Literature Review: Creatine Supplementation
Introduction
Creatine is a natural substance that occurs in the body, it is also a supplement that has been tested by numerus athletes over the years to see whether it has a positive effect on performance. However, there is anecdotal evidence that suggests creatine supplementation may be the cause of negative side effects such as dehydration, the increase of muscle cramping and an increase in blood pressure. One way the supplementation of creatine can improve performance is by aiding the resynthesise ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) stores within the body in order to produce energy at a quicker rate therefore the most common athletes to take creatine are high intensity power athletes who are repeated actions multiple times. Such as those doing long distance events such as cycling, swimming and running, it may also be used as a way of recovery for sprinters. A study carried out by Kreider R.B et al. (1998) concluded that there were increases in the performance of isotonic lifting and sprinting during agility after taking creatine supplements. Although creatine has been believed to help recovery, research undertaken by Stroud et al. (1994), would suggest that there was no difference in the recovery periods. This review of literature will examine as to whether creatine should be recommended to athletes based on current research.
Main Body
Creatine is classified as a nutritional supplement this is because it is a naturally occurring
Creatine phosphate has been heavily experimented upon to show that it is an important effector towards muscle activity. When creatine phosphate is present in a solution containing muscle fibers without the presence of ATP, it serves as the energy supplier due to the fact that it absorbs bound adenine nucleotide, which is firmly linked to the contractile elements on muscle fibers (Bozler, 1953). Even in low concentrations this nucleotide can be considered an energy transfer mechanism, for it takes full advantage of the creatine phosphates energy supply, thus acting as a substrate for the enzymatic activity of the contractile elements of a muscle group. Consumption of this nucleotide leads to an increase in the strength of contraction. Creatine phosphate also speeds up rate of relaxation of muscles, for it induces the relaxing effect of ATP (Bozler, 1953). Thus, this research suggests that creatine phosphate is directly linked to instigate muscle contractibility.
Creatine (Cr) is a popular dietary supplement used by athletes to increase sports performance, muscle mass, and strength. Creatine was first discovered in “1835, when a French scientist reported finding this constituent of meat” (Demant & Rhodes, 1999). This organic compound is manufactured endogenously by the liver and kidneys “from the amino acids glycine, arginine and methionine” for energy stipulation during muscular contraction. (Arazi, Rahmaninia, Hoseini, & Asadi, 2011). Creatine is either converted into free form Cr or phosphorylated form as known as creatine phosphate (CP). The endogenous production and exogenous consumption of Cr yields about 1 gram a day for the average person (Cooper, Naclerio, Allfrove , & Jimenez, 2012). In
Harriet Jacob’s auto-biography consist mainly on hardships she encountered throughout her life as a slave. Jacob’s long line of misfortune starts at a young age after her mother and courteous mistress dies. Being a slave, she is then given to another mistress who is a child. Dr. Flint, the child’s father is abusive and tries to make sexual approaches towards Jacob’s. However in Jacob’s novel she is named Linda.
Creatine (C4H9N3O2) is a non-essential amino acid that occurs primarily in muscle cells. It is a naturally occurring substance that is found in the pancreas and liver. It is important for the production and storage of energy in your body. The waste of creatine is called creatinine and is expelled through urine. Not only is it made in your body, scientists have studied and produced creatine in labs. The most common and most researched form of creatine is creatine monohydrate. All studies about creatine have mostly found creatine monohydrate to be the safest with no additives. Creatine is found in meats like fish and beef. The average person who eats meat gets an average of one to two grams a day.
The story, "To Kill a Mocking Bird" by Harper Lee, has numerous gallant characters, yet the most brave is Atticus. Atticus is the most brave character since he goes up against the test to protect Tom Robinson. This is courageous in light of the fact that in those days it required a ton of exertion and devotion to demonstrate that a dark man is not liable. Atticus didn't consider individuals to be a shading, he just observed individuals and he didn't take a white individual's assertion over a dark individual's statement. This isn't the main gallant actions for Atticus, he has numerous courageous minutes all through the story, including shooting a distraught pooch and remaining late during the evening to secure Tom Robinson at the correctional facility.
Regarding creatine as a supplement, there is no data to support any other form of creatine supplementation other than creatine monohydrate (Kreider, 2008). However, Kleiner (2014) reports that there are three major forms of creatine on the market: monohydrate, citrate, and pyruvate. Research supports all three as effective; however, monohydrate works best for muscle building and performance. Beef, pork, and fish, which are .5-1% Cr by weight, are highly bioavailable, whereas only 20 percent of creatine ingested as a supplement is absorbed. In other words, Cr from intact protein foods produces smaller, but more sustain effects compared to supplementation, which results in the most rapid increase in plasma Cr (Smith-Ryan & Antonio, 2013). Regardless, research indicates that Cr from meat or supplementation appear to yield the same absolute level of Cr to tissue. When choosing a particular food, shrimp has trace amounts, milk has 0.05g/lb, cod 1.4, tuna 1.8, salmon 2, beef 2, pork 2.3, and herring 3-4.5 (Kreider, 2008). When a sardine grows larger, it becomes a herring. Since sardines are a good source of protein and omega-3s, it makes since to eat both sardines and herring if wanting to ingest the most Cr through
Creatine is perhaps the best supplement ever to hit the sports nutrition market. Creatine is a
But why is creatine supplementation needed for athletic performance if it can be manufactured by the body? Higher levels of creatine before exercise seem to have ergogenic effects which help the body perform better. Whether creatine is useful in long duration aerobic exercise hasn't been proven yet but it has a very specific and distinct function during
Creatine has many drug like uses and people who are oblivious to creatine would think it is a steroid unless told differently. Creatine can be used as a way of cheating and can be abused to a very dangerous level therefore making it a risk for the athlete. Although creatine is a natural substance, supplementing creatine can boost your creatine level by over 500 times. Creatine can be found in red meat but to get 5 grams of creatine which is the recommended dosage you would have to eat 5kg of raw red
With sportsmen seeking alternatives to illegal and unsafe performance enhancing drugs, “ergogenic aids” have come to their rescue. Ergogenic aids are supplements that enhance the performance of athletes by improving their speed, strength and agility. A number of natural products are marketed as ergogenic aids, which have found a ready market among sportspersons. Their biggest advantage is that they are legal, apart from being safe and effective. Examples of such aids include branched chain amino acids, creatine, medium chain triglycerides, pyruvates and vitamins.
What is Creatine? Creatine is a nutrient that is found in many foods. It is most highly concentrated in lean red meat. A half-pound of red meat contains about two grams of Creatine. Every human body also
Symbolism when an ordinary thing can have a hidden definition &/or stand for something else. In the
The basics of creatine are a compound formed in the protein metabolism and are present in most living tissue. It is involved in the supply of energy for muscular contraction.
Creatine allows for increased storage of ATP. “The transfer of a molecule of phosphorous from creatine phosphate to adenosine diphosphate(ADP) results in the formation of ATP. …since the muscle creatine phosphate concentrations can fall to almost zero, it(creatine consumption) can make a significant contribution to the energy supply needed for brief bursts of very high-intensity exercise,” says Dr. Bolotte. The equation for the synthesis of ATP from creatine phosphate and ADP is as follows: PCr + ADP forms ATP + Cr. (http://www.lsms.org/journal/98creat.html) Also, lactic acid levels, which cause muscles to burn during workouts, are lowered by the consumption of creatine. Without the burning sensation, athletes don’t feel the need to stop exercising. Athletes begin their creatine process with a loading phase of twenty grams per day for five days. Then, they consume three to five grams per day. (http://www.mothernature.com/ency/supp/creatine_monohydrate.asp) Many studies have exhibited gains after this process of consumption.
Creatine helps in increasing speed, power, and size of the muscles, strength endurance and tolerance to fatigue.