The Facts About Creatine

Newsome, C. (2014, July 23). The Truth About Creatine [Digital image].
Retrieved November 1, 2016, from https://flic.kr/p/ormV7E

Sick of constantly feeling tired? Coffee no longer putting a pep in your step? Looking for a safer alternative to energy drinks? Sounds like you need creatine! Don’t worry – it is found naturally in our bodies, especially in muscles¹.

Creatine is the body’s first choice of energy when performing high-intensity, short-duration exercise². We usually get creatine from our diet, but our kidneys and liver can make more if we don’t have enough¹. Red meat and fish are the richest sources of creatine, which gives you one more reason to have a juicy steak³.

Some people take creatine supplements, like creatine monohydrate, to enhance their athletic performance³. Doses greater than 2000 mg/kg are toxic, but normal doses between 3 and 20 g/day, which is 43-286 mg/kg for the average 70 kg male, are likely safe⁵. Researchers are unsure of its long term safety⁶. Weight gain can occur while using creatine, because it causes cells to retain water⁶. Stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, and muscle cramping may also develop⁶. Creatine has long been thought to cause kidney damage, but research is inconclusive. Kidney function is usually determined by the concentration of creatinine in urine⁷. Since creatine is broken down into creatinine, these supplements may falsely suggest kidney dysfunction⁷. Alternatives to creatine supplements include nitric oxide, eating more meat and fish, or using branched chain amino acids (BCAAs)⁸.

One of the biggest concerns with creatine supplements is that people think they’re steroids. Anabolic steroids are synthetic variations of the male hormone testosterone used to pack on muscle mass⁹. Steroids all contain 4 connected cycloalkane rings, but creatine doesn't have any⁹. Differences in the chemical structures and applications suggest that creatine is not a steroid.

Consuming low doses of creatine on a short-term basis is likely safe for you, and will provide you with lots of energy. So, if you need help powering through a tough workout or a long day, ditch the coffee and use creatine! 

References

1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). (n.d.). Creatine. Retrieved October 24, 2016, from PubChem Compound Database: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
   /compound/586
2. Norton, L. (2016). Creatine: Fact and Fiction. Retrieved October 25, 2016, from BodyBuilding: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne13.htm   
3. Creatine Information Center. (n.d.). What is creatine? Retrieved October 24, 2016, from http://www.creatinemonohydrate.net/creatine_background.html
4. Cooper, R., Naclerio, F., Allgrove, J., & Jimenez, A. (2013). Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 9(33), 1-11.
5. Creapure. (2015). Toxicological Datasheet. Retrieved from  http://www.alzchem.com
   /sites/default/files/import/datenblatt/AlzChemSicherheitsdatenblatt_000000131878_EU_EN_3.3_.pdf
6. U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2016). Creatine. Retrieved October 25, 2016, from Medline Plus: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/873.html
7. Gualano, B., Ugrinowitsch, C., Novaes, R. B., Artioli, G. G., Shimizu, M. H., Seguro, A. C., … Lancha, A. H. (2008). Effects of creatine supplementation on renal function: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 103(1), 33–40. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0669-3
8. Men's Fit Club. (n.d.). The Best Creatine Alternatives. Retrieved October 25, 2016, from http://mensfitclub.com/best-creatine-alternatives/
9. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2016). Anabolic Steroids. Retrieved October 25, 2016, from DrugFacts: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/anabolic-steroids