Creatine supplements are marketed as bodybuilding and sports-enhancement aids. Creatine supplements are available in many different forms, including powders and tablets, as well as capsules, liquids and other products, although there is little to no difference in the effectiveness of powders versus tablets. Before you begin taking creatine supplements in any form, discuss both the benefits and the possible risks with your doctor.
Description
Creatine is a natural amino acid that you can get from animal-derived proteins from fish and meats, and that your pancreas, kidneys and liver manufactures, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Your body converts creatine into phosphocreatine, which your muscles store and use to make ATP, your body's main energy source. In fact, 95 percent of the creatine in your body is found in your skeletal muscles, MayoClinic.com says. Creatine supplements come in the form of creatine monohydrate, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Differences
Creatine supplements are most commonly found as powders, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. You can also find creatine in the form of tablets, as well as capsules, energy bars, liquids, chews, drink mixes and other products. The basic dosage and effectiveness of creatine powder versus tablets is virtually the same, although the powder form may be easier to digest for some people. Many creatine supplements are taken with an initial "loading dose" for several days, which is a very high dosage amount, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Taking creatine powders or tablets along with simple carbohydrates like fructose or glucose can increase the absorption and effectiveness, while caffeine can inhibit the supplement's effects. Don't take creatine in any form without first talking with your health-care provider.
Uses
Creatine powders and tablets are believed to increase the ATP availability for your muscles, especially during short-duration, high-intensity exercise like bodybuilding, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. But not all medical studies in humans have proved these claims. Preliminary scientific evidence suggests that creatine supplementation may also help in lowering triglycerides, improving exercise tolerance in people with congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or "COPD," reducing homocysteine levels, and boosting muscle strength in individuals with muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's disease. Creatine supplements could potentially also help in supporting the treatment of cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or "ALS," schizophrenia, injury-related muscle atrophy, Huntington's disease, McArdle's disease, polymyositis, dermatomyositis and certain mitochondrial disorders, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Creatine supplements could possibly help to support weight loss and improve your body's muscle-to-fat ratio. No conclusive medical research supports the use of creatine for any of these health purposes, however.
Dangers
Only limited information is available regarding the safety of creatine supplementation, and no safe dosage amounts are known for children and adolescents younger than 19 years of age, MayoClinic.com warns. Creatine could worsen asthmatic symptoms associated with allergies and may cause side effects like muscle cramps, nausea, stomachache, diarrhea and loss of appetite. In rare cases, creatine supplementation may lead to high blood pressure, dizziness, acute kidney failure, liver damage or dysfunction and muscle-tissue breakdown, cautions the University of Maryland Medical Center. Creatine could cause dangerous effects when you take it with certain medications, such as diuretics, cimetidine or Tagamet, the gout drug probenicid, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or "NSAIDs" like ibuprofen.
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