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Article Date: 12 Jul 2013 - 11:00 PDT Current ratings for:
What Is Creatine? What Are The Benefits Of Creatine?
Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid produced in the liver that helps supply energy to cells all over the body - particularly muscle cells. It is made out of three amino acids: L-arginine, glycine, and L-methionine.
Creatine is transported through the blood by an active transport system, it is then used by muscles that have high energy demands, such as the brain and skeletal muscle. In fact, around 95 percent of creatine in the human body is stored in skeletal muscle.
Creatine was first identified by the French chemist, Michel Eugène Chevreul, in 1832. The chemical is not only naturally made by the body, it can also be obtained from some foods and supplements.
Because of Creatine's ability to supply energy where it is demanded, the chemical is mainly used by athletes to increase their ability to produce energy rapidly, improving athletic performance and allowing them to train harder.
The International Olympic Committee and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) allow the usage of creatine, and it is widely used among professional athletes (such as John Elway and Sammy Sosa).
Over 4 million kilograms of creatine are used by Americans every year.
Creatine is not only used by athletes to improve their overall performance, it may also help treat a range of neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders, such as arthritis, Parkinson's disease, congestive heart failure, and depression, in addition to improving cognitive ability.
Athletes take creatine supplements to improve their
performance.
Creatine supplements are commonly used by athletes because of its effectiveness in high-intensity training.
People take creatine because it allows the body to produce more energy, and with more energy " you can lift one or two more reps or 5 more pounds" and "your muscles will get bigger and stronger," said Chad Kerksick, Ph.D., assistant professor of exercise physiology at the University of Oklahoma.
Researchers published findings in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine suggesting that creatine use can increase maximum power and performance in high-intensity anaerobic repetitive work by up to 15 percent.
Increased muscle creatine content is associated with greater body mass and total body water volume.
A study published in the Journal of Athletic Training reported that creatine supplementation does result in water retention but fluid distribution does not change.
Creatine could help slow the progression of Parkinson's disease. In mice models of Parkinson's disease, creatine was able to prevent the loss of the cells that are typically affected by the condition.
Research, published in the Journal of Neurochemistry, concluded that "combination therapy using Coenzyme Q(10) and creatine may be useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and HD."
Creatine could also help improve the strength of people suffering from muscular dystrophy.
One German study found that patients who took creatine experienced an increase in muscle strength of 8.5 percent compared to those who did not take the supplement.
Dr. Rudolf Kley, of Ruhr University Bochum , Germany, lead reviewer of the study, said that the finding "shows that short- and medium-term creatine treatment improves muscle strength in people with muscular dystrophies and is well-tolerated."
It may come as a surprise that this popular supplement for athletes has properties that can help alleviate the symptoms of depression, but evidence shows that it really can.
Researchers at three different South Korean universities found that women with depression who augmented their daily antidepressant with 5 grams of creatine responded twice as fast and experienced remission of the illness at twice the rate, compared to women who took the antidepressant alone.
Researchers from the University of Sydney and Macquarie University, both in Australia, found evidence that creatine can boost memory and intelligence.
Dr Caroline Rae, who led the study said that "the results were clear with both our experimental groups and in both test scenarios. Creatine supplementation gave a significant measurable boost to brain power."
People are advised to talk to their doctor before taking creatine supplements.
At recommended doses creatine is considered safe to consume and may only cause mild side effects, including: stomach painnauseamuscle crampingdiarrheaPatients with kidney disease should completely avoid using creatine, and caution is advised for diabetics and people taking blood sugar supplements.
Written by Joseph Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Visit our sports medicine / fitness section for the latest news on this subject. Sources: University of Sydney, Macquarie University, Ruhr University Bochum, Journal of Neurochemistry, Journal of Athletic Training, Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, University of Oklahoma, Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:
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14 Jul. 2013.
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