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Creatine and Muscle Bulk: The Low-Down

Posted November 26, 2007 at 05:00 PM by Lisa Cieplechowicz

Section: In The News, His Fitness, Cardio Training, Strength Training, His Health, Physical Health, His Nutrition, Supplements

If you were to ask most bodybuilders or serious athletes what health supplement would best help you get bigger and stronger, they would likely point you in one direction - creatine.  However, as Men’s Health recently pointed out, it’s best not to put something into your body without knowing what it is and what it does.  So let the lesson begin.

Creatine: A History: In the 1800s, creatine was discovered as a natural constituent of meat.  After many years, scientific researchers in the 1970s realized that by taking oral creatine supplements athletes could improve their performance during brief, intense activities.  However, it wasn’t until the 1990s that creatine use became popular, touted as a more organic way to enhance athletic performance and build body mass.  Currently, creatine remains one of the most sought-after health supplements on the market.

What It Does: Creatine increases the body’s ability to produce energy rapidly.  More energy means more training, which inevitably leads to faster results.  In addition, Men’s Health reports that studies show that creatine use increases protein synthesis as it is an “osmotically active substance” that pulls water into your muscle cells. Research also suggests that if taken in addition to regular visits to the gym, creatine can generate the growth of muscle fibers.  Overall, if taken correctly and in addition to exercise and a healthy diet, prepare yourself for an improvement in training quality as well as noticeable weight gain in the form of muscle mass.  Though results vary for each individual, it is still likely your body will experience some type of change.

Potential Risks: Most good things come with a slight catch, and creatine use is no exception.  Though this health supplement has its obvious benefits, it’s important to acknowledge creatine’s possible downsides.  To begin, children under 18 should avoid creatine use for the simple reason that few studies have been done to document its effects on younger bodies.  For the rest of us, creatine use should still be entered into carefully.  Some research has linked creatine to such conditions as kidney damage, dehydration, and heart problems.  The good news is that such results were largely anecdotal, based on random investigations rather than systematic scientific evaluation.  However, it is still recommended that creatine should be used only by healthy individuals with no history of kidney problems.

What Kind To Use: Creatine can be found in several forms, however powder is probably your best bet.  Men’s Health recommends mixing the powder with fruit juice, as the sugar in the juice raises insulin levels which allows for an increased creatine uptake into the muscle.  Here’s a quick tip to tell if you purchased quality creatine powder: if it’s easy to dissolve and leaves no residue in your glass, you’re good to go.  If you find this isn’t the case, start shopping around for a better brand.

To learn even more about creatine and its effects on your body, click on any of the below links.

Research sources and for more information: [Men’s Health], [Creatine Information Center], [MedLine Plus], [picture1], [picture2]

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Tags: building muscle, bulk, creatine, creatine and youth, creatine safety, fitness, fruit juice, health, health supplement, insulin levels, kidney, kidney problems, men, muscle, muscle cells, natural, powder, weight

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