Creatine

Creatine is one of the most widely used legal supplements in modern sport. Its use in competitive events date back to the the late 1970s where it was reportedly being used by the infamous eastern bloc Olympians. It first came into the public eye during the 1992 Olympics where its was reported to be involved in the gold medal performances of several British track athletes.

Creatine first became available to the general public in 1993 and was sold under the name Phosphagen. Its use is widespread among athletes who rely on power and strength, specifically sprinters, rowers and weight lifters. Perhaps creatines biggest use is in the world of bodybuilding where it enjoys a cult status. Bodybuilders use it to promote gains in weight and strength and also to enhance recovery after intense resistant training.

Out of all the compounds used in the world of sport creatine is probably one of the most extensively researched and documented supplements. It has repeatedly been shown to improve athletic performance. A recent study has also linked creatine to improved concentration and cerebral activity.

How does it work?

Creatine is stored within the muscle as a substance called PCr (phosphocreatine). In intensive exercise the muscles use a substance called ATP to provide energy to power the contractions. When ATP is “burnt” in the muscles a waste compound called ATD is formed. In the presence of phosphocreatine ATD is converted back to ATP which provides further fuel and hence muscular endurance is increased.

When the levels of PCr increase in a muscle the osmotic pressure increases drawing more water into the muscles. Many people who supplement with creatine find that there strength is also enhanced this is believed to be due to the increase of intra muscular water retention. Another benefit is that greater the amount of water draw into a muscle the better supply of nutrients and therefore a higher degree of anabolism can be achieved.

Types of creatine

Creatine monohydrate – The standard most popular form of creatine, with reported annual U.S. sales topping the $400 million.

Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE) – Developed in 2004 the ethyl ester attachment supposedly greatly improves the solubility and uptake of creatine in the body. Because of this no loading phase is required and it does not need to be taken with carbohydrates.

Creatine Serum – A liquid form of creatine supposedly more soluble than the powdered versions although there is very little evidence to back this up and it tends to be quite a bit more expensive.

Supplementation

There are many different theories on the best method of creatine supplementation, some people take it before exercise, some after. Some people believe a loading phase is necessary and some don’t. I have used several different methods and find that with monohydrate 5 grams in the morning and 5 grams after exercise to be the most effective. I mix the monohydrate with water and 25 grams of the simple carbohydrate dextrose. The ingestion of simple carbohydrates results in an insulin spike which helps to drive the creatine into the muscles. With regards to a loading phase I believe an additional 10 grams for the first 5 days appears to be sufficient although in many peoples opinion it is not necessary.

With creatine ethyl ester I would recommend 3 grams 30 minutes before exercise and 3 grams immediately after. There is no need to use a simple carbohydrate with CEE as the solubility is much higher than monohydrate. The most important thing to remember when you are using any type of creatine is to drink plenty of water.

References

Poortmans J, Francaux M. Longterm oral creatine supplementation does not impair renal function in healthy athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Vol. 31, N0. 8, pp. 11081110, 1999.
Wikipedia Creatine Article
Creatine Supplementation Beth Lulinski, M.S., R.D.