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Courtesy of University Sports Medicine
www.ubsportsmed.buffalo.edu
IMPORTANT NOTE: Karate Athlete strongly recommends that all athletes and coaches check the ingredients of all supplements they are considering taking or administering, against the Anti Doping list of drugs not allowed.
WHAT IS CREATINE?
Creatine monohydrate is a dietary supplement used for increasing muscle mass and improving performance in short-duration, high-intensity exercise. It is popular with athletes, weight lifters, and body builders, and has been in use for the past 5 to 10 years.
Creatine is similar to an amino acid. It is made naturally in your liver and then stored in your muscles. In your diet, it is found in red meat. As a supplement it is usually sold in powder or table form.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
When muscles contract, they use a substance called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which is broken down into adenosine diphosphate (ADP). Creatine helps turn ADP back into ATP for the working muscles, giving them a greater energy source for short bursts of exercise, such as sprinting. Creatine has been shown to be especially effective in performance of repeated bursts of exercise because it enhances recovery. Studies show that creatine increases the amount of water stored in muscle and increases muscle volume. Almost all creatine studies have been done on men.
Most athletes taking creatine will gain between 2 and 10 pounds over 4 to 10 weeks. Creatine makes athletes bigger, but not more agile or skillful. Between 20% and 30% of people who take creatine do not benefit from it, and no one knows why. Athletes who compete in sports dependent on weight, power, and short bursts of intensity (football, basketball) may benefit from creatine, while those in sports such as long distance running may not. Most studies have shown no improvement in swimming or cycling performance.
HOW DO I TAKE IT?
When you start taking creatine you need to take a loading dose for 5 days. This dose is 20 to 25 grams per day. During this phase, it is important to eat a lot of carbohydrates; this will help bring the creatine into your muscles and reduce its excretion into the urine. Creatine loading should be done in the preseason or several weeks before an important athletic event.
The maintenance dose of creatine is 2 to 5 grams per day. Most sports medicine experts believe you should stop taking it after 2 months, and the weight and performance benefits can usually be maintained through training. Many people take multiple cycles of it; taking it for 2 months, going off it for several months, and then back on it again. No one knows how long it is safe to take creatine for.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS AND SIDE EFFECTS?
The side effects of short-term creatine use are minimal. Some people may have stomach upset or muscle cramping. To avoid dehydration and possible muscle cramping, drink plenty of fluids while you are taking creatine.
The long-term risks of using creatine are not known. The use of creatine is not banned by the International Olympic Committee, or any other sports regulatory organizations. Some doctors belive that it can lead to kidney damage.
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