Last year all eight NCAA College World Series Teams took creatine. The supplement is widely used by athletes including Sammy Sosa, the major league baseball MVP, and Mark McGuire the homerun king. Despite these high-profile athletes, many baseball players have questions about creatine. Lynn Myers M.D. is one of the country's foremost experts on nutritional supplements. He has been interviewed by CNN Sports, heard on ESPN’s “One On One Sports”. Below he answers common questions about creatine. What is creatine? Creatine is a protein made from animo acids. Our body makes one gram each day from protein. We also eat about one gram of creatine each day from meats such as beef, chicken or fish. How does creatine help a baseball player? When we take extra creatine we can store more energy. If you take creatine before a game or practice you will have more energy both at the beginning and throughout the game. This means increased bat speed and quicker reactions. In the weight room creatine allows you to lift harder before tiring. This allows you to make gains in strength and lean muscle. What is the correct creatine dosage? Companies that make creatine powder suggest "loading" 15-20 grams per day for a week. Then the dose can be reduced to a maintenance dose of 5 grams per day. The idea is to make sure that people got more than enough creatine to make sure it makes a a difference in athletic performance. However, these high doses do not translate into higher creatine levels in your muscle. These high doses may explain some of the side-effects of creatine powder. What type of side effects? Despite many positive results, some athletes report stomach aches, diarrhea, increased urination and muscle cramps. These are probably caused by two things. When high doses of powder enter the stomach they draw water from the body, causing the intestine to cramp. Secondly, many coaches told me their athletes were taking large doses of creatine powder, thinking that if a little bit was good then a lot would be better. Is there a way to take creatine that can overcome the problems with powder? Yes, there are two products that I like. The first is a chewable creatine tablet called Creatine Power Tabs. The second is a mint-flavored creatine chewing gum called Creatine Chewtrition. Both are handy and effective. Both products also give you an exact dose of creatine so you don't have to worry about mixing or measuring. These products allow the creatine to be absorbed right in the mouth. This bypasses the stomach acid which can destroy up to 60% of the creatine. Both retain all the advantages of creatine and avoid the problems associated with the powder. How should a baseball player use creatine? During practice or competition I recommend chewing one piece of gum or two tabs 20 minutes before a game. Take the remainder halfway through the game or practice. During a weight training session take one piece of gum or two tabs right before and the remainder halfway through your workout. Dr. Myers, will creatine help some athletes more than others? Yes, if an athlete does not eat much protein they may have lower creatine levels and see a dramatic improvement with supplementation. In addition, stomach acid destroys creatine so the amount a person absorbs may be a lot or a little depending on a person’s stomach acid level. Is creatine safe for long-term use? Creatine has been used for at least ten years in the United States. At times muscle builders have taken extremely high doses, all without proven toxicity or long term injury. No controlled scientific studies have shown serious side effects or toxicity. In times past, heavy meat eaters such as the Plains Indians, African Tribal People, and Eskimos have all eaten high concentrations of creatine in their meat over long periods of time, without any known ill effects. Where is creatine made? There are three primary manufacturing sources of creatine powder: China, Europe, and the United States. Distributing companies buy creatine from one of these sources,package it, mix it with other ingredients and make it into a product that is sold to the public. I recommend buying United States or German creatine because both countries have strict manufacturing standards. If I stop taking creatine how long will creatine last in my muscle? Creatine levels in muscle gradually fall and are usually back to normal in a month. Will creatine injure my kidneys? Creatine in your body gradually changes to a substance called creatinine (notice the spelling) a waste product that is excreted by your kidneys. High powder levels may raise creatinine, but this does not injure the kidneys. Creatinine is not known to be toxic. Is creatine a steroid? Creatine is not a steroid, and therefore does not have any of the side effects known to found with those drugs. Will creatine mess up my hormones? No, creatine is not a hormone, and has no known effect on our hormone levels or endocrine system. I welcome specific questions from you, your friends or your physician. Just write doctor@nucare.com. |
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