Potential Benefits of Creatine Supplementation Over CHD

• Benefit 1: Creatine Supplementation May Lower Serum Cholesterol Levels
• Benefit 2: Creatine Supplementation Lowers Serum Homocysteine Levels

Methylation Imbalances, Homocysteine, Coronary Heart Disease

Open-Ended Methylation Elevates Serum Homocysteine Levels

To reiterate the previous page, exhaustive methylation, or B-vitamin deficiencies, increase the levels of an amino acid known as homocysteine in the blood stream, which has very unhealthy repercussions. Homocysteine is a byproduct of methionine consumption produced during cellular methylation that needs to be neutralized soon after being produced.

The first clinical condition showing elevated homocysteine levels (homocysteinemia) was described nearly half a century ago by Carson and Neill (Reference 2). Patients presenting with this metabolic disorder displayed severe developmental abnormalities including mental retardation, skeletal disorders and invasive vascular disease. Noteworthy, the vascular manifestations of this disease includes widespread arterial and venous thrombosis, usually resulting in the death of afflicted individuals while still within their first decade of life. It is now understood that homocysteine is the principal cause of the primary and secondary vascular complications associated with this disease (References 3, 4).

In the general population only a 5 microMolar increase in plasma homocysteine level results in a 60% and 80% increased risk of developing coronary heart disease in males and females, respectively. Be absolutely clear on this point, your homocysteine levels need to be kept in check at all cost or your health is at risk. And, the best way to do this is to optimize your methylation status (see next section for details).

Creatine Supplementation Assists in the Management of Coronary Heart Disease

Recent Evidence Indicates That Creatine Supplementation Decreases Blood Homocysteine Levels

This is an effect downstream of creatine’s positive inflluence over cellular methylation status (References 5, 6, 7; also see figure below). Hence, creatine supplementation should help protect against the development of heart and vascular disease. This effect of creatine will be enhanced when combined with smart B-vitamin supplementation.

Creatine Supplementation Reduces Serum Homocysteine Levels Left: Creatine synthesis (by the body) consumes SAM (methyl-carrier) and produces homocysteine. Right: Creatine supplementation (by bypassing the need to synthesize creatine) spares the body’s SAM reserves and consequently reduces serum homocysteine levels. Certain B-vitamins also assist in the neutralizing of homocysteine. The size of the letters indicates the relative concentration/potency of the agent/process in question. GAA = GuanidinoAcetic Acid (creatine precursor)

View a page detailing how to correctly combine creatine and vitamin B supplementation.

Read about the benefits of combining creatine with essential B-vitamins (B12, B6 & folic acid) over nervous system functioning.

Selected Scientific References:

1. Earnest, C. et al. (1998) High performance capillary electrophoresis-pure creatine monohydrate reduces blood lipids in men and women. Clinical Science, Volume 91 (1), pages 113-118.

2. Carson N. A. and Neill D. W. (1962) Metabolic abnormalities detected in a survey of mentally backward individuals in Northern Ireland. Archives of Disease in Childhood, Volume 37, pages 505-513.

3. Nehler, M. R. et al. (1997) Homocysteinemia as a risk factor for atherosclerosis: a review. Cardiovascular Surgery, Volume 5 (6), pages 559-567.

4. Malinow, M. R. et al. (1999) Homocyst(e)ine, diet, and cardiovascular diseases: A statement for healthcare professionals from the nutrition committee, American Heart Association. Circulation, Volume 99, pages 178-182.

5. McCarty, M. F. (2001) Supplemental creatine may decrease serum homocysteine and abolish the homocysteine ‘gender gap’ by suppressing endogenous creatine synthesis. Medical Hypotheses, Volume 56 (1), pages 5-7.

6. Stead, L. M. et al. (2001) Methylation demand and homocysteine metabolism: effects of dietary provision of creatine and guanidinoacetate. American Journal of Physiology and Endocrinological Metabolism, Volume 281, pages E1095-E1100.

7. Taes, Y. E. C. et al. (2003) Creatine supplementation decreases homocysteine in an animal model of uremia. Kidney International, Volume 64, pages 1331–1337.

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