Creatine Newsletter

Issue 38: Interview of Dr. Alfredo Franco-Obregón by Sean Nalewanyj (Part 1)

June, 2008

Contents:

1- Featured Article:

Interview of Dr. Alfredo Franco-Obregón by Sean Nalewanyj

This Month's Featured Article:

IInterview of Dr. Alfredo Franco-Obregón by Sean Nalewanyj

SN: Hi Alfredo, thanks for giving us the chance to speak with you. Can you tell the School of Muscle members a little bit about yourself and your background?

AFO: Succinctly, I am a muscle physiologist who specializes in disorders of the skeletal musculature. My scientific interests brought me to the topic of creatine some 18 years ago.

My doctoral work was conducted at the University of California where I investigated the cellular mechanisms giving rise to certain classes of muscular dystrophy, Duchenne and Beckers. These disorders are characterized by an inability of the diseased skeletal muscle to adequately control intramuscular calcium concentrations, a condition that ultimately leads to muscle degeneration downstream of the activation of enzymes that degrade proteins in response to elevated levels of calcium inside the muscle.

Initially, the muscles of male infants inflicted with these disorders are able to deal with the elevated intramuscular calcium concentrations by transporting any excess calcium into intramuscular storage sites designed for this purpose, calcium sequestration. Chronic calcium deregulation, however, especially in combination with the increased muscular activity associated with the development of the infant into a toddler, overwhelms the muscle’s ability to effectively sequester this rogue calcium into intramuscular storage sites. The consequence is that dystrophic muscle eventually exhausts itself in trying to maintain a healthy calcium balance, ultimately making calcium-mediated necrosis (degeneration) of diseased muscle an inevitable outcome.

In a cellular sense, policing calcium is an energetically expensive process. The high energy expenditure associated with calcium regulation (homeostasis) is where creatine supplementation can provide a clear clinical advantage. Increasing cellular energy levels is one of the best-understood attributes of dietary creatine supplementation. Some medical researchers (versed on the topic creatine metabolism) thus argued that administering creatine in the diet (by augmenting muscular energy reserves) might give individuals with these forms of muscular dystrophy a fighting chance in maintaining calcium balance for longer in life and partially alleviate some of the symptoms of X-linked muscular dystrophies. Indeed, initial studies testing this hypothesis in animal models for these forms of muscular dystrophy have initially supported this notion. Human studies have also provided promising results, although the types of experiments that can be conducted in humans are, by necessity, restricted.

Anyone interested in understanding the intricacies of how creatine supplementation might be used to clinically combat several human diseases is directed to a new book that just appeared in the scientific press, “Creatine and Creatine Kinase in Health and Disease.” Dr. Markus Wyss, one of the authors of the book, is a good friend as well as an internationally respected expert on creatine metabolism. A warning in advance, however, this book is very advanced in scope (intended for a more sophisticated scientific audience) as well as rather expensive given that it is intended more for university libraries, rather than domestic bookshelves.

I also wrote a layperson’s guide on proper creatine use that might be a better option for those wanting a more “watered down”, yet comprehensive, reference. Go to the following link for more information about my creatine guide:
http://www.creatinemonohydrate.net/creatine_guide.html

SN: I’d like to focus this interview on one of your major areas of expertise, which is the muscle-building supplement, creatine. You say that “traditional” creatine advice is off the mark and that most people are missing out on potential gains by not following the correct methods.

Let's start by talking about the different types of creatine. In recent years, several 'new and improved' forms have shown up such as creatine ethyl ester, creatine tri-malate and kre-alkalyn. Is there any reason to suspect that these forms are superior to the 'original' creatine monohydrate, or is it just a bunch of hype?

AFO: It’s important to try new things. So, in this respect, it is a benefit for the field that these other forms of creatine have appeared on the scene. My stipulation for reporting on a particular ergogenic agent, however, is that it first be tested in controlled scientific studies. And, as many of these newer forms of creatine have not been tested in scientifically peer-reviewed studies, I do not allow myself the luxury of critiquing the claims made by the manufacturers. Now, having said this it is quite possible that these other forms of creatine are just as, or even more, efficacious than the monohydrate form of creatine; I simply have no way of objectively validating this possibility without the existence of supporting scientific studies.

I will go on record, however, in support of a creatine pyruvate (Creapure™ Pyruvate) produced by Degussa AG. This form of creatine has been rendering some very promising results indicating that it is taken up more readily into the blood stream from the digestive tract than either the monohydrate (Creapure™) or citrate (Creapure™Citrate) forms of creatine. It was thus likely that Creapure™ Pyruvate would provide an enhanced benefit over exercise performance, a fact that the same group later corroborated in a later scientific study (discussed subsequently).

I interview one of the authors of this initial study here:
http://www.creatinemonohydrate.net/creatine_newsletter_37.html

The Creapure™ product line is also of very high purity, which makes it easier for me to get behind them.

As previously eluded to, a very recent study compared the efficacies of creatine pyruvate and tri-creatine citrate, again from Degussa. This study found that creatine pyruvate provided an additional ergogenic benefit to tri-creatine citrate by enhancing muscular resistance to fatigue. In summary, creatine pyruvate may provide both an anaerobic (independently of oxygen) and aerobic (dependent on oxygen) ergogenic benefit; the anaerobic effect resembles that obtained with regular creatine monohydrate, whereas the aerobic effect is new. I look forward to subsequent studies examining the ergogenic benefits of this form of creatine pyruvate.

This study will be the topic of an upcoming issue of the Creatine Newsletter. Go here to subscribe:
http://www.creatinemonohydrate.net/newsletter.html

Let me be clear on one point…, I have absolutely no economic ties to these products, I merely like the quality of the science that has recently been appearing about them.

Unfortunately, as exciting as creatine ethyl ester, creatine tri-malate, and kre-alkalyn may sound I have no basis (in the absence of peer-reviewed scientific publications) for judging them - yet. Wikipedia does post, however, some information on creatine ethyl ester, which may be of interest:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine_ethyl_ester

Finally, the Creatine Product Review discusses the nutritional strategies of some of the most popular creatine supplements on the market.
Go here for a free version of the Creatine Product Review:
http://www.creatinemonohydrate.net/creatine_products_review.html

SN: What about proper dosages? Is the commonly accepted method of 5 grams daily accurate? Do you recommend that users perform a loading phase first?

AFO: Most studies commence supplementation with a loading phase, the aim of which is to fill your muscle’s creatine stores as rapidly as possible by providing them with an overabundance of creatine. Generally, 10-times your normal daily turnover of creatine is chosen as a loading amount, far more than your muscles can normally absorb at once. Specifically, for an average sized person taking greater than 5 grams of creatine results in much of it being eliminated from the body by the kidneys. This is the expensive urine that some of you might have read about in the popular fitness media. Therefore, unless you are purposefully trying to enrich the world’s sewage supply of creatine, do not take your entire loading dose at once, but divide it into smaller increments, to be taken every few hours. This is all explained in my creatine guide.
http://www.creatinemonohydrate.net/creatine_guide.html

Concerning the decision to load, or not, it all depends on your motivation. If your goal is to fill you muscular creatine stores as rapidly as possible, then a loading phase may be the correct strategy to undertake. With this approach the classical effects of creatine supplementation, muscle volumizing and increased anaerobic energy levels, will appear sooner. That is, by incorporating a loading phase at the start of supplementation, your muscles will increase in size and you will be able to exercise more intensely in little over a week.

To be continued next month....

This interview of Dr. Alfredo Franco-Obregón was conducted by Sean Nalewanyj, creator of Muscle Gain Truth (http://www.musclegaintruth.com/).

Dr. Alfredo Franco-Obregón is author of Creatine: A practical guide. This guide clearly teaches how to combine exercise, nutrition, and intelligent creatine use for optimal muscle growth, improved athletic performance, and overall good health. A MUST READ for any athlete.Creatine: A practical guide also analyses the formulations of many of the newer creatine products currently out on the market. Learn which products are truly effective, as well as which are mainly expensive hype.

More information about Creatine: A practical guide can be found here

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Disclaimer: The information presented here was prepared from sources that are believed to be accurate and reliable and should not be construed as medical advice. While every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of this information we cannot guarantee its accuracy. Nutritional Supplements Newsletters does not assume any responsibility for any damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein or of our advertisers/affiliates. Readers are strongly advised to seek the advice of their health care professional(s) before proceeding with any changes in any health care program.

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