Sports supplements essentials: creatine
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Episode Highlights
Creatine Types
explores the various forms of creatine available, highlighting creatine monohydrate as the most cost-effective and efficient option. He explains that creatine aids in rapid ATP resynthesis, crucial for short-term, high-intensity exercises like sprints and weightlifting 1. Crowe notes that while creatine can enhance muscle strength and size, it may also lead to weight gain due to water retention in muscles 2.
Creatine loading has been shown to increase muscle creatine content by around 20%, which explains the sports performance benefit.
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This weight gain can be a concern for athletes in weight-sensitive sports, requiring a balance between performance gains and potential drawbacks.
Loading Protocols
The podcast details the creatine loading protocol, which involves taking 20 grams per day divided into four doses for five to seven days, followed by a maintenance dose of three to five grams daily. emphasizes the importance of combining creatine with carbohydrates to enhance muscle uptake 2. He also discusses the potential side effects, such as weight gain and gastrointestinal issues, which can be mitigated by spreading doses throughout the day.
A typical creatine loading protocol is to take 20 grams per day divided into four doses across the day.
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Crowe highlights that creatine is generally safe for healthy adults, though those with pre-existing kidney issues should exercise caution.
Safety
Addressing safety concerns, dispels myths about creatine's risks, noting that issues like muscle cramps and injuries occur at similar rates in both users and non-users. He stresses that creatine is safe for most people, though those with kidney problems should be cautious due to the additional protein load 2. Crowe also touches on creatine's potential benefits beyond sports, such as improving cognitive performance and aiding in glucose control for diabetes patients 3.
Concerns about insulin resistance and cancer have been largely dismissed.
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He advises consulting a sports dietitian to weigh the benefits and risks of creatine supplementation.