.com). As said, an initial weight gain could occur but not anything significant. With the proper training creatine can also result in an increase in lean body mass and a decrease in unwanted mass like fat. This will help with your overall body composition and appearance. “This is likely due to a higher concentration of ATP stores, allowing for higher training intensities and volume” (bodybuilding.com). The ability to have higher intensity workouts will improve your overall gains and performance.
Rhabdomyolysis
So what is Rhabdomyolysis? Sometimes referred to as rhabdo, rhabdomyolysis is a serious medical condition. It can be fatal or lead to permanent disability. It is basically a rare muscle injury where “damaged muscle tissue releases its proteins and electrolytes into the blood. These substances can damage the hearty and kidneys” (cdc.gov). Rhabdo is caused from heat exposure, physical exertion, or overuse, and direct trauma. This myth took off after an article was published in the New York Times claiming a possible link to creatine supplements causing rhabdo in high school football players. “According to reports, the athletes in this case were in a training camp where they performed repetitive exercises in a hot and humid wrestling room. None of the athletes indicated they took creatine, investigators speculated creatine could have caused the problem” (bodybuilding.com). There is no scientific backing that creatine causes rhabdo…only assumptions made without all of the information.
Proper Dosage
Creatine is a product that is proven to be safe, but in order for it to be safe, you should take the recommended amount. There are a few ways to go about it:
Loading Phase
Studies have shown that a loading phase is the most effective way to increase creatine levels in the muscle. To do a loading phase, you will want to take more creatine at first so your muscles start storing in greater quantities. Then, after that, you slowly work your way down to a lower dose. For the first five days you can consume around 20 grams of creatine per day to load the muscles, then after you can go to 3 to 5 grams per day. Through personal experience I recommend 5 grams per day.
Normal Intake
If you don’t want to take 20 grams a day, or you are concerned with taking 20 grams a day…you don’t need to. This is what I have always done. Just taking 3 to 5 grams per day right off the bat, every day you will still get the same results; it may just take a little longer to load the muscle.
Creatine Cycling
There are mixed results for cycling. Cycling is when you take creatine for 6–8 weeks at around 3–6 grams per day, then you stop taking it for 2–4 weeks or longer if necessary. I asked Jake Barney, SVU’s sports performance director, if he thought cycling was necessary and he said, “Creatine’s safety has been very well researched. Both looking at long duration effects to the kidneys and liver. There is pretty much no need to cycle off of creatine.” But every person is different, so do what is best for you.
To Sum It Up
Creatine is a safe and beneficial supplement for athletes, despite some common worries and misconceptions. Research consistently shows that, when used as recommended, creatine doesn’t harm the liver or kidneys. Concerns about stomach issues, dehydration, and weight gain are generally unheard of, and creatine may actually help with hydration.
Don’t be swayed by myths. There’s no evidence linking creatine to serious conditions like rhabdomyolysis. The supplement’s safety has been studied time and time again, (proving its reliability for people and athletes to use.)
When it comes to taking creatine, a loading phase followed by a maintenance dose or a steady daily intake of 3–5 grams is effective. But a loading phase isn’t necessary for those not in a rush. You don’t necessarily need to cycle off creatine; it’s generally safe for continuous use.
Beyond its physical benefits, creatine may enhance cognitive function and even influence mood positively. Athletes can confidently incorporate creatine into their routines with accurate information, debunking myths that might hinder its potential. In simple terms, creatine is a safe and useful tool to help athletes reach their fitness goals.
Creatine Clarity: Separating Fact From Fiction was originally published in The Herald on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.