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IPL'S LETS GET FIT~CREATINE 101
CREATINE 101~
The latest craze among athletes and bodybuilders across America is a supplement called creatine. Creatine is found naturally in the body and can also be obtained through food and supplements. Supporters of creatine supplementation maintain that it increases strength, performance, and muscle mass. However, because of the long-term effects of creatine are not known, many people are wary of its use.
So what exactly is creatine, how does our body use it, and how do supplements assist in achieving muscular strength and size? Creatine is a nitrogenous substance synthesized mainly by the liver and to a much lesser extent by the pancreas and the kidneys, at a total rate of approximately 1-2g a day. The amino acids arginine,glycine, and methionineare combined by these vital organs to form creatine. After synthesis, creatine is carried by the bloodstream to the skeletal muscle cells, where specific protein transporter molecules carry it directly into the muscle until it is needed for energy. Most of the creatine that is taken up by the muscle is converted into phosphocreatine.
During high-intensity, short duration exercise, the amount of energy supplied is determined by the amount of phosphocreatine stored in the skeletal muscle. As phosphocreatine stores become depleted, fatigue will ultimately occur, reflecting an inability to resynthesize ATP, the primary fuel for muscle, at the rate required. Therefore, it has been presumed that increasing muscle creatine content may increase the availability of phosphocreatine and allow for a quicker rate of resynthesis of ATP during and following brief, high-intensity exercises.
Additional creatine is supplied to the body through protein-rich sources, particularly beef, pork, herring, tuna, and salmon. Generally, a mixed diet provides about one gram of creatine each day. Creatine supplements are yet another form of acquiring creatine. This pill form is preferred by many supplement users because of the high fat content of most food sources. In order to receive the 20 g of creatine recommended as a loading dose by manufacturers, one would have to consume 10 pounds of raw steak.
Athletes and bodybuilders have been particularly interested in creatine supplements because studies have shown that supplementation is associated with a significant increase in body weight, of about 1-3 kg, as well as an increase in muscle mass within 30-60 days. However, the increase in body weight can not be attributed exclusively to creatine supplementation.
The muscle cell creatine saturation effect occurs after five days of loading on 20 g of creatine. Once the muscle cell is overloaded with creatine, it is easily maintained at this level with about two 5-g doses a day. Longer training sessions at maximum muscular output can lead to quicker and larger muscle gains.
Creatine can increase water retention in cells and studies have found that people retained water because of a decrease in urine volume. Other studies suggest that there may be some increase in protein synthesis as well as a retention of fluid. Recently, concerns about the safety of creatine supplements have surfaced because of reports of dangerous dehydration as well as muscle cramps, spasms, and pulled muscles. However, these claims have not been proved, and the short-term results continue to impress athletes and bodybuilders. Until scientific research provides substantial evidence of the effects of creatine supplementation, the debate over prolonged usage will continue
Stay Strong~~!!!
IPL
The latest craze among athletes and bodybuilders across America is a supplement called creatine. Creatine is found naturally in the body and can also be obtained through food and supplements. Supporters of creatine supplementation maintain that it increases strength, performance, and muscle mass. However, because of the long-term effects of creatine are not known, many people are wary of its use.
So what exactly is creatine, how does our body use it, and how do supplements assist in achieving muscular strength and size? Creatine is a nitrogenous substance synthesized mainly by the liver and to a much lesser extent by the pancreas and the kidneys, at a total rate of approximately 1-2g a day. The amino acids arginine,glycine, and methionineare combined by these vital organs to form creatine. After synthesis, creatine is carried by the bloodstream to the skeletal muscle cells, where specific protein transporter molecules carry it directly into the muscle until it is needed for energy. Most of the creatine that is taken up by the muscle is converted into phosphocreatine.
During high-intensity, short duration exercise, the amount of energy supplied is determined by the amount of phosphocreatine stored in the skeletal muscle. As phosphocreatine stores become depleted, fatigue will ultimately occur, reflecting an inability to resynthesize ATP, the primary fuel for muscle, at the rate required. Therefore, it has been presumed that increasing muscle creatine content may increase the availability of phosphocreatine and allow for a quicker rate of resynthesis of ATP during and following brief, high-intensity exercises.
Additional creatine is supplied to the body through protein-rich sources, particularly beef, pork, herring, tuna, and salmon. Generally, a mixed diet provides about one gram of creatine each day. Creatine supplements are yet another form of acquiring creatine. This pill form is preferred by many supplement users because of the high fat content of most food sources. In order to receive the 20 g of creatine recommended as a loading dose by manufacturers, one would have to consume 10 pounds of raw steak.
Athletes and bodybuilders have been particularly interested in creatine supplements because studies have shown that supplementation is associated with a significant increase in body weight, of about 1-3 kg, as well as an increase in muscle mass within 30-60 days. However, the increase in body weight can not be attributed exclusively to creatine supplementation.
The muscle cell creatine saturation effect occurs after five days of loading on 20 g of creatine. Once the muscle cell is overloaded with creatine, it is easily maintained at this level with about two 5-g doses a day. Longer training sessions at maximum muscular output can lead to quicker and larger muscle gains.
Creatine can increase water retention in cells and studies have found that people retained water because of a decrease in urine volume. Other studies suggest that there may be some increase in protein synthesis as well as a retention of fluid. Recently, concerns about the safety of creatine supplements have surfaced because of reports of dangerous dehydration as well as muscle cramps, spasms, and pulled muscles. However, these claims have not been proved, and the short-term results continue to impress athletes and bodybuilders. Until scientific research provides substantial evidence of the effects of creatine supplementation, the debate over prolonged usage will continue
Stay Strong~~!!!
IPL