CREATINE EXPLAINED! — What Is It & What Does Creatine Do? | Doctor ER
Summary
TLDRDr. Jordan Wagner discusses creatine, a supplement popular among athletes for muscle strength and mass. He explains creatine's role in energy production during high-intensity exercise and its conversion to ATP. The video clarifies misconceptions about creatine's safety, highlighting studies showing no harm to kidney health and its potential brain health benefits. Dr. Wagner advises on proper dosages and recommends creatine monohydrate as the best form, while cautioning those with medical conditions to consult a healthcare provider.
Takeaways
- 💪 Creatine is a substance found naturally in muscle cells that helps produce energy during heavy lifting or high-intensity exercise.
- 🏋️♂️ Creatine supplementation can increase muscle mass and strength, and support recovery.
- 🔬 Creatine is not a replacement for protein; it enhances workout performance, while protein aids in muscle repair post-workout.
- 🧬 Creatine is chemically similar to amino acids and can be produced by the body from glycine and arginine.
- 📈 Creatine stores are influenced by factors like meat intake, exercise, muscle mass, and hormone levels like testosterone and IGF-1.
- 🏃♂️ A 14-week study showed that adding creatine to a weight training program significantly increased leg strength and muscle mass in older adults.
- 🧠 Creatine may improve brain health and prevent neurologic diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and epilepsy by increasing phosphocreatine stores in the brain.
- 🚫 Creatine has a strong safety profile, and studies have not found it to harm kidney health in individuals with normal kidney function.
- 💧 The most common side effect of creatine is temporary bloating or stomach discomfort, especially during the loading phase.
- 📊 Creatine loading involves taking 20-25 grams split into smaller doses over 5-7 days, followed by a maintenance dose of 3-5 grams daily.
- 👩👩👧👦 Both men and women can benefit from creatine supplementation, with studies showing similar improvements in strength and endurance.
Q & A
What is creatine and why is it important for athletes?
-Creatine is a substance found naturally in muscle cells that helps produce energy during heavy lifting or high-intensity exercise, resulting in increased muscle mass. It's important for athletes as it supports muscular size, strength, and recovery.
How does creatine differ from protein in terms of its effects on the body?
-Creatine leads to more strength during workouts, while protein aids in muscle repair after workouts. Creatine is not a replacement for protein.
How is creatine chemically related to amino acids?
-Creatine shares similarities with amino acids and can be produced by the body from the amino acids glycine and arginine.
What factors affect the body's creatine stores?
-Factors affecting creatine stores include meat intake, exercise, amount of muscular mass, and levels of hormones like testosterone and IGF-1.
Where is creatine stored in the body and what percentage is stored in muscles?
-About 95% of the body's creatine is stored in muscles in the form of phosphocreatine, while the other 5% is found in the brain, kidneys, and liver.
What is the primary role of creatine during high-intensity exercise?
-During high-intensity exercise, creatine's primary role is to increase phosphocreatine stores in muscles, which helps produce more ATP for explosive exercise.
Are there any health benefits of creatine beyond athletic performance?
-Yes, creatine may improve brain health and prevent neurologic diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and epilepsy by increasing possible creatine stores in the brain.
Are there any potential downsides or dangers associated with creatine use?
-Creatine has a strong safety profile, but some individuals may experience stomach discomfort due to bloating, especially during the loading phase. Those with impaired kidney function or kidney disease should consult a healthcare provider before use.
What is the recommended dosage for creatine supplements?
-The International Journal of Sports Medicine recommends either a loading phase of 20 to 25 grams split into four to five doses over five to seven days, followed by a maintenance dose of three to five grams per day, or starting directly with the maintenance dose without loading.
Can both men and women take creatine, and do they experience the same benefits?
-Yes, both men and women can take creatine and experience similar increases in strength, endurance, and performance improvement.
What type of creatine is recommended and why?
-Creatine monohydrate is recommended as it is backed by the strongest research demonstrating its effectiveness at increasing body stores and improving exercise performance.
What precautions should be taken when considering creatine supplementation?
-It's important to consult with a primary care provider before incorporating any supplements into your routine, especially for pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and those with medical conditions or taking medications.
Outlines
💪 The Science of Creatine
Dr. Jordan Wagner discusses the role of creatine in muscle maintenance and strength training. Creatine is a natural substance found in muscle cells that aids in energy production during high-intensity workouts, leading to increased muscle mass. It is chemically similar to amino acids and can be produced from glycine and arginine. Creatine supplementation increases phosphocreatine stores, which in turn generates more ATP for explosive exercise. The video clarifies that creatine is not a replacement for protein and highlights its benefits, including improved athletic performance, muscle size, strength, and recovery. A 14-week study mentioned in the script showed significant increases in leg strength and muscle mass in older adults who supplemented creatine with weight training. Creatine's potential to improve brain health and prevent neurologic diseases is also touched upon.
🏋️♀️ Creatine Dosage and Safety
The video script explains how to take creatine supplements, with two recommended dosing regimens: creatine loading and maintenance dosing. Loading involves an initial high dose of 20 to 25 grams over five to seven days, followed by a maintenance dose of three to five grams daily. The alternative is to start directly with the maintenance dose. The script addresses common concerns about creatine's safety, such as its effect on kidneys and the possibility of bloating. It reassures viewers that creatine has a strong safety profile, with no harm to kidney health found in various studies, although individuals with kidney issues should consult a healthcare provider before use. The script also notes that the initial weight gain from creatine is often due to water retention rather than muscle mass. Dr. Wagner advises on the type of creatine to buy, recommending creatine monohydrate as the best option based on scientific evidence. He also cautions about the lack of regulation in dietary supplements and the importance of consulting a healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen, especially for pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and individuals with medical conditions or on medications.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Creatine
💡Supplementation
💡ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)
💡Muscle Mass
💡High-Intensity Exercise
💡Nutrition
💡Protein
💡Amino Acids
💡Creatine Loading
💡Maintenance Dose
💡Creatine Monohydrate
Highlights
Creatine is beneficial for maintaining and building muscles.
Proper nutrition and supplementation is crucial for strength training and fitness.
Creatine is one of the most successful selling supplements.
Creatine helps muscles produce energy during heavy lifting or high-intensity exercise.
Creatine is not a replacement for protein; it aids in strength during workouts, while protein aids in muscle repair.
Creatine works chemically by sharing similarities with amino acids and can be produced from glycine and arginine.
Factors affecting creatine stores include meat intake, exercise, muscular mass, and hormone levels.
95% of the body's creatine is stored in muscles, and the other 5% is found in the brain, kidneys, and liver.
Creatine supplementation increases phosphocreatine stores, which helps produce more ATP for energy.
Creatine alters cellular processes that lead to increased muscle mass, strength, and recovery.
A study showed that creatine supplementation significantly increased leg strength and muscle mass in older adults.
Creatine's primary role in high-intensity exercise is to increase phosphocreatine stores in muscles.
Creatine improves athletic performance, supports muscular size and strength, and aids in recovery.
Creatine supplements may improve brain health and prevent neurologic diseases.
Creatine has a strong safety profile and studies have not found it to harm kidney health.
The most common complaint with creatine is stomach discomfort due to bloating, especially during the loading phase.
Creatine loading phase can cause temporary water retention and bloating.
Athletes using creatine for up to three months can gain more lean muscle mass than those not using it.
Creatine supplements come in powder form and can be mixed with water or juice.
Two dosing regimens for creatine are recommended: loading and maintenance.
Creatine monohydrate is the best option among various types of creatine supplements.
Creatine is suitable for both men and women, with studies showing similar benefits for strength and endurance.
It's important to consult with a healthcare provider before taking creatine, especially for pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and those with medical conditions.
Transcripts
(beep)
- Creatine, beneficial for maintaining muscles
or is it actually dangerous for the bod?
I'll explain.
(beep)
(bright upbeat music)
Those involved in strength training and the fitness world,
trainers and athletes alike know the importance
of proper nutrition and supplementation.
But being informed with the right information
when shopping for supplements is even more crucial.
And being that creatine is one
of the most successful selling supplements
to hit the shelves,
it's important to know if it's actually beneficial
in maintaining and building muscles,
or is it just a bunch of bro science?
Today, I'm breaking down
all of the crucial facts and questions
that you might be wondering about creatine.
Hey, everyone, I'm Dr. Jordan Wagner.
I'm an emergency room doctor who treats everything
from COVID to gunshot wounds, burns, you name it.
I've created this video series
to help answer some of your medical questions
and the questions that I get from patients
each and every day.
If you find this video helpful,
please do me a favor and subscribe.
So what is creatine?
Creatine is a substance
that is found naturally in muscle cells.
It helps your muscles produce energy during heavy lifting
or high-intensity exercise,
AKA resulting in an increase in muscle mass.
Your muscles then convert creatine into creatine phosphate,
which is then generated into adenosine triphosphate, ATP,
which your body uses for explosive exercise.
Now, don't get protein and creatine confused.
In short, creatine leads
to more strength during your workout,
whereas protein leads to more muscle repair
after your workout
and creatine isn't a replacement for protein.
How does creatine work?
Chemically speaking,
it shares many similarities with amino acids.
Your body can produce it
from the amino acids, glycine and arginine.
If you want even more of an amino acids breakdown,
I'll link to a video I made on it below.
But, several factors affect your body's creatine stores,
including meat intake, exercise,
amount of muscular mass, and levels of hormones
like testosterone and IGF-1.
About 95% of your body's creatine is stored in muscles
in the form of phosphocreatine.
The other 5% is found in your brain, kidneys and liver.
When you supplement,
you increase your stores of phosphocreatine.
This is a form of stored energy in the cells,
as it helps your body produce more
of a high energy molecule called ATP.
Creatine also alters several cellular processes
that lead to increased muscle mass, strength and recovery.
One 14-week study in older adults,
out of the Journal of Clinical Medicine determined
that adding creatine to a weight training program,
significantly increased leg strength and muscle mass.
In high-intensity exercise, its primary role
is to increase the phosphocreatine stores in your muscles.
So what are the benefits of creatine?
So far, we know that it improves performance,
supports muscular size and strength, and recovery.
However, creatine has a lot of science-backed benefits
for both athletic performance and health as well.
Just like your muscles, your brain stores phosphocreatine
and requires plenty of ATP for optimal function.
A study from the Royal Society reports
that creatine supplements
also increase possible creatine stores in your brain,
which may improve brain health
and prevent neurologic diseases
such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease
and even epilepsy.
Are there any cons to creatine to be aware of
and is it actually dangerous?
Creatine strong safety profile
is commonly overshadowed by media reports claiming
that it harms your kidneys and causes extreme bloating.
First, studies involving a variety of people
of different ages have found
that taking creatine supplements did not harm kidney health.
However, those individuals with impaired kidney function
or kidney disease or anyone watching this video
should always check with their primary care doctor
or healthcare provider before taking any new supplements.
Second, the most common complaint
associated with taking creatine supplement
is stomach discomfort due to bloating.
This feeling of being bloated
or having a distended stomach most often occurs
when you first start taking the supplement
during the creatine loading phase.
During the loading phase, creatine also tends
to pull water into your muscle cells resulting in waking.
This may cause bloating or adding of water weight.
In fact, the average weight gain for adults
in the first week of using creatine during the load phase
is 1.5 to three pounds, though that weight gain
may be due to water retention.
It has been noted that an athlete
that has used creatine for up to three months
will gain upwards of 6.5 pounds of lean muscle mass
more than an athlete that is not trained with creatine.
How do you take it and how much?
Creatine supplements usually come in powder form.
You can drink it by mixing the powder with water or juice,
take it whenever it's convenient for you.
The international journal of sports medicine
currently recommends two dosing regimens
that you can follow when taking creatine.
The first option called creatine loading
involves taking 20 to 25 grams split
into four to five equal doses
over five to seven days.
After you're finished with the loading phase,
take three to five grams per day
to maintain your muscle stores of the compound.
The second option is to skip the loading phase
and start with the maintenance dose
at three to five grams daily.
Both options are equally effective,
but following the loading protocol will allow you
to experience the supplements benefit four times faster.
However, if that is all a little overwhelming to you,
I suggest taking precautions
and keep your dose to 10 grams or less per serving
A question I hear a lot, can women take creatine
or should men only take it?
Creatine is an equal opportunity workout enhancer,
meaning yes, both men and women can take it.
In fact, many studies show that ladies can experience
the very same increases in strength, endurance,
and performance improvement.
In one Canadian study, for example,
men and women who supplemented with creatine for six weeks
both showed physical improvements and became stronger.
Which type of creatine should you buy?
From creatine monohydrate, buffered creatine,
creatine hydrochloride and creatine nitrate.
It all adds more confusion
surrounding which supplement is right for you.
To keep it simple my friend,
creatine monohydrate, best option.
Based on the scientific evidence,
creatine monohydrate is backed by the strongest research
with studies demonstrating its effectiveness
at increasing your body stores
and improving exercise performance.
And if you're curious as to some of my recommendations,
I'll link to some of my favorite creatine supplements below.
Also, keep in mind that some dietary supplements out there
are largely unregulated.
The content of some of the products may differ
from what is specified on the product label.
And a word of caution.
The safety of supplements in pregnant women,
nursing mothers, children and those with medical conditions
or who are taking medications has not been established.
That's why it's always best
to talk with your primary care provider first
before incorporating any supplements
into your daily routine.
Self-treating your condition and avoiding
or delaying standard care may have serious consequences.
All right, that's been a creatine breakdown
with me, Dr. Wagner.
Do you take any creatine supplements?
Let me know in the comments.
Please make sure you subscribe
and turn your bell notifications on.
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Thank you so much for watching and stay healthy, my friends.
(upbeat music)
(beep)
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