Creatine Use

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Creatine

Creatine is a naturally-occurring compound used by the body to help provide energy to muscles and organs. When used as a supplement, the creatine is designed to provide an energy reserve for longer, better workouts.

Performance-boosting drugs such as steroids have been clinically proven to cause significant and dangerous side effects. The stigma and legal status of steroids are clear, but millions of athletes and fitness enthusiasts have chosen creatine as a safer alternative to steroids without understanding its true risks and rewards.

Here are some key facts to consider before using creatine as a supplement:

The Rewards

Athletes using creatine report experiencing increased energy and gains in muscle mass, which promote the ability to work muscles longer before experiencing fatigue.

Muscle mass gains are largely attributed to a short-term increase in water retention. At a chemical level, decreased fatigue can be attributed to creatine’s effect on delaying lactic acid build-up. Because of these factors, creatine is expected to have the most benefit for athletes required to perform short-term, sudden muscle activity, including weightlifting.

On a deeper level, initial studies in mice have demonstrated the efficacy of creatine in easing the effects of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). However, human studies have yet to show that regular use of creatine will scientifically benefit people currently living with ALS.

The Risks

There are a number of common side effects associated with the use of creatine, including the following:

  • Nausea
  • Muscle cramps
  • Diarrhea
  • Dehydration

During regular and/or heavy use of creatine, the risk of dehydration increases significantly, which can cause long-term damage to kidneys. For that reason, it is vital that people who choose to use creatine ensure that they are properly hydrated.

Also, lactic acid levels are the body’s way of regulating strenuous muscle activity, and creatine’s ability to cause a delay in this mechanism could lead to increased risks for muscle injuries.