creatine benefits... (interesting article)

[supersudo]

i remember reading sometime ago on this board that creatine (or something) should be cycled..

i just came across a fairly new article talking about taking it daily as it helps a lot of other things besides muscle building..

source:
http://www.vitacost.com/newsletter/newsletter.cfm?nl=238

also they sell 1kg (2.2lbs) of creatine powder for 18.99!
http://www.vitacost.com/NSICreaPureregCreatine


cut and paste of the article:
--------------------------

Creatine Benefits go Well Beyond Building Muscles
By Allen S. Josephs, M.D.
President, Vitacost.com 08/25/2005

The supplement creatine is well known to most of you weightlifters and athletes. If you were to go into a gym and see some muscle-bound fellow, there is a high likelihood that that individual takes creatine on a regular basis. Although most of you readers of this newsletter may be healthier and more fit than the general population, I suspect that the majority of us are not pumping iron or participating in triathlons.

However, it now appears that you don't need to be in serious physical training to enjoy the tremendous benefits of creatine, Creatine, as it turns out, has some tremendous health benefits outside of the sports fitness arena that could benefit all of us as well. Let's explore several studies that have shown broader implications of creatine for your health.

But first, a little background on the nutrient. Creatine was discovered by a French scientist, Chevreul, from a meat extract in 1832. It was found that creatine levels in wild animals were 10 times higher compared to captive animals, suggesting that physical activity might have an influence on the amount of creatine in an animal's body. However, it wasn't until the early 1990s that creatine supplementation was found to enhance sports performance. By 1996, it was estimated that 80% of the athletes who participated in the summer Olympics were using creatine. Now please bear in mind, creatine is not in any way considered a drug. It is not an anabolic steroid or a prohibited nutrient. It is considered a food product. Mark McGwire, during his 1998 Major League Baseball homerun record-breaking year, was said to have used "legal and sanctioned" creatine.*

The highest concentrations of creatine are found in beef, along with certain fish, such as salmon, tuna and herring. It naturally occurs in your body, although only approximately half of the required creatine is synthesized in the body. The other half must be ingested. Creatine and its phosphorylated form, phosphocreatine are absolutely essential in the generation of ATP energy molecules which power our cells. It is sort of like recharging the rechargeable batteries in our bodies.

In the July 2005 edition of the prestigious journal, Thorax1 researchers out of Glasgow, Scotland tested creatine supplementation in a group of thirty eight patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Half of the group was given a loading dose of creatine monohydrate 5.7 grams three times daily for two weeks following by 5.7 grams daily thereafter, while the other group was given placebo. Baseline pulmonary function testing was performed, along with measurement of muscle mass, muscle strength and endurance. All individuals participated in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. It was found that those patients treated with creatine increased fat free mass by about 2-

 

[jkuhlmann]

from personal experience i would recommend creatine for chemo patients. for the year or so i needed it, i kept in the gym and trained BJJ. i used creatine pretty much the whole time, and got no results from the weight lifting....but i was able to maintain myself very well for someone receiving that treatment.

it did make my liver enzymes go way up, and that freaked out my doctor but i didn't give a shit...she was working for me, godamit

 

[Brand Nizzle]

Is liver enzymes going up a good thing?

 

[Wild Dan Hibiki]

probably not

 

[supersudo]

i guess i forgot to state my question.. lol

should creatine be cycled or taken continuously?... and what does liver enzymes going up do? lol

 

[jkuhlmann]

and what does liver enzymes going up do? lol

i don't know if it does anything, per se. but it signals that your liver is working harder than it usually does....for instance, drnking alcohol will raise the enzymes.

 

[Timbaland]

Wow, I need to start taking creatine. It sucks I can't keep it at home either because of all the bad press it received in the past, my mom would throw it away if she saw it. Supersudo, no tests have really been done to my recollection of whether or not it should be cycled. People are still arguing whether it will have long term effects. Some argue that taking it continously will make your body stop making as much naturally. Neither side has been proven from what i recall.

 

[supersudo]

i don't know if it does anything, per se. but it signals that your liver is working harder than it usually does....for instance, drnking alcohol will raise the enzymes.

hmm.. that can't be good :icon_excl

 

[supersudo]

Wow, I need to start taking creatine. It sucks I can't keep it at home either because of all the bad press it received in the past, my mom would throw it away if she saw it. Supersudo, no tests have really been done to my recollection of whether or not it should be cycled. People are still arguing whether it will have long term effects. Some argue that taking it continously will make your body stop making as much naturally. Neither side has been proven from what i recall.

yeh well.. this article does seem pretty biased.. and 1-sided... maybe creatine in moderation and cycled would be the safest bet..

better safe than sorry.. :wink:

 

[Rjkd12]

Wow, I need to start taking creatine. It sucks I can't keep it at home either because of all the bad press it received in the past, my mom would throw it away if she saw it. Supersudo, no tests have really been done to my recollection of whether or not it should be cycled. People are still arguing whether it will have long term effects. Some argue that taking it continously will make your body stop making as much naturally. Neither side has been proven from what i recall.

When I would have this problem I would lay out all the FACTS (not opinions) about the topic and attempt to convince my mom it was ok. First, learn a lot about it yourself. This will be good so you personally know and are not just reading the lable, and then you'll be able to convince your mom more. Second, orgainze it logically. Sit your mom down and say "I have been thinking about taking creatine, this is what I know, what do you think now." If she is rational and you have done your own research she should say yes.

I have read about the second concern, is your own body stopping making it. It will most likely, or at least reduce its own production. It would be dumb not to. I did read though that within 2 days (if my memory serves correctly) the levels of creatine that your body produces was back up to normal. Additionally, creatine isn't crazy important, so even if it took a week to get back to baseline levels I wouldn't be that worried. Its not like your testicles will ascend or shrink, creatine is pretty minor.

Edit: As far as long term effects you can look at two things. There have been animal studies taking megadosees, and the fact that the very first generation creatine users are getting old now. Look to see when it was first used. It was used long before it got popular. Get some of those facts to back up long term use and long term effects. Additionally, no offense, but the chance of you using it for 5 years is slim. Most use it for a few months here and there, very few except professional or real competative athletes work out for that long non stop.

 

[steroid-doc]

i don't know if it does anything, per se. but it signals that your liver is working harder than it usually does....for instance, drnking alcohol will raise the enzymes.

thats because alcohol is hepatoxic



and to answer your question , see what works best for you , try it for 6 weeks at a time and try it for 6months at a time

trial and error,

 

[Sinister]

and to answer your question , see what works best for you , try it for 6 weeks at a time and try it for 6months at a time

trial and error,

I like you more and more everytime you post.

Do not get caught up in who says what, try it for yourself at some point.

 

[Rjkd12]

Haha, I"m all for giving things a try but I also like to look at a bit of literature. If I gave every supp 6 months I"d die before I could try 1/2 the stuff.

Regardless though, there is something to be said for gains regardless of the source. If something works for you, who cares how as long as you see results.

 

[supersudo]

Regardless though, there is something to be said for gains regardless of the source. If something works for you, who cares how as long as you see results.

sounds like an advertisement for steroids.. :icon_lol:

 

[n2sg]

the reason they say to cycle creatine is because your body produces creatine.... so if you continue to take creatine your body will stop producing it..... then when you finally stop taking creatine as a supplement your body will forget that it has to produce creatine. so if you want to keep your body producing natural creatine you should cycle the creatine

 

[Madmick]

*Edit*

 

[Madmick]

Haha, I"m all for giving things a try but I also like to look at a bit of literature. If I gave every supp 6 months I"d die before I could try 1/2 the stuff.

That's how I feel. I'm giving things a try every day, I just use research to narrow it down to the "maybes".

 

[Rjkd12]

sounds like an advertisement for steroids.. :icon_lol:

It was more of promoting using a supp, regardless of scientific evidence, because you see gains on it moreso than you would without taking that supp. If waking up in he morning and drinking a glass of milk gives you crazy energy throughout the day, and without it you feel lethargic, drink your milk. Cold water helps keep me up sometimes during studying, yet I doubt I'll find a study on that. Same with decaf green tea.

Placebo's definetly have their place in sports. Another term for placebo is superstition. There has never been a study that showed not changing your underwear for games helps you win, but I bet it has improved performance of many players. Especially when you don't change your underwear and slap on a triangle... watch that little fucker tap.

 

[Rjkd12]

Lastly you can get the placebo effect from something that works. I sometimes drink valarian tea before bed. This tea has a very characteristic strong smell (some can't even drink it). The first few times I drank it, it would take an hour or so for me to fall asleep. Now, as soon as I take the first sip, my body recognizes it and I immediately start to feel tired. This is obviously placebo because it takes a long time for the body to digest it and have it start working.

Same with feeling awake right after that first sip of coffee, prior to the average hour it takes caffeine to get working in your system.

Lastly what about pouring yourself that tall Guinness after a hard day at work. Watching the cascade and then taking your first sip of it and as you set the glass down immediately feel much more relaxed. That is all placebo.

People have also shown that drinking diet pop still causes a spike in insulin because the body recognizes the taste and does it anyway. Normally when eating food you get two insulin spikes. The first is when you taste it and the second is when it actually gets in your blood stream. The first spike, more or less, is placebo.

 

[supersudo]

It was more of promoting using a supp, regardless of scientific evidence, because you see gains on it moreso than you would without taking that supp. If waking up in he morning and drinking a glass of milk gives you crazy energy throughout the day, and without it you feel lethargic, drink your milk. Cold water helps keep me up sometimes during studying, yet I doubt I'll find a study on that. Same with decaf green tea.

Placebo's definetly have their place in sports. Another term for placebo is superstition. There has never been a study that showed not changing your underwear for games helps you win, but I bet it has improved performance of many players. Especially when you don't change your underwear and slap on a triangle... watch that little fucker tap.

i was joking.. but yeh, u have some good points..