Creatine is an organic compound that is made in your kidneys and liver. Your body uses creatine to replenish energy in your skeletal muscles. Although many people use creatine to increase strength and muscle size, the substance may have another health benefit. A medical study at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas revealed that creatine supplementation lowers bad cholesterol levels for people with high blood cholesterol.
Function
Creatine is synthesized in your body from amino acids L-arginine, glycine and L-methionine. It exists in your muscles as creatine phosphate and donates its phosphate structure to a high-energy molecule called adenosine diphosphate to form adenosine triphosphate. This is the energy compound that every cell uses for energy.
Cholesterol is a type of lipid that provides structure for cell membranes, steroid hormones and bile acids. It also regulates what goes in and out of the cell.
Types
Lipoproteins are organic compounds that have an outer shell that is made up of proteins and lipids containing materials in the center for transport in the bloodstream. Low-density lipoproteins, or LDLs, transport cholesterol from your liver and digestive tract into your arteries. High-densitiy lipoproteins, or HDLs, however, transport cholesterol away from your arteries and into your liver for reprocessing.
Effects on Cholesterol
In a research study at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas, 34 patients who had a fasting blood cholesterol between 220 and 250 milligrams per deciliter, or mg/dl, took 1,020 g of creatine supplementation a day for eight weeks. At the end of the study, their blood cholesterol dropped 5 to 6 percent, while their triglyceride level was reduced 22 to 23 percent. However, there was no effect on HDL or LDL levels. Therefore, creatine supplementation alone is not an effective method to lower cholesterol. It is more economic to eat more dietary fiber, eat less saturated fats, and do regular exercise.
Recommended Levels
The American Heart Association recommends that you keep your total cholesterol level below 200 mg/dl. Keep your HDL level above 60 mg/dl and your LDL level below 100.
Although you do not need creatine supplementation to function, some degree of creatine intake can help you increase muscle size and recovery during exercise. Dietitian Ellen Coleman recommends that you take 20 g per day for four to seven days while exercising. However, you should reduce the intake about to less than 5 g a day once you have achieved your muscle strength or hypertrophy goals.
Warning
Creatine supplementation can cause heat intolerance, muscle strain and sprain, muscle pain and reduced blood volume, according to the Mayo Clinic. Some individuals can be allergic to creatine supplements, causing rash, itching or shortness of breath.
High cholesterol levels--especially high LDL leveld--put you at risk for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, hypertension and type 2 diabetes.
References
- "Ultimate Sports Nutrition"; Ellen Coleman; 2004
- Nutrition Science News: Using Creatine For More Than Muscles
- American Heart Association: What Your Cholesterol Levels Mean
- Mayo Clinic: Creatine
