Creatine is a naturally occurring compound in your body. It is also manufactured and sold as a nutritional supplement that can enhance exercise performance and workout recovery. One of the reported benefits of creatine supplementation is its ability to decrease workout pain during exercise through lactic acid buffering, as well as after exercise through the promotion of protein synthesis. However, if you don't take it with enough water, creatine can cause muscle pain through dehydration. Consult your physician before taking any product containing creatine to make sure you are healthy enough for supplementation.
Lactic Acid
Lactic acid is a compound that is produced as a natural byproduct of muscle contraction and contributes to the pain you feel in your muscles while you exercise. When glucose is broken down for energy through a process called anaerobic glycolysis, lactic acid is released into your muscle, increasing the overall acidity of your muscle tissue. This increase in local acidity causes a burning or tingling sensation, called the muscle burn, that can be painful during exercise.
Creatine Buffering
Creatine has the ability to act as a buffer for lactic acid, slowing down the rate of lactic acid buildup in your muscles during exercise. By slowing down the rate of lactic acid production, creatine reduces the immediate muscle pain you feel while you are exercising, which allows you to be able to exercise at a higher intensity for a longer period of time with less muscle pain, due to lactic acid. According to "Nutrition for Health, Fitness, and Sport," as little as two to three grams of creatine a day can be enough to effectively slow the rate of lactic acid buildup.
Muscle Recovery
Creatine may increase your recovery time following exercise by promoting protein synthesis in your muscles. When you exercise, skeletal muscle breaks down on the microscopic level. This breakdown of muscle fibers leads to the soreness and stiffness you feel in your muscles after you exercise. Creatine promotes muscle hydration by pulling water into your skeletal muscles. The extra water in your muscles promotes protein synthesis, or the formation of new proteins, which are essential for muscle recovery, growth and repair following exercise.
Dehydration
Creatine supplementation can lead to dehydration, especially if you are not drinking adequate amounts of water. By pulling water into your muscles, creatine may rob the rest of your body's cells of the water they need to perform their normal cellular functions, causing dehydration. One of the side effects of dehydration is muscle pain or cramps, which can be debilitating. Drinking enough water while supplementing with creatine reduces the risk of becoming dehydrated, thereby decreasing the risk of developing muscle cramps and pain resulting from dehydration due to creatine supplementation.
References
- "Journal of Hyperplasia Research"; Creatine: A Meta-Analysis; J.D. King; 2005
- "Human Anatomy and Physiology"; Elaine N. Marieb; 2004
- "Nutrition for Health, Fitness, and Sport"; Melvin H. Williams; 2002
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