Creatine side effects you probably won't read about...
Creatine has established itself as one of the most effective and
popular supplements available for people wanting to build muscle
and improve performance. However, there are concerns that
creatine is unsafe. Are the stories about creatine side effects
that often appear in the popular press based on fact or fiction?
One of the main reasons creatine has become so popular is that it
accelerates gains in muscle size and strength compared to
exercise alone. In a 12-week trial by Jeff Volek and a
research team from Pennsylvania State University, creatine users
ended up stronger in both the squat and bench press compared with
subjects using a "dummy" supplement. They also gained twice as
much muscle.
There are claims that creatine users are more susceptible to
cramps, muscle spasms, and even pulled muscles. However, in a
three-year study designed to find out whether these creatine side
effects really do exist, creatine had no effect on the incidence
of injury or cramping in college American footballers.
Research published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports
and Exercise shows similar results. In a group of 26 athletes
using creatine for up to four years, there was no difference in
the reported incidence of muscle cramp or injury compared with
athletes not using creatine.
When I started using creatine in 1996, I can still remember one
occasion when I suffered from extremely painful muscle cramps.
After teaching a 45-minute exercise class in a hot and humid
swimming pool hall, the first thing I should have done was get
something to drink. But I didn't. Instead, I went straight into
the office and sat down to read a newspaper.
Suddenly, the back of my left thigh started to cramp up. So, I
straightened my leg to try and ease the pain. Then, the front of
my thigh started to cramp as well. I didn't know what to do. I
couldn't bend or straighten my leg — so I just sat there hoping
the pain would go away.
Of course, I have no idea whether or not creatine contributed to
the problem. Scientists aren't really sure what causes cramp in
the first place. But up until then, I'd never experienced such
painful cramps in the front and back of my thigh at the same
time. Now, I always make sure to carry a bottle of water with me
when I go to the gym.
Most people aren't aware that creatine has protective effects in
heart, muscle and neurological diseases. In fact, several months
of
creatine supplementation in men and women with borderline high
cholesterol levels reduces very-low-density lipoprotein levels
(the so-called "bad" cholesterol) by almost one-third.
Similar findings are reported in the journal Metabolism.
Twenty-eight days of creatine supplementation and resistance
exercise lowered total cholesterol levels to a greater extent
than
resistance exercise alone.
There are isolated case reports of individuals suffering from
kidney problems after using creatine. What's more, an absence
of evidence is not evidence of absence. The fact that large
trials have yet to link the use of creatine with adverse effects
doesn't mean that none exist.
However, carefully controlled studies over the short- (five
days), medium- (nine weeks) and long-term (up to five years) have
yet to demonstrate that creatine supplementation has any adverse
effects on blood pressure, kidney or liver function in healthy
individuals. People with existing liver or kidney
problems, or those predisposed to such ailments, should seek
medical advice before using creatine.
To view this update on-line, visit:
http://thefactsaboutfitness.com/rese...tinesafety.htm
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