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Muscle Building Supplements
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Creatine Supplements Creatine as a sports supplement (actually the best selling body building supplement in the world) has many functions, all of these functions centre around its energy replenishing function as it forms the Creatine phosphate (CP or phosphoCreatine) molecule. In addition Creatine replenishes ATP - ATP is the molecule which releases energy when broken down for the muscle to contract. When its gone, ATP needs to be topped up by re-acquiring phosphates. CP acts as a phosphate transporter. CP gives up its phosphate to ATP freeing Creatine to form the bi-product creatinine for excretion. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the more Creatine that is present in muscle cells, up to a maximum storage level, the more efficiently ATP can be replenished, and, hence more ATP is available for energy. Some of the best food sources of Creatine are meat and fish, but it has been demonstrated that muscles can store far more CP than is possible to obtain from food (Hultman, et al 1996), so by supplementing with Creatine ( either monohydrate , ethyl ester or kre-alkalyn) you can maximise stores - Creatine allows you to have more energy to help lift heavier weights, train harder and at higher intensity AND the muscles look fuller & bigger! Creatine also promotes muscle growth by stimulating protein synthesis, partly from the increased work you are able to do as a result of its energy replenishing actions and also it is that the more CP that is stored in muscle, the more water is drawn into muscle making it fuller and stronger ( is this not what most bodybuilders are looking for? No wonder it is the BEST SELLING Muscle Building Supplement!). With more CP and water in muscle, the volume increases, and the muscle cell is 'volumised' or 'super-hydrated'. A volumised muscle helps to trigger protein synthesis, minimise protein breakdown and increase glycogen synthesis (Haussinger 1996; 1996). If a muscle is then trained properly, this should lead to enhanced muscle growth (provided you have enough protein & other nutrients necessary for growth in your system). The muscle 'pump' experienced when using Creatine is simply be much more intense, as any one who has used it properly will testify, this is as a result of the cell volumising effect. Creatine also acts as a lactic acid buffer and improve exercise recovery time. Lactic acid is a bi-product from anaerobic (without oxygen) exercise, such as Body building or weight training. Lactic acid is responsible for the 'burning' sensation when the muscle becomes fatigued. When you cannot train anymore, it is due to you either having run out of energy or a build up of lactic acid. Creatine acts as a buffer for this lactic acid, which helps to delay the onset of fatigue. Most users experience notable weight increases when they commence a course of Creatine, up to six or seven pounds (about three kilograms), especially the first time they use it. Some of this weight gain is from the cell volumising effect as you are able to hold more water & nutrients in your muscles, the rest is from an increase in muscle tissue, and not just water, due to the positive effects of Creatine. Studies have shown that Creatine supplemented subjects significantly gained more lean body mass than non-Creatine-supplemented individuals, but total body water was no different from before and after the study (Kreider; et al 1995; 1996). There are several different types of Creatine Supplements – the most widely sold is Creatine Monohydrate – unlike Creatine Ethyl Ester, Monohydrate requires a loading phase. Creatin when broken down e loading is where the subject takes a high dose of Creatine Monohydrate for the initial few days which is then followed by a maintenance lower dose for a few weeks. Some studies have shown that this achieves a higher concentration of muscle CP then by simply taking a maintenance dose alone (Greenhaff, et al 1993). There are a number of loading regimens, but the following one seems to be optimal and most cost effective: Loading phase: 10g – 15g per day, as 2 or 3 x 5g servings for 5 days Then 1 or 2 x 5g per day for 6 weeks followed by a period of rest from using Creatine, or back on the loading phase. Some people think that loading of Creatine Monohydrate is unnecessary researchers like Greenhaff, et al (1993), show that it is beneficial to load, and others who show no benefit. The ones who show no benefit recommend 5g per day only for 6-7 weeks and claim that supplement companies advocate loading merely as a way of trying to sell more Creatine. If you compare this to companies who advocate a 10g, 15g or eve 20g loading phase and maintenance of 5g per day, then the non-loading advocators are correct. However if you compare 5g per day to the example above you will use a lot more Creatine over the few weeks by not loading; (Over a 52 day period using 5g per day throughout uses 260g in total; compared with just 166g in the above regimen). To conclude, loading may/may not be necessary but, as it will save you money by loading, it makes sense to load – a better option though is Creatine Ethyl Ester which does not require a loading phase & is much stronger/effective than the Monohydrate version. Creatine can be consumed any time of the day, as it is stored. For maximum benefit however we would recommend taking it both prior to AND immediately after a workout. Creatine is even more effective when taken with simple carbohydrates. This is due to the effect carbohydrates have on insulin release, and the insulin in turn helps muscle cell uptake of Creatine. Studies on a range of athletes from different sports have shown Creatine plus carbohydrates to produce better performance than Creatine alone (Stout, et al 1997; 1997). The question many people ask is how long before I notice the effects of Creatine? This varies and there is no simple answer . Due to the cell volumisation effects, you should notice an increase in weight during or soon after the first week if you opt to load. You should also start to notice a fuller feel to your muscles, more energy in the gym and heavier lifts with 1-2 weeks. Most size and strength gains from Creatine are during its first month of use (Kreider; et al 1995). You should also find that you become thirstier & need to drink more when taking Creatine – this is normal as the body is storing up more in the muscles. Creatine monohydrate has been shown in numerous studies to be, safe, even in large quantities (Robinson, et al 2000), nevertheless there are some side effects of Creatine Monohydrate ( though not with Ethyl Ester) which you need to be aware of before commencing its use. Due to its effect on fluid balance after consuming Creatine Monohydrate it can cause mild irritation to the stomach and nausea for a short while. This is particularly apparent during the loading phase. Whilst this is a little unpleasant, it is harmless and minimised if you consume plenty of fluid. Quite intense muscle cramps have been reported in many athletes who supplement with Creatine Monohydrate, which could lead to injuries, and impair performance. Muscle cramps tend to be more prevalent in more energetic sports like athletics and football, rather than bodybuilding also some users have reported headaches much of these effects are due to the fact that people taking Creatine Supplements often have not increased their water intake sufficiently – when taking Creatine you should be drinking about 3 litres of water a day ( more if you drink a lot of coffee). In simple terms Creatine is a wonderful and safe supplement that can assist with both your strength & muscle building – this is why it is the most popular sports nutritional supplement of its kind. The BEST DEALS on Creatine References: Greenhaff PL; et al. 1993. Influence of oral Creatine supplementation on muscle torque during repeated bouts of maximal voluntary exercise in men. Clin Sci 84: 565-571 Haussinger D. 1996. Nutritional state and swelling-induced inhibition of liver proteolysis in perfused rat liver. Nutr J 126: 395 Haussinger D. 1996. The role of cellular hydration in the regulation of cell function. Biochem J 313: 697-710 Hespel P, Op't Eijnde B, Van Leemputte M. 2002. Opposite actions of caffeine and Creatine on muscle relaxation time in humans. J Appl Physiol 92(2): 513-8. Hultman E; et al. 1996. Muscle Creatine loading in man. J Appl Physiol 81: 232-237 Kreider RB; et al. 1995. Effects of ingesting supplements designed to promote lean tissue accretion on whole and regional body composition alterations during resistance training. FASEB J: A1015 Kreider RB; et al. 1996. Effects of ingesting supplements designed to promote lean tissue accretion on body composition alterations during resistance training. Int J Sport Nutr 6(3): 234-246 Robinson TM; et al. 2000. Dietary Creatine supplementation does not affect some haematological indices, or indices of muscle damage and hepatic and renal function. Br J Sports Med 34: 284-288 Stout JR; et al. 1997. The effects of a supplement designed to augment Creatine uptake on anaerobic reserve capacity. NSCA National Conference Abstract Stout JR; et al. 1997. The effects of a supplement designed to augment Creatine uptake and fat-free mass in football players. ACSM Conference Abstract Vandenberghe, K.; et al. 1996. Caffeine counteracts the ergogenic action of muscle Creatine loading. J Appl Physiol 80(2): 452-457. |
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