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| iWinDirect > The Science Behind Pure Creatine | |
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The Science Behind Pure CreatineThe Science Behind Pure Creatine Creatine Monohydrate is a nutrient found naturally in the human body, where it is crucial to muscular contraction. It is formed in the liver by a metabolic pathway that requires the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine. It can also be obtained from foods such as red meat, fish, and chicken. It has an amino acid structure, but it is not a building block for protein. Creatine is produced synthetically by combining the salts sarcosine and cyanamide in a hot water bath, and dehydrating the product to produce a pure crystalline creatine powder. Effects of Creatine Monohydrate To understand how creatine functions as a performance-enhancing supplement, it is necessary to review the physiology and energetics of muscle contraction. Each individual muscle fiber contains two types of protein filaments: thick filaments, comprised of myosin strands, and thin filaments, comprised mostly of actin strands. Each muscle fiber consists of many thick and thin filaments in series with each other. Fibers, in turn, group together to form the body of a muscle. The contraction of the muscle is due to the shortening of individual muscle fibres as these filaments slide together. Myosin strands consist of long ‘tails’ connected to globular ‘head’ regions, which stick out from the side of the thick filament. Muscle contraction occurs as the myosin heads attach to the thin filament, slide the filaments together, and then release the thin filament. Only energized myosin heads are capable of this process during muscle contraction, and this energy must come in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). The energy stored in ATP is transferred to myosin, resulting in energized myosin and ADP, as outlined below. ATP + myosin ---> ADP + energized myosin Once the energized myosin head has pulled the filaments together, it must be re-energized with a new molecule of ATP before the process can be repeated. The pool of available ATP in the muscle cell is very rapidly depleted, however, and new ATP must be produced for muscular contraction to continue (the ATP pool contains only enough energy to sustain contraction for about 1-2 seconds). A deficit of ATP in contracting muscle results in fatigue and decreased strength, power, and endurance. The fastest way in which ATP is regenerated in the muscle cell is through the high-energy molecule creatine phosphate (CrP). This molecule, which comprises about two thirds of the creatine found in muscle cells, rapidly regenerates ATP from ADP, as outlined below. The ATP produced is then available to fuel further muscle contraction. Creatine phosphate + ADP ---> Creatine + ATP Creatine moves into the mitochondria, where it is re-energized to CRP before moving back into the cytosol. Published reports estimate that the pool of creatine phosphate will be depleted within approximately 10 seconds during high intensity muscular contraction. Increasing the amount of available creatine phosphate increases the rate at which ATP is made available to contracting muscle cells. Creatine is perhaps the most effective natural performance-enhancing supplement on the market today. Researchers have proven that oral supplementation with creatine monohydrate increases plasma concentration of creatine by up to 30%, and muscular concentration of creatine phosphate by up to 20%. The increased concentration of CRP results in a higher rate of ATP synthesis from ADP. The higher availability of ATP allows muscles to work at maximal output for a longer duration than possible without creatine supplementation. Oral supplementation with creatine monohydrate has been proven in numerous controlled, clinical trials published in peer-reviewed journals to enhance sport performance through increased muscular power and endurance during high intensity exercise (see examples in reference section at the end of this discussion). The elevated rate of ATP re-synthesis has also been proven to decrease recovery times between bouts of exercise, as less time is required to re-stock the cellular pool of ATP. Athletes involved in sports such as weightlifting, sprinting, wrestling, football, basketball, or any activity which involves bouts of intense activity, benefit from creatine monohydrate supplementation. Supplementation with creatine monohydrate is reported to increase cellular hydration, as the absorption of creatine requires concurrent absorption of water. It has been reported that this increased hydration is conducive to increased protein synthesis in muscle cells, and that this may contribute to the observed increase in performance. It also causes the initial weight gains noted immediately upon beginning creatine supplementation. Recommended Dosage Research has determined that results are optimized if muscle cells are saturated with creatine. This is achieved by ingesting high doses of creatine for the first 5 days of supplementation (loading phase), and then decreasing the dose to a level that maintains saturation (maintenance phase). The recommended dose is 5g four to six times a day for the loading phase (5 days) and then 5g one to three times a day for the maintenance phase. These doses are standardized for a person of about 160 pounds. A heavier person should use the high end of the recommended dosage range, while a lighter person should go with the low end of the recommended dosage range. You may need to increase or decrease these doses, depending on your body type and weight. It is recommended that supplementation be continued for up to 10 weeks followed by 2 weeks off, and then started again with the loading phase. Creatine is best taken in a beverage, such as grape juice, that contains simple sugars. The sugar causes a spike in insulin level, which is known to enhance the absorption of creatine by muscle cells. There are products on the market that contain a mixture of creatine and sugar, but the same effect is achieved by taking pure creatine in juice. Safety Since intense study of creatine supplementation began, there have been no adverse effects documented in the scientific and medical literature. All published studies have been conducted on healthy subjects, however, and it is recommended that people with liver or kidney disease avoid using creatine, since it may place extra strain on these filtering organs. Anecdotal evidence suggests that some people may experience occasional muscle cramps, intestinal discomfort or diarrhea. Should this occur, decrease your dosage levels until symptoms are alleviated. We recommend that when taking creatine you increase the volume of water that you drink each day, especially during the loading phase. References
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