Creatine & Aggressiveness

Due to its use as a performance enhancing supplement, creatine is often mistaken as similar to anabolic and androgenic steroids. Creatine does not cause uncontrollable aggressiveness, roid rage or side effects associated with steroids. Your body produces creatine in the muscles and other tissues to quickly regenerate energy during exercise. Increasing the amount of creatine in your muscles via supplements may improve athletic performance by increasing your muscle energy stores.

About Creatine

Your body creates creatine by combining three amino acids: glycine, L-arginine and L-methionine. Muscles charge creatine with energy by adding a phosphate group, creating phosphocreatine. During intense activity, such as sprinting or weightlifting, phosphocreatine regenerates ATP, adenosine triphosphate, the primary source of biochemical energy. Increasing creatine in muscles will increase your muscles energy reserves during short durations, normally less than 10 seconds. However, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, research is suggestive, but not conclusive, that creatine supplements will improve athletic performance.

Aggressiveness

Creatine itself does not cause aggressiveness. However, many supplements containing creatine also contain high amounts of stimulants, such as caffeine, and other dietary supplements. Stimulants work by increasing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, responsible for the fight-or-flight response. Stimulants will increase energy, but will also make people agitated or aggressive.

Effectiveness

Creatine is most commonly used to improve athletic performance. However, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, research on creatine-evoked athletic improvement has been limited to young males and not carefully controlled. However, clinical trials have found benefit of creatine supplementation for heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's disease. In healthy individuals, creatine supplements may not necessary raise the levels of creatine in the muscles, a requirement for effectiveness. Muscles may better absorb creatine when they are absorbing other nutrients, such as during or immediately after exercise.

Safety

Creatine is generally considered safe when consumed with plenty of water. The creatine molecule absorbs a large amount of water, raising the risk for dehydration. Be sure to increase your water intake when taking creatine, and avoid taking creatine before bed, as you are not drinking water during the night. Consult with your doctor before taking creatine or creatine-containing supplements. People who have kidney or liver disease may not be able to process creatine normally. Although creatine is used to increase exercise tolerance in those with cardiovascular disease, creatine may increase blood pressure and should only be taken under close supervision of a doctor.