Most athletes are constantly on the lookout for anything they can do to help improve their performance. This includes adding supplements to their nutrition program. One supplement that has been on the market for years is creatine. Critics of creatine are few and far between, but any concerned athlete (or parent of a younger athlete) wonders how safe a supplement is, what kind of benefits can be expected from it, and what possible side effects could occur. Without going into scientific detail, this week we discuss some of the major pros and cons to consider before you decide to start taking a creatine supplement.
PROS
Increases Muscle Strength/Size
- muscle strength can increase more rapidly because fatigue during training is reduced, intensity of training can be maintained longer, and an increase in muscle size is promoted (ex: bodybuilders can workout longer and more intensely, and add more lean body mass than they would be able to without creatine).
Increases Muscle Energy
- performance is improved during short-duration, high intensity exercises (ex: powerlifters can lift a heavier single rep max than they would be able to without creatine).
Accelerates Energy Recovery
- faster recovery between intense bouts of exercise (ex: sprinters running 100m sprints can perform their later sprints more easily and/or at a faster speed than they would be able to without creatine).
CONS
Structured Training & Nutrition Plan Needed
- this may not seem like a con, but in order to truly reap the benefits of creatine supplementation an individual should already be working out regularly and eating healthfully. Creatine is a supplement, not a miracle drug, so it is meant to be used to improve the results one would get from their regular training and dieting efforts.
Increased Fluid Intake Required
- an additional 60-120oz of fluid intake can be required when ingesting creatine. Drinking too little when supplementing with creatine can result in severe dehydration since one of it’s functions is to increase water retention within the cells of your muscles. For this reason, athletes who are trying to maintain a certain weight, or get to a lower weight, should not take creatine while trying to do so.
Increased carbohydrate intake necessary
- creatine is best processed by the body when it is taken with a simple carbohydrate (many athletes mix their creatine with juice). For an athlete taking a higher dosage of creatine this could mean up to 720 extra calories through the course of a day. This extra caloric intake can be difficult to work into low carbohydrate, or reduced calorie, diets.
-Dickie