Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine-a compound made from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine-joins with phosphorus to make phosphocreatine. Phosphocreatine serves as a storage depot for maintaining adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels during high-intensity activities, such as sprinting, that can quickly deplete ATP . ATP is the high-energy fuel used by cells. It is believed that athletes who saturate their muscles with creatine will enhance their capacity to maintain the high-energy compound ATP and delay fatigue in high-intensity activity.

Besides our cellular synthesis of creatine from three amino acids, we can also obtain creatine from meat. (Note: The Greek root of the word creatineis is creas, which means meat.) However, normal cooking can easily reduce the creatine level offoods by denaturing this simple polypeptide.

Many athletes regularly consume creatine in the form of creatine monohydrate, and clear evidence suggests that these supplements can enhance anaerobic power and anaerobic endurance.Some limited evidence also suggests a performance bene fit. It is possible, however, that the benefit derived from taking creatine monohydrate may be due to the inadequate energy (caloric) intake commonly seen in athletes. In a recent study on repeated jump height, a 250-calorie supplementof carbohydrate was found to be more effective at sustaining maximal jump height than was a standard creatine monohydrate supplement. In addition, the carbohydrate sustained jump height without an associated weight gain, whereas the creatine monohydrate consumption was associated with a significant increase in weight.25 As previously mentioned, inadequate energy intake is one of the major problems that athletes face. It is possible that athletes with an adequate energy intake would not benefit from these supplements, although this has never been adequately tested.

Athletes consuming creatine monohydrate typically dose themselves with 10 to 28 grams, divided into four doses over the day. For instance, if the goal is to take 10 grams per day, individual doses should be 2.5 grams four times daily. The smaller the athlete, the smaller the daily dose.

There is evidence that taking daily creatine supplements causes a saturation of creatine in muscle tissue after 5 days. Therefore, creatine should not be consumed for longer than 5 days, followed by about a 5-day break in supplementation. Taking creatine supplements only 5 days per month may even be sufficient to saturate muscle tissue. Creatine storage in muscle also causes a retention of water, with a concomitant increase in weight.

The long-term safety of creatine monohydrate supplementation has never been tested on children, adolescents, or adults. There is also no solid evidence to suggest that creatine supplementation is unsafe for healthy adults, and there is no information on its safety if taken by children or over long periods of time. Athletes must determine whether creatine supplementation is appropriate for them. Before an athlete tries creatine supplementation, it may be prudent to first be certain that an adequate level of energy (calories) is being consumed.