By Madison Headen
Creatine is a substance that is naturally found in the body and used as a source of additional energy. It is found in many foods, such as milk and red meat, but it has recently gained popularity as a nutritional supplement. It is now regularly sold in the supplement market, and it is even seen to be added to some energy drink companies that target university students and athletes, such as Bang energy. Since nutritional supplements do not require FDA approval to be sold in stores, it is important to research a supplement before using it. Although there are some mixed results in the studies involving the effectiveness of creatine, most studies show that it can be effective and is rarely harmful.
95% of the body’s creatine is found in skeletal muscle cells because it primarily functions as a source of quick energy for a short burst of physical activity. Muscle cells have stores of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) that are used up before glycolysis and aerobic respiration begin to use the body’s glycogen stores to produce even more ATP. When the body uses ATP, one of the phosphate molecules is removed, producing energy that the body will use for exercise of metabolic processes. In muscle cells, creatine acts to regenerate ATP that has already lost a phosphate molecule, therefore prolonging the period in which the body has its own stores of energy and does not need to perform glycolysis or aerobic respiration.
Supplements were created to increase the amount of creatine that is stored in the skeletal muscle cells, elongating the usage of the stored ATP so that the body can work for a longer period of time without the initiation of glycolysis and aerobic respiration. Evidence shows that creatine likely increases muscle function in strength training and activities that require quick bursts of energy. Creatine is not known to have positive effects on endurance training. It also could improve an athlete’s recovery period. It is important to note that the majority of the studies conducted to discover the effectiveness of creatine has used male studies. It is believed that females will not have the same benefits from creatine that males may receive.
In addition to the evidence on physical performance, studies have also shown other possible benefits of creatine. It is believed that it can reduce injuries in athletes’ muscles, tendons joints, etc. It also could slow the reduction in bone density that humans experience with age. Some evidence also suggests that creatine could improve cognitive performance. Lastly, it is hypothesized that creatine deficient children could take creatine supplements to help with their reduced metabolic processes.
Creatine has been deemed generally safe by many scientists and physicians. The side effects of creatine are rare and generally only theories, but it is important to know since this supplement is relatively new. Scientists believe that creatine can be harmful when taken with excessive caffeine. It is also recommended that people with known kidney problems abstain from using creatine.
Researching supplements before buying them is so essential in the US. Many supplements reach the shelves of stores before being FDA approved, so it is vital that consumers conduct their own research and take precautions when trying new supplements.
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