Creatine is necessary for athletes and all bodybuilding enthusiasts to build muscle mass and increase endurance in power loads. This is an effective natural and safe supplement that has nothing to do with steroids. The substance is found in its natural form - in animal foods. Most of all in herring, then in decreasing order in pork, beef, salmon and cod. However, the body itself is able to produce creatine in the required quantities and accumulate it in muscle mass. Endurance directly depends on the high content of this amino acid in the muscles.

Creatine was first isolated in the middle of the 19th century from animal meat. In the form of powder or capsules, it appeared in the early 90s of the 20th century and is still popular to this day. The reason for this was the constant eating by athletes of a large amount of meat, which, although it built up muscles, depresses digestion.

Benefits of the Supplement

The amino acid creatine allows you to increase endurance in just a few days. After a month of use, there is a noticeable muscle growth, and body weight increases by 7 kg. This gives athletes extra strength to lift heavy weights and improve their workouts.

Thanks to creatine, there is a noticeable burst of energy, as the burst of energy increases by 20%. Also, there is no fatigue during exercise and heavy and exhausting loads are more steadfastly tolerated. After exercise, the body recovers better and faster, which is suitable for everyone who is seriously into sports and needs to be in shape every day. In the process of training, the energy of creatine is used, and then the energy of glucose.

This schedule will avoid addiction and will not disrupt the natural production of amino acids in the body.

How to prepare creatine. Dry creatine powder (5 g or 1 teaspoon) must be mixed with sugar (10-30 g) and added to any drink - water or juice (except citrus fruits). The amount of liquid is exactly 1 glass, which will allow the water balance to remain at the proper level. An increase in the daily dose does not affect the effectiveness in any way, since the excess of the substance is not absorbed.

Creatine must be consumed with sugary drinks in order to increase the transport of this amino acid into muscle fibers due to the release of insulin. Adjust the sweetness according to individual preferences, for reference, some professionals dilute it in water with 100 g of sugar and then inject insulin additionally!

The first five days of application. For the first week, take this energy shake 4 times a day.

Training day. Before and after you need to drink 1 teaspoon of creatine, which corresponds to the daily norm. This will allow the supplement to be better absorbed in the body.

Observe regularity. Take the supplement daily without skipping. This rule is more important than the exact time of admission.

There is another way to use creatine to increase endurance. It can be used from the very beginning for the whole month 2 times a day. This option is no less effective for.

What else should be considered about creatine

1. has nothing to do with creatine and is intended. Do not confuse two substances that are completely different in effect, otherwise you will nullify attempts to become muscular.
2. Creatine negatively affects people prone to high blood pressure, as it retains water in the body and adversely affects the heart muscle.
3. Various reviews indicate that the supplement may not have an effect on athletes who have previously used steroids.
4. In some cases, individual intolerance is possible.
5. Creatine flushes out potassium from the body, leading to nighttime cramps. Therefore, during the course, increase the consumption of bananas, seaweed, raisins, dried apricots or peanuts.
6. It is an approved and safe supplement for healthy people. Scientific research has shown complete absence of side effects.
7. If you have chronic diseases or allergies, do not be too lazy to consult a doctor before taking not only creatine, but also other sports nutrition substances.
8. Creatine acts instantly and a tangible effect is noticeable already in the first weeks of use.
9. Suitable for all fans of aerobic and power loads, as well as for athletes of different levels of training and those who need to quickly restore shape after a workout.
10. Creatine from well-known brands Optimum Nutrition, Gaspari Nutrition, MuscleTech, Cellucor, Dymatize has proven itself well. Strive to choose German or American manufacturers.

The price of creatine - Creatine Powder Optimum Nutrition 600 g is about 1200 rubles; 100% Scitec Nutrition Creatine 500 g about 760?820 rubles. Kilogram cans, respectively, are more profitable in price.

Watch a video about creatine - what it is and how it affects the body.

Creatine supplements are among the most popular in the entire sports nutrition market. A huge number of beginners try to use creatine supplements to gain muscle mass, while not thinking about their possible side effects. It is generally accepted that this class of supplements is absolutely harmless, but is it really so? Today we will look at all the possible negative effects of taking creatine.

In addition, it must be taken into account that to date there are no reliable studies confirming the safety of consuming creatine in the long term.

Let's dwell on each point in more detail. This will allow you to objectively assess the safety of creatine supplements. It is worth noting that all the information below applies only to creatine monohydrate. It is this type of additive that has the greatest accumulated statistics of its use. In other words, creatine monohydrate is better known from a practical point of view.

Regarding other creatine compounds (salts), the situation is as follows: on the one hand, there is not enough statistical practical information about the safety of their use, and on the other hand, there are no reliable studies on this topic to date. So, one should not think that other creatine compounds are safer and more reliable than monohydrate, but at the same time, their harm has not been proven due to lack of research.

1. Indigestion
When creatine is taken mixed in clean water on an empty stomach, creatine is more likely to cause diarrhea. We talked about this in the article on how to take creatine.

In the context of this topic, we recall that with such use of creatine, its molecules will stick around the intestinal walls and will wait for any nutrients in order to pass through the intestinal membrane and enter the bloodstream for subsequent full assimilation. However, if your gastrointestinal (GI) tract is empty and you're not using any sugary drink, chances are your intestines won't recognize these molecules and will want to flush them out. You can verify this by doing the simplest experiment above. By the way, this is why manufacturers recommend using creatine along with simple carbohydrates, whether it be juice or a sweet drink.

Too large single doses of creatine will contribute to the fact that some of the food eaten is not digested. The result will be exactly the same indigestion. According to the scheme already familiar to us, creatine molecules will begin to attract liquid to themselves, while being in the intestines, which will force the gastrointestinal tract to take measures to dispose of all the contents, since the feces will swell and will not fit. Roughly speaking, you will have diarrhea.

2. Fluid accumulation
It is no secret that creatine is an osmotically active substance, i. its molecules attract water to themselves. This is easy to see with regular use of creatine. Muscles become more filled, and body weight grows in many respects precisely because of this fact. By the way, many athletes confuse weight gain on a creatine cycle with a real set of muscle mass. In fact, the lion's share of "progress" in this case falls only on edema, i.e. for fluid accumulation.

What is the disadvantage of this feature of creatine? The most basic fact, because of which the use of creatine should be correct, is the possible increase in blood pressure. The supplement after passing through the human gastrointestinal tract is absorbed into the blood. For some time, creatine circulates through the bloodstream, attracting fluid along the way. Thus, the amount of circulating blood increases, which leads to increased pressure. In practice, all this is manifested by a “wave” indicator of pressure: it either drops or rises, and during the day.

If, while taking creatine, you actively use salts and minerals, then there is a chance to unnecessarily increase the pressure. Of course, salts and minerals are one of the most necessary nutritional elements for any person, but during the course of creatine they should not be overdone. It is important to observe the measure, otherwise you can simply end up in the hospital. It is important to drink plenty of fluids in order to maintain the integrity of the water-salt balance, but more on that later.

It should be noted that the state of the cardiovascular system has a direct impact on the human kidneys. We will not go into medical jungle, we will only note that excessive accumulation of fluid and the appearance of edema can adversely affect the health of an athlete or athlete. That is why we do not recommend the use of creatine in large quantities (more than 3-5 grams per day) for people prone to edema or those who suffer from disturbed water-salt balance. There is a chance that you simply will not be able to easily get rid of excess fluid after you stop taking creatine.

Many people believe that to avoid swelling due to taking creatine, it is enough to drink less. Alas, not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance. In no case do not cut the amount of water you drink per day. Creatine molecules will take the liquid in any case, just as salt does with minerals - this is an axiom of biochemistry. The question remains: where does creatine get its liquid from?

With sufficient consumption of drinking water, there are no problems with this issue, but with a lack of water in the diet, creatine molecules take extracellular fluid, which in turn can have a rather deplorable effect on human health and pressure. That is why we strongly recommend that you consume adequate amounts of water per day. Note that it is water. All kinds of juices, tea, coffee, etc. are not considered, the body does not perceive them as water, and does not use such a liquid to maintain water-salt homeostasis. And about the amount of water required per day, we we talk in a separate article.

3. Liver and kidneys
The safety of creatine is actively promoted online. It is believed that it has no effect on both the liver and kidneys. Alas, this is not entirely true. Of course, more than 95% of creatine is successfully absorbed into the blood and muscles, but there is still a certain limit to the absorption of this energy compound.

If you eat an "extra" amount of creatine, then it will not enter the muscle fibers. The body will have to dispose of this substance. The only possible way out is filtration in the liver and subsequent excretion through the kidneys. This is how creatine loads these organs. In fairness, it should be noted that all this is true only when reasonable dosages are exceeded.

As for the large doses of creatine that are characteristic of the so-called loading, not everything is as safe here as it seems to many. Most printed publications and Internet sites say that creatine is completely harmless, but the results of an independent, placebo-controlled government study prove otherwise (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11790236).

It turned out that megadoses of creatine (more than 1 gram of creatine per kilogram of body weight) have a tremendous effect on the synthesis of various liver enzymes, which, of course, are released into the general human bloodstream. At the same time, the excretory system as a whole, and the kidneys in particular, suffer from an increased load that is incomparable with the usual life and diet. As a result, kidney stones are formed, and the structure of the excretory tubules begins to partially collapse. The results of the study make it clear that individuals suffering from certain pathologies associated with the kidneys or liver should better stop taking additional creatine in the form of supplements.

There is also another study proving that even 20 grams of creatine per day has an effect on the body (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19124889). So creatine loading is not the best way to take a supplement, and we talked about this in detail in a separate article.

Therefore, if any doses of creatine can have a negative effect on the liver and kidneys, then no one has the right to claim the safety of normal doses. We don't call a poison safe if we use it in small amounts, do we? At the same time, the rejection of the additional intake of creatine quickly returns the body to its previous state, with the exception of already severe cases.

Alas, at the moment there are no more detailed and in-depth studies on what exactly happens to creatine in the liver, and what negative consequences can be. All that we know, we have listed above. In fairness, it should be noted once again that creatine causes real harm to the liver and kidneys only at megadoses. Surely the number of people using such large portions is relatively small, but still, the fact remains.

Long term creatine supplementation
Cyclic creatine intake is now recommended everywhere. As a rule, it is advised to use the supplement for 25-40 days, and then take exactly the same break. However, few people know why the course of creatine should be “wave”. The fact is that almost all studies regarding creatine have tried to identify and analyze only the short-term effects of creatine. But no one knows what will happen with the non-stop use of creatine for a long time. This is where all the recommendations for cyclic reception come from.

Results
From the foregoing, it follows that statements about the complete safety of creatine are still untenable. There are a number of conditions and factors that can contribute to the occurrence of certain side effects. Of course, it will not harm your health in any way, but at the same time, thoughtless use can undermine its foundations. This once again proves the fact that you cannot trust the statements of sports supplement manufacturers and various purchased reviews or commercial studies. Always double-check the information, look for links to government and independent studies. and no negative effects will be observed.

Content:

What is the effect and benefits of this supplement. Are there possible negative consequences for the body when using it.

Creatine is a popular supplement in the bodybuilding industry that is capable of “miracles”. Its action is aimed at increasing strength, gaining mass, accelerating recovery processes and solving a number of other problems. What are its features? What are the possible side effects? Is the supplement dangerous for the body? These questions require consideration.

Purpose

Creatine is a compound that normalizes energy metabolism and provides movement (contraction) of muscle fibers. It is known that every movement requires energy. If all sources of ATP are "empty", then the muscles are not able to contract. The task of creatine is to fill the ATP deficiency and guarantee the required amount of energy. The greater the volume of the substance accumulates in muscle cells, the more active the training process is.

This supplement is characterized by affordability and effectiveness in terms of strength and mass gains. The benefit is as follows:

• Acceleration of protein production and muscle gain.
• Protection against the formation of lactic acid, which causes a sensation of "burning" in muscle tissues.
• Increasing the volume of muscle cells due to high hydration (fluid accumulation).
• Replenishment of energy deficit.

In practice, the synthesis of creatine occurs with the use of 3 amino acids - glycine, methionine and arginine. At the same time, almost all of it is located in muscle fibers. For one kilo of weight, there are approximately 3-4 grams. Thanks to the additional intake, it is possible to accumulate creatine in the muscles and make the body hardy, accelerate mass gain, and achieve increased strength.

Thus, the benefits of the substance are not in doubt. But are there side effects? What harm does it do to the body?

Water retention

The main property athletes love about creatine is water retention. Thanks to this phenomenon, the muscles quickly acquire the desired volume and retain it for a long time. But scientists agree that somatic activity does not harm the body. Despite the fact that such side effects occur in all athletes during the intake process, they are not dangerous. At the same time, the percentage of accumulated fluid is small - from 0.5 to 2 liters per course. Sometimes it is impossible to determine the fact of water retention visually.

The main mistake of beginners is trying to limit the delay by taking diuretics or minimizing water intake. This is unacceptable, because the risk of dehydration (lack of water) increases, which is already dangerous for the body and causes irreparable harm.

After completing the course, the weight of the athlete decreases. This is fine. The phenomenon is explained by the abolition of creatine intake and the removal of accumulated water from the body.

Dehydration

Dehydration has a close relationship with the phenomenon described above. The essence of this side effect is simple: the action of creatine is aimed at the accumulation of the liquid component of the blood in the muscle fibers. As a result, the body experiences a shortage of fluid, there are “side effects” - a violation of thermoregulation and metabolic processes, malfunctions in the acid-base balance of the stomach, and so on.

To eliminate the negative impact on the body and avoid harm to internal organs, it is enough during the course increase the amount of water consumed up to three liters. In this case, the process of filling the cells with liquid is activated, the electrolyte balance is normalized and the harm of creatine is excluded. A common mistake of beginners (recently and professionals) is taking a course while taking diuretics. The action of the latter is aimed at removing water from the body, which almost always guarantees harmful consequences.

Spasms

Among the side effects in the process of taking creatine are spasms and convulsions. Versions of such a danger are often put forward in the press, on specialized forums and in online publications. In practice, this effect "lives" only on paper. In reality, the occurrence of seizures at the stage of application of the supplement is minimal. Moreover, scientists have conducted a number of studies that exclude their appearance while taking the drug.

The phenomena described above are possible, but only because of the imbalance of water in the body and dehydration. It is also believed that cramps are possible due to an increase in muscle mass, an increase in strength. In the process of training, the athlete receives an increased load, which is why spasms occur during the recovery period. This is a natural process that should not be associated with creatine.

gastrointestinal tract

Digestion deserves special attention. It is believed that taking creatine can lead to problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Common side effects are nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, flatulence, and others. Such actions of the additive are possible at the loading phase, when an increased volume of the drug enters the body. The reason for the negative manifestations is the accumulation in the stomach of crystals of a substance that are characterized by slow solubility.

However, not all creatine supplements cause this effect in the digestive area. If creatine is purified, then harm to the gastrointestinal tract is minimal or non-existent. The supplement is in demand in the form of a liquid or capsules, which reduces the risk to the gastrointestinal tract. But the effectiveness of the reception is also reduced.

Recently, the shelves are overflowing with additives that are safe according to manufacturers, which have no side effects and are quickly absorbed by the body. The developers claim that the composition uses new forms of creatine, including krealkalin, ethyl ester and others. At the same time, consumers are advised to reduce the dosage to minimize negative manifestations. But if the studies are to be believed, then to get results, the dosage must be respected and be the same as in the case of the monohydrate.

But pharmacology does not stand still. Forms of the substance are produced that are distinguished by the absence of "side effects" for the gastrointestinal tract due to improved solubility. Among the most popular are creatine malate and citrate.

Blackheads, pimples

Athletes note that acne (pimples) may appear during the course. It is impossible to exclude such a phenomenon, but it manifests itself in rare cases. The reason is an increase in testosterone levels, without which muscle growth is impossible. Such a sign is a positive factor, because it indicates the efficiency of the additive.

Liver and kidneys

Today there are unsubstantiated arguments that taking creatine is dangerous for the liver and affects the kidneys. Informal studies confirm that during the period of intake, the volume of metabolites in the body increases by 90 times. It is difficult to determine the harm of metabolites, because the additive is used for a limited period of time. Potentially there is a risk of stone formation or toxic effects on the body. So if you have problems with the kidneys, it is still recommended to abandon the drug.

As for the liver, the substance in it is not metabolized and cannot negatively affect the organ. This was confirmed by studies, according to the results of which long-term use did not lead to violations.

Results

Claiming that creatine is 100% safe is not worth it, but claims regarding side effects are overstated. When taken correctly, the supplement is not capable of causing harm. Moreover, with its help it is possible to achieve results that previously could only be dreamed of.

Truth or lie

K reatin is a nitrogen-containing carboxylic acid, which is involved in energy metabolism in muscle and nerve cells. In absolutely all vertebrates, this element is formed from creatine phosphate, otherwise called creatine phosphoric acid.

The system formed during the production of creatine works according to the method of delivering an energetically valuable material to those places where its deficiency is felt.

As a rule, ATP, an energy storage molecule, begins to perform its function worse in places of increased muscle activity. The resources stored in it may not be enough, and then the phosphocreatine kinase system of the cell begins to act. It carries out transport from one cellular mechanism to another.

Possible harm

The question of the side effects of creatine has been around for a long time, and at the moment, scientists are able to give a clear answer to it. According to studies, the negative effects of this chemical element appear in only 4% of cases, and of these, only 0.01% are irreversible. Obviously, these are quite low figures.

Recent studies have shown that creatine is a quality and almost completely harmless nutritional supplement. He shows negative features only in case of a serious overdose, in the rest, his use, on the contrary, has only a positive effect.

Some scientists are even inclined to believe that the rational use of creatine-containing supplements can increase life expectancy.

The risk of side effects can be minimized by purchasing the supplement from reputable stores. Several quality creatine options are available here.

While creatine itself has no side effects, other chemicals, such as vasoactive amino acids, can cause side effects by reacting with creatine. That is, when choosing a nutritional supplement containing creatine, it is important to properly study the entire composition.

Water retention in the body

Water retention when taking creatine monohydrate is due to its osmotic activity. This is due to a decrease in kidney function with an increase in the concentration of creatine in the blood. In other words, the excretory function decreases and slows down the process of urine formation. This is usually associated with the growth of muscle fibers, in which creatine is normally produced.

From here, the question of the appearance of edema should follow, however, they can not be feared. Water in the body is not retained in such a large volume to lead to the formation of "bags" under the eyes or swelling of the limbs.

Changes in urination will also not be observed, because on average the amount of fluid in the body increases by no more than 1-2 liters. This is not enough to form physically tangible discomfort.

This effect will also not affect health. With a similar reaction, the body evens out the violation of the osmotic balance. That is, speaking of fluid retention when using creatine, we are talking about the natural compensatory function of the body.

The use of creatine also does not threaten the withdrawal syndrome - in case you decide to stop using it, the body simply get rid of accumulated water, which will be noticeable at the next weighing. It is expected that on average your weight will decrease by 1-2 kg.

Knowing that fluid gain is a normal effect associated with this creatine supplementation, don't try to speed up the water loss process. Do not take caffeinated drugs, do not reduce the amount of fluids consumed, do not take diuretics - all this can lead to the development of dehydration.

Dehydration

Dehydration is directly related to water retention, however, if the accumulation of water is just a compensatory reaction of the body, then dehydration can really be harmful.

The strong osmotic activity of creatine can cause the transition of the liquid part of the blood into muscle tissue, disrupting the metabolism, thermoregulation and acid-base balance. Dehydration provoked by this reaction, adequate rehydration can return to normal.

In order to normalize the electrolyte balance, you just need to increase the daily volume of fluid consumed up to 3-4 liters.

Most often, this problem does not affect ordinary athletes, but it strongly affects bodybuilders, who at certain periods arrange the so-called “drying” of the body, thereby causing serious harm to it.

Indigestion

In some cases, after taking creatine, gastrointestinal distress is observed, manifested by abdominal pain, diarrhea and nausea.

If this effect is achieved, it is most often at the beginning of the intake, when the body adapts to the artificial addition of creatine and the dose itself is slightly increased compared to the dose of regular use (“loading phase”).

Slowly dissolving creatine crystals accumulate in the stomach, leading to indigestion.

According to scientists, creatine citrate and creatine malate less likely to cause negative consequences of the above character due to its high solubility, in contrast to the monohydrate.

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Myths and legends

As with any product gaining traction in terms of use, creatine-containing nutritional supplements have given rise to many myths.

Creatine poses no real or indirect threat. He does not cause sexual dysfunction, does not provoke convulsions and spasms, does not increase blood pressure, does not contain toxic substances and does not overload the heart muscle in any way.

Studies on each of these questions were conducted on different groups of athletes and gave a negative result. This confirms the status of creatine as a safe dietary supplement.

Creatine is a carboxylic acid containing nitrogen. Energy processes in muscles and nerve cells occur with the participation of this acid.

The system resulting from the formation of this element acts according to the method of delivery to those places where there is a shortage of creatine.

Where the activity in the muscles is most active, the particle in which energy reserves accumulate does not perform its purpose well. This is what happens in most cases. The reserves that it contains are not enough, in this case, the phosphocreatine kinase cellular program comes into play. The system performs transport between cells. Have a different effect.

Is Creatine Really Harmful?

This question has been around for a long time, and finally, the researchers got an exact answer to it. Studies have shown that side effects from creatine occur in only 4% of cases of use of this substance. And only a hundredth of a percent of all cases with irreversible consequences. This figure is very low.

The results of recent scientific studies have shown that the substance is a high-quality food supplement, almost 100% safe, and has a beneficial effect on the body. Harm from creatine possible, only if the dosage is exceeded.

Some researchers even believe that proper use of creatine can extend life by several years.

But, for example, such chemical elements as vasoactive acids, interacting with creatine, can cause a negative effect on the body. Therefore, when choosing a food supplement that contains creatine, you need to carefully read the composition.

Fluid retention during the use of creatine monohydrate is caused by its high level of osmotic activity. The link lies in a decrease in kidney function and an increase in the concentration of creatine in the body. In other words, the formation of urine slows down due to a decrease in excretory function. As a rule, this is due to an increase in muscle tissue, in which creatine is formed. But edema does not appear at the same time, since the volume of water that is retained in the body is not large enough.

The volume of water in the body increases by 1-2 liters, this is not so much, so urination will remain at the same level, discomfort will not be felt.

Fluid retention will not affect health. Thus, water retention when using creatine-containing substances is a natural compensatory reaction of the body.

Once you stop apply creatine, you will lose a couple of kilograms due to the fact that excess water will leave.

An increase in the amount of water in the body when using creatine is a normal reaction of the body. No need to try to speed up the removal of excess fluid. Diuretics, drugs containing caffeine, and reduced fluid intake can cause dehydration.

Dehydration

Dehydration is caused by fluid retention. Dehydration, in contrast to the accumulation of fluid in the body (a simple compensatory reaction), is very dangerous.

Due to the high osmotic activity of creatine, blood can pass into the muscles, which disrupts metabolic processes. The dehydration caused by such a reaction can be normalized with the right rehydration measures.

To normalize the electrolyte balance, it is enough to drink 3-4 liters of water during the day.

In most cases, the risk of dehydration is high in those who are engaged in bodybuilding (during the so-called "drying" period), ordinary athletes are practically not affected by this problem.

Disruption of the digestive system when taking monohydrate

B There are cases when, after taking the monohydrate, indigestion is observed. Its symptoms are pain in the stomach and intestines, nausea, diarrhea.

In most cases, this happens after the first days of taking a nutritional supplement, when the body adapts to a new substance, or when the dosage is exceeded.

Crystals do not have time to dissolve and settle in the stomach, which causes discomfort.

Researchers claim that when using pure creatine, side effects are much less common than when using monograms.
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Fictional stories about creatine

Such substances do not bring real harm. Beliefs that creatine negatively affects the functioning of the heart, causes spasms and convulsions, causes hypertension and impotence, as well as the fact that it contains toxic substances, are common misconceptions of ignorant people.

A detailed study of the mechanism of action of creatine showed that almost no side effects. Athletes from different groups took part in such studies and negative data were obtained in all categories, which confirms the safety of creatine use.