It's a bit of a read, but informative.
Creatine is a Natural Component of Skeletal Muscle
Creatine is nothing new to this world. Creatine is, and always has been, a natural component of skeletal muscle. In fact, creatine originally derived its name from the Greek word for flesh, or kreas, from where it was first isolated nearly two centuries ago (1835) by a French scientist and philosopher named Michel-Eugène Chevreul. Shortly afterwards (1847) a German scientist named Justus von Liebig helped promote a commercially available extract of meat that he claimed would help the body perform extra work.
Given the previous historical perspective, it should now make sense that nearly all (~95%) of the body’s total creatine reserve is stored within skeletal muscle. Here, creatine contributes to the cellular mechanisms that generate force, among other effects. In this manner, dietary supplementation with creatine increases maximum power output. Nonetheless, creatine also plays an important role in the nervous system, where it provides the energy that keeps us thinking as well as to overcome brain damage because of trauma or disease. The proof that creatine is indispensable for the proper functioning of the body comes from the fact that inherited conditions where cellular creatine levels are severely depressed inevitably give rise to neurodegenerative and muscular disorders. Not surprisingly therefore, creatine supplementation is currently being tested in clinical trials for many human diseases involving the body's nervous and muscular systems.
Creatine's INDIRECT Anabolic Mechanisms: The Phosphate Connection
Training Adaptations: Creatine indirectly promotes muscle anabolism (growth) by extending an athlete's exercise output. Explicitly, our muscles compensate for the increased load we place on them (as a result of creatine supplementation) with the production of new muscle proteins. These newly added proteins then allow our muscles to generate greater amounts of force as well as to become more efficient at producing and utilizing energy. In the jargon of the field, these structural and metabolic changes induced by exercise are known as 'training adaptations'.
Phosphate Energy: In biology, attaching a phosphate group to certain molecules endow them with the capacity to hold and store energy. And, although several biological molecules have evolved for this purpose (that is, to be 'energized' with an addition of a phosphate group) a molecule known as ATP is the most intimately linked to cellular processes and hence, is our most fundamental energy donor.
Adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP): ATP's name reflects its chemical structure, an adenosine with a tail of three phosphates at one end. ATP, by releasing one of its high-energy phosphate groups, liberates energy. This phosphate-bound energy is then available to power muscle contraction, or to fuel any other biochemical process within the cell.
Adenosine Di-Phosphate (ADP): ATP, after donating energy by losing a phosphate group, becomes ADP, a singly de-phosphorylated and largely de-energized molecule. Therefore, in order for exercise to continue, ADP must first be 'recharged' with the addition of substitute phosphate group, thereby recreating ATP. This regenerative process then repeats with each subsequent bout of exercise. Importantly, the rapid re-energizing of ATP would be impossible without the participation of creatine. One of creatine's principal roles within the cell is to rapidly recreate ATP (energy) during moments of high energy consumption.
PhosphoCreatine (PCr): Creatine serves as a high-energy phosphate buffer with the ultimate taks of rapidly regenerating ATP. Within the muscle cell, creatine is functionalized with the addition of a phosphate group to form phospho-creatine (PCr). PCr, in turn, supplies ADP with a replacement phosphate to rapidly recreate ATP during high-intensity exercise.
PCr is Quick Energy: Importantly, the process whereby phosphocreatine recreates ATP during exercise is much faster than the production of new ATP through the combustion of nutrients within the cell at rest - a relatively slow process that requires the participation of oxygen. Now, during moments of rest, when the cell can take the time to produce ATP from stored nutrients and oxygen, some of this new ATP is used to
replenish the cell's PCr reserves in preparation for the next burst of energy consumption. Via such a biochemical mechanism, the amount of phosphocreatine stored within our cells determines our power output. Ergo, creatine supplementation, since it increases the amount of phosphocreatine (and creatine) stored within our muscles, heightens our ability to repetitively perform explosive bouts of strenuous exercise.
PCr Shuttle: Despite the apparently subsidiary role that creatine plays with reference to ATP production, creatine (phosphocreatine) is indispensable for cell survival. Phosphocreatine is more mobile than ATP and can more quickly reach regions of the cell that would otherwise starve if having to depend on the slow arrival of new ATP from the mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell). Phosphocreatine, on the other hand, is largely generated at the mitochondria from where it diffuses to distinct regions of the cell in need of ATP regeneration. ATP is thus regenerated locally with the help of phosphocreatine, a process known as the PCr shuttle.
PCr Surplus: Due to PCr's phosphate buffering capacity, the cell typically stores several times more phosphocreatine (and creatine) than ATP. Moreover, the size of our creatine (phosphocreatine) reserves increases with supplementation, effectively enhancing the energy buffering capacity of our muscles.
Creatine and Muscle Exhaustion: On the other hand, creatine supplementation does increase the number of times that the cell's ATP reserves are recycled, increasing the duration that intense efforts can be sustained before exhaustion sets in. Creatine supplementation also increases the rate at which the cell's phosphocreatine reserves are replenished during moments of rest. These effects translate into more rapid recovery following strenuous physical efforts and prolonged work output during repetitive bouts of intense exercise. Therefore, creatine supplementation enhances physical performance during explosive bouts of intense exercise, which then serves as a more potent stimulus for subsequent muscle development.
Creatine's DIRECT Anabolic Effects: A Role for Cellular Methylation
Again, the anabolic role traditionally ascribed to creatine supplementation was INDIRECT, mediated by its capacity to enhance exercise performance. This classical description of creatine's mechanism of action, however, falls short of explaining the full breadth of creatine’s anabolic properties as recently being revealed in scientific studies. New research is now showing that creatine possesses broad metabolic attributes. For instance, an improvement in systemic methylation status is one manner in which creatine supplementation may provide a noticeable anabolic boost.
S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAM) Supports Methylation: Methylation is an extremely important cellular process that is essential for life itself. Many of our most essential growth factors rely on methylation to become functional. The body's principal methyl donor is a molecule known as SAM. Ergo, SAM deficiencies compromise whole body anabolism.
So, what does creatine supplementation have to do with cellular methylation status? Nearly everything!
Creatine Supplementation Conserves SAM: The single largest drain of the body's precious SAM reserves is the synthesis of creatine by the liver and kidneys. By inference therefore, circumventing creatine synthesis should positively influence one's methylation status. And, the best way to avoid creatine synthesis is to provide the body with enough creatine to meet its daily needs. That is, creatine supplementation alleviates the need to
synthesize creatine from amino acids (glycine, arginine and methionine) and boosts one's methylation status. Therefore, creatine supplementation contributes to a more healthful methylation status, which, in turn, lays down the foundation for all other anabolic processes in the body.
B-Vitamins Regenerate SAM: Essential B vitamins, namely folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B 6, regenerate SAM after its consumption in cellular methylation reactions. Therefore, to get the most from your methylation potential, include these essential B-vitamins in your creatine supplementing routine
Creatine-Induced Muscle Volumization: Another anabolic attribute of creatine is mediated via a process known as 'cell volumizing'. Creatine has the property that it causes cells to inflate with water, effectively increasing their volume. Similar cases of cell volumizing in different cell types and in response to distinct agents has been shown to be a potent stimulus for protein synthesis. That is, increasing the volume of the cell because of increased water retention signals to the cell that it has grown. The cell then responds by increasing its production of structural and key enzymatic proteins. By inference therefore, creatine-based cell volumization should likewise promote cellular anabolism.
Creatine's Side Effects: Fact or Fiction
So, is creatine too good to be true? It is easy to understand how the public might be left somewhat skeptical given all the one-sided commercial fanfare.
The fact that creatine monohydrate is one of the very few nutritional supplements that provide a clear ergogenic benefits has made it the subject of intense scientific study as well as opened it up to detailed inspection for adverse consequences. Paradoxically, the close scrutiny that creatine has received over the last decade has also tended to exaggerate any adverse consequences that it might possess.
The latest research is seemingly demonstrating that creatine supplementation is a relatively safe practice, especially when compared to other nutritional practices commonly employed in athletics. For instance, creatine supplementation may turn out to be even less detrimental than chronic caffeine use. However, creatine supplementation is not without risks and some discretion is in order. What the risks truly are and how to best circumvent their appearance is discussed in our creatine side effects and precautions section.
Gastrointestinal complications are the most commonly reported class of side effects associated with creatine supplements. 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.
As taken from:
Creatine Information Center: The honest and responsible facts about creatine supplements.
I take it every day 5g
