Well, I'm fairly new to this forum but I swear 25% ofthe posts seem to be about Creatine, and there is a lot of mis-information out there. So here is an overview from the Australian Institute of Sport on creatine. This is one of the most highly regarded sporting institutes in the world.
CREATINE OVERVIEW
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in large amounts in skeletal muscle as a result of dietary intake and endogenous synthesis from amino acids.
Creatine monohydrate is the most practical form for supplementation with creatine.
Phosphorylated creatine provides a number of important functions related to fuel supply in the muscle. The most well known role is as a source of phosphate to regenerate ATP. The creatine phosphate system is the most important fuel source for sprints or bouts of high-intensity exercise lasting up to 10 seconds.
In 1992, the first studies were published to document that supplementation with large amounts of creatine monohydrate increases muscle content of creatine and creatine phosphate by ~20% to reach threshold level. There is considerable variability in response to creatine supplementation with some individuals (perhaps 30% of the population) failing to increase muscle creatine content by a sufficiently large amount to cause changes in exercise performance. Response to creatine supplements may be related to initial creatine stores, with individuals with the lowest initial levels showing the greatest response to creatine loading.
Creatine loading protocols have been well studied. Rapid loading may be achieved by five days of repeated doses of creatine (e.g. 4 x 5 g doses). A similar loading will occur over a longer period (28 days) by taking a daily dose of 3 g (slow load). Co-ingestion with a substantial amount of carbohydrate (50-100 g) may enhance creatine uptake. Once the muscle creatine content has been saturated it will take about 4 weeks to return to resting levels. A daily dose of 3 g will allow elevated levels to be maintained (maintenance dose).
Creatine supplementation has been shown to enhance the performance of exercise involving repeated sprints or bouts of high intensity exercise, separated by short recovery intervals. Therefore, competition or training programs involving intermittent high-intensity work patterns with brief recovery periods (<1 min), or resistance training programs may be enhanced by creatine loading. Performance enhancements may be seen as a result of an acute loading protocol, but chronic creatine use to promote superior training adaptations may offer the greatest benefits.
Although creatine supplementation holds the promise of performance enhancement to the training or competition practices of many sports, most studies have not been undertaken with elite athletes or a sports specific outcome.
Recent studies have shown that prior creatine loading enhances glycogen storage and carbohydrate loading in a trained muscle.
An acute weight gain of 600-1000 g is typically associated with acute loading and may represent water gain. This associated weight gain may be counterproductive to athletes competing in sports where power-to-weight is a key factor in successful performance or in sports involving weight divisions. This gain can be avoided through a slower loading protocol.
Rapid Loading Protocol
20 g daily, divided into 4 doses, for 5 days.
These doses should be taken with a meal or snack supplying a substantial amount of carbohydrate (50-100 g).
Weight gain of ~0.6-1.0 kg should be expected when using this protocol.
Maintenance dose: 3 g/day.
Slow Loading Protocol
3 g/day consumed with a substantial carbohydrate meal or snack.
Maintenance dose: 3 g/day.
CREATINE OVERVIEW
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in large amounts in skeletal muscle as a result of dietary intake and endogenous synthesis from amino acids.
Creatine monohydrate is the most practical form for supplementation with creatine.
Phosphorylated creatine provides a number of important functions related to fuel supply in the muscle. The most well known role is as a source of phosphate to regenerate ATP. The creatine phosphate system is the most important fuel source for sprints or bouts of high-intensity exercise lasting up to 10 seconds.
In 1992, the first studies were published to document that supplementation with large amounts of creatine monohydrate increases muscle content of creatine and creatine phosphate by ~20% to reach threshold level. There is considerable variability in response to creatine supplementation with some individuals (perhaps 30% of the population) failing to increase muscle creatine content by a sufficiently large amount to cause changes in exercise performance. Response to creatine supplements may be related to initial creatine stores, with individuals with the lowest initial levels showing the greatest response to creatine loading.
Creatine loading protocols have been well studied. Rapid loading may be achieved by five days of repeated doses of creatine (e.g. 4 x 5 g doses). A similar loading will occur over a longer period (28 days) by taking a daily dose of 3 g (slow load). Co-ingestion with a substantial amount of carbohydrate (50-100 g) may enhance creatine uptake. Once the muscle creatine content has been saturated it will take about 4 weeks to return to resting levels. A daily dose of 3 g will allow elevated levels to be maintained (maintenance dose).
Creatine supplementation has been shown to enhance the performance of exercise involving repeated sprints or bouts of high intensity exercise, separated by short recovery intervals. Therefore, competition or training programs involving intermittent high-intensity work patterns with brief recovery periods (<1 min), or resistance training programs may be enhanced by creatine loading. Performance enhancements may be seen as a result of an acute loading protocol, but chronic creatine use to promote superior training adaptations may offer the greatest benefits.
Although creatine supplementation holds the promise of performance enhancement to the training or competition practices of many sports, most studies have not been undertaken with elite athletes or a sports specific outcome.
Recent studies have shown that prior creatine loading enhances glycogen storage and carbohydrate loading in a trained muscle.
An acute weight gain of 600-1000 g is typically associated with acute loading and may represent water gain. This associated weight gain may be counterproductive to athletes competing in sports where power-to-weight is a key factor in successful performance or in sports involving weight divisions. This gain can be avoided through a slower loading protocol.
Rapid Loading Protocol
20 g daily, divided into 4 doses, for 5 days.
These doses should be taken with a meal or snack supplying a substantial amount of carbohydrate (50-100 g).
Weight gain of ~0.6-1.0 kg should be expected when using this protocol.
Maintenance dose: 3 g/day.
Slow Loading Protocol
3 g/day consumed with a substantial carbohydrate meal or snack.
Maintenance dose: 3 g/day.
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