Creatine Information Center

Simply Straightforward Creatine Information

Welcome to the oldest running creatine informational site on the World Wide Web. The Creatine Information Center first went public in 1999 in an attempt to balance the huge amount of misinformation then circulating about creatine. Our goal has since been to keep the public updated as to all new developments in the creatine field.

Creatine: A Historical Perspective

Creatine is a Natural Component of Skeletal Muscle

In fact, creatine is such an integral part of skeletal muscle that it originally derived its name from the Greek word for flesh, or kreas, from where it was first isolated nearly two centuries ago (1835). The man credited with this discovery was the French scientist and philosopher, Michel-Eugène Chevreul. Shortly afterwards (1847) the German scientist, Justus von Liebig, helped promote a commercially available extract of meat that he claimed would help the body perform extra work. And yes, the secret ingredient in Liebig's "Fleisch Extrakt" was creatine.

Obviously, creatine has been in the consciousness of the scientific and medical communities for quite some time. Credible evidence now indicates that the former Soviet Union had begun to research the benefits of creatine over human physical performance as early as the 1970s!

Creatine Powers Muscular Force Generation

Nearly all (~95%) of the body's creatine supply resides within skeletal muscle, where it helps fuel movement and force generation (also see this page). Accordingly, since a significant portion of our daily creatine requirement is obtained by dietary means (by eating sources of skeletal muscle, fish and meats), dietary supplementation with synthetic creatine salts enhances physical performance.

Expectedly, vegetarians typically possess lower than "average" muscular creatine levels. Consequently, vegetarians respond robustly to creatine supplementation.

Click here for a detailed description of how to calculate a creatine dose specifically designed to fit your personal needs.

Creatine Provides Mental Energy

Creatine also plays an important role in the nervous system, where it provides the energy for proper neuronal functioning as well as for recovery from trauma and disease. Not surprisingly, inherited conditions where cellular creatine levels are severely depressed inevitably give rise to neurodegenerative disorders.

Click here for a description of creatine's role in providing energy for normal nervous system functioning.

Below is an image of the chemical structure of creatine and of the "energized" form of creatine, phosphocreatine (PCr), used by the cells of our body.

Creatine in Clinical Trials

Because of creatine's broad physiological importance, creatine supplementation is currently being tested in clinical trials for many human diseases involving the nervous and muscular systems.

For instance, t he Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is currently planning a multi-center trial to test the effectiveness of creatine in humans with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease). Please give to the MDA and help support research investigating the neuroprotective consequences of creatine supplementation.

Click here for other examples of the ongoing clinical trials employing creatine.

In conclusion, if nothing else, this brief history should correct any misconceptions you might have had about creatine being something exotic to the human condition. Creatine is, and always has been, a natural component of most cells of the body.

Modern Day Creatine Supplementation

Creatine supplementation simply takes this natural process to the next level by allowing an individual to consume more creatine than he/she could via a "normal" diet. In essence, what the athletic community was waiting for was for scientists to develop an inexpensive way of mass-producing creatine in the laboratory for human consumption, a feat that definitively happened approximately one decade ago.

With the advent of efficient commercial synthesis creatine (monohydrate) exploded onto the popular scene. In the year 2000 alone 2,500 metric tons (5.5 million pounds!) of creatine were sold worldwide while consumer demand continued to swell. During the height of the "Creatine Boom" it seemed as if everyone was trying to get in on the action. Creatine manufacturers started appearing in some of the least expected regions of the world, as did the anticipated abuses of largely unregulated market competition. As a result, concerns arose that certain cheaper brands of commercial creatine were plagued with contaminants and impurities - a disturbing "byproduct" of global creatine mass-production.

Abuses of Commercial Creatine Synthesis

Contaminants

In the United States a legislative loophole makes it possible that commercial creatine products are produced containing contaminants. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) justifiably classifies creatine as a dietary supplement (not a drug) and as such, supplement manufacturers are not held to the same Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) as is the pharmaceutical industry. Quality control is largely left up to the discretion of the individual creatine manufacturers. Consequently, certain creatine products may have been inadvertently cross-contaminated with anabolic steroidal agents.

False Positives During Drug Tests

The presence of steroidal contaminants in certain creatine products might give rise to false positives in drug tests, causing some athletes to be banned from athletic competition as well as having their titles and/or fellowships/sponsorships withdrawn. A mishap of this sort could prematurely end the career of a young athlete. Very fortunately, many previous producers of poor-quality creatine have since "cleaned-up their acts" and are now fabricating higher-grade creatine products. Overall, however, creatine supplementation is a relatively safe practice, if a person is in overall good health and if undertaken with prudence and moderation using only high-quality products.

Creatine FAQs Sheets

This section of our website documents the traditionally accepted facts about creatine use.

Creatine's Side Effects: Fact or Fiction

The fact that creatine monohydrate is one of the few nutritional supplements that has been clearly shown to provide an ergogenic benefit has made it the subject of intense scientific study and scrutiny. Paradoxically, the close attention that creatine has received from the scientific community over the last decade has tended to exaggerate any adverse consequences that it might possess.

The latest research is indicating that creatine supplementation is a relatively safe practice, especially when compared to other nutritional practices commonly employed in athletics. However, creatine supplementation is not without risks and some discretion is in order. What these risks are and how to best circumvent them is discussed in our creatine side effects page. Click here to visit to our side effects page.

Gastrointestinal complications are the most commonly reported class of side effects associated with creatine supplements. Furthermore, many scientific studies have corroborated that a common consequence of creatine use is an increase in body mass - due to water retention by muscle (see Muscle Volumization).

On the other hand, other types of side effects, which are more difficult to explain given our current understanding of creatine's accepted mechanisms of action, are also sometimes reported. One potential source of unexplained side effects are contaminants or impurities present in certain creatine products and as such, do not directly dependent on the presence of creatine (see Abuses of Commercial Creatine Synthesis above).

Unexplained Side Effects

Rumors abound about creatine and often stem from the public confusing creatine with an anabolic steroid and not from factual occurrences. On the other hand, some unexplained side effects may be real, but may have escaped detection in the scientific arena. Unsubstantiated side effects sometimes attributed to creatine use include increased aggressiveness, anxiety, acne, male breast formation (gynecomastia), a reduction in penis size, hair loss (men) and body hair growth (women). Of these, increased aggressiveness, acne and hair loss are the most frequently reported.

Click here to be directed to a page discussing the possible link between creatine use and aggression.

Click here to be directed to a page providing examples of personal experiences with creatine.

Professor Benzi, the author of the above review, is of the opinion that more than three times the daily turnover amount of creatine, or more than six times the creatine daily allowance (approximately 6 grams for an average sized male, 70 kilograms (154 pounds)), should be considered as therapeutic intervention and accordingly, only be prescribed by a physician. Placing this amount into context, a typical loading dose is usually 10-times one's daily creatine turnover rate, or 20 grams for an average sized male. According to Dr. Benzi's recommendation therefore, creatine users employing a loading phase should require a doctor's approval. Something to think about...

Creatine: A practical guide provides a safe and effective no-loading routine for those seeking a more conservative approach to creatine supplementation.

Ironically, the controversy surrounding creatine supplementation often overshadows some of the lesser known, but equally important, benefits of creatine. New information is appearing each day clearly demonstrating that the benefits of creatine supplementation extend far beyond the athletic arena. For instance, creatine supplementation has been recently shown to help reduce the risk of certain vascular and neurological disorders that plague the elderly. It is hence that a major objective of this site is to disseminate new information about creatine as soon as it becomes available.

Click here to visit our unique Creatine and the Elderly page.

Creatine Background and Optimal Use

Our Creatine FAQs section gives all the basic facts about creatine in simple everyday language. The information provided in these data sheets is constantly being updated and anotated as new research emerges in the scientific press. Much of the information found in these pages is not found anywhere else on the internet or popular press. There simply isn't a more comprehensive source of creatine information anywhere!

Creatine Newsletter

This is the most up-to-date creatine information available to the non-scientist. Receive cutting edge information each month about creatine and other nutritional supplements commonly used in athletics. Subscribe (or unsubscribe) to the Creatine Newsletter at any time!

This is the only newsletter of its kind; solely dedicated to disseminating honest and reliable information about creatine and other nutritional supplements. Learn how to optimize creatine supplementation for maximal anabolics, improved health and overall well-being.

View our Newsletter Issues Menu at the following link.

Special Topics Surrounding Creatine Supplementation

The scientific focus that creatine has received over the last years has uncovered some rather intriguing aspects of how it may bolster cellular anabolism as well as improve general indicators of good health. These special considerations of creatine supplementation are the topic of this section of our website. Below are examples of some of the topics covered here:

• The benefits of creatine use for the elderly.
• An examination of the clinical trials currently being undertaken using creatine.
• The antioxidant properties of creatine.
• The potential benefits of creatine in combating the development of coronary heart disease.
• The newly discovered anabolic properties of creatine.
• This page discusses how creatine supplementation might slow the loss of muscle tissue apparent in the elderly.
• How creatine supplementation might improve normal cognitive function.
• This page explains how creatine and B vitamins may help retard the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
• An analysis of the allegations that creatine use causes increased aggression.
• This page discusses the pitfalls and benefits of creatine supplementation for the endurance athlete.

View our complete Creatine Special Topics Menu at the following link.

Personal Experiences with Creatine

Given the blatantly positive spin that the supplement industry gives to the practice of creatine supplementation, it is quite understandable that the public is left somewhat suspicious about the whole affair. In response to this obvious bias, we provide unfiltered examples of personal experiences with creatine from everyday creatine users.

Click here to see examples of personal experiences with creatine.

Creatine: A practical guide

Our creatine guide openly discusses the most relevant issues concerning creatine’s safety, the most intelligent supplementing protocols for maximal muscle growth and improved athletic performance as well as the proper use of other nutritional supplements (and nutritional strategies) commonly used (or abused) in the athletic arena. No other source of creatine information anywhere is as comprehensive and of more relevance to the general public.

Click here for more details about this innovative e-guide.

"It is, by far, the best report I have read, and, believe me, I have read not only numerous articles but several books on the subject."
William Hudgins, USA

Mimicry is the Greatest Form of Flattery...

Creatine: A practical guide was the first of its kind, originally appearing online back in 1998. It has since been updated every year with only the most relevant creatine & fitness information as it appears in the scientific press. The mass popularity of Creatine: A practical guide has resulted in it being listed in some of the most selective ebook directories.

Other "Creatine Guides" and "Creatine Reports" have appeared in hopes of sharing the success of our guide, but providing less relevant information. Don't accept these imitations!

Creatine: A practical guide summarizes the most relevant facts about creatine for the non-scientist: 1) the possible contaminants that may be present in certain cheaper classes of creatine; 2) the best international producers of high-quality creatine; 3) how to maximize the potential benefits of creatine supplementation with the least amount of stress to your system and at the lowest cost. Don't spend another dime on creatine until reading this guide!

Anabolic Nutrition

To correctly poise your body's metabolic processes towards muscle anabolism it is imperative that you optimize your daily nutritional regimen. Specifically, you will need to consume the correct proportions of protein, carbohydrates and fats before and after exercise. As far as muscle growth is concerned, timing is everything.

Creatine: A practical guide gives an easy to implement anabolic meal plan that, when combined with intelligent creatine supplementation, mitigates muscle catabolism (breakdown) and promotes muscle anabolism (growth).

Click here for a discussion of one of the most commonly perpetuated myths about anabolic nutrition, that fats are counterproductive to muscle growth.

Creatine & Other Nutritional Supplements

Creatine is increasingly being combined with other nutritional supplements for purposes of marketing and/or innovation. The nutritional supplements sometimes included in creatine products include certain insulin-agonists (chromium picolinate, alpha-lipoic acid, D-pinitol, 4-hydroxyisoleucine and the amino acids taurine, L-arginine and L-carnitine) as well as other reputed ergogenic agents (L-glutamine, ribose, HMB, royal jelly, antioxidant vitamins, and B-vitamin complexes). Unfortunately, some of these hybrid products merely serve as expensive vehicles for creatine with no additional ergogenic benefit. There is one notable exception, however, creatine in combination with HMB (beta-Hydroxy-beta-MethylButyrate), which has been shown to provide a true anabolic boost.

Click here to view a recent article examining the effects of creatine in combination with HMB. The analysis of other creatine-nutritional supplement(s) combinations will in the future be appearing in the archives of the Creatine Newsletter.

Learn the true rationale (and validity) behind the formulations of some of the most popular creatine products currently on the market.
This valuable download is available to purchasers of Creatine: A practical guide.

The efficacy of some of the newer creatine formulations is a real concern for many athletes; with good reason. One of the most popular creatine serums currently on the market has recently come under harsh criticism by the scientific community. We analyzed the validity of these allegations in a recent issue of the Creatine Newsletter.

Click here to read the first part of a two-part newsletter series discussing a scientific study that compared the ergogenic effects of ordinary creatine monohydrate powder with that of a popular creatine serum; part two compares the ability of the same brand of creatine serum to raise serum creatine levels with reference to the elevation observed with creatine monohydrate powder.

Creatine Products Review honestly discusses the formulations of some of the most common creatine products currently on market. The Creatine Products Review comes as a free bonus download with the purchase of Creatine: A practical guide. Learn to discriminate fact from hype!

Download your complete guide package today!

Synthetic Forms of Creatine

Creatine monohydrate is by far the most commonly used form of synthetically derived creatine. Accordingly, the vast majority of scientific studies examining the effects of creatine have employed the monohydrate salt. Other synthetic forms of creatine include creatine ethyl ester, creatine pyruvate, creatine citrate, di-creatine citrate, creatine malate, and creatine phosphate. Unfortunately, much less is known about the true efficacy of these alternative forms of creatine, as they have not been the topic of scientific study.

Click here to view a recent Creatine Newsletter comparing the effects of creatine monohydrate and creatine pyruvate on muscle development in tissue culture.

 Creatine: A practical guide explains what is actually understood about many of the different forms of creatine (pyruvate, CEE, citrate, etc) currently on the market.

 Comparison shop the most popular creatine products at the following link.

Who's the Torso? Click here here for a hint.

This AtoZfitness Webring site owned by: Nutritional Supplements Newsletters. Previous |  Next | Random Site | List Sites | Join