Should I Still Take Creatine With A Pre-workout Drink That Already Has It?

In 2004, Americans spent $20.3 billion on dietary supplements including $2 billion on sports-related supplements, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health. Creatine gained popularity in the 1990s as a supplement to enhance exercise performance. It has also been used in the treatment of people with Parkinson's disease, heart failure, muscular atrophy, rheumatoid arthritis and Lou Gehrig's disease. As reported by MedlinePlus, Americans use more than 4 million kg of creatine each year.

Creatine

Creatine is a chemical created by the body from amino acids and transported in the blood to be used by your muscles. Creatine can also be obtained from the foods you eat, mostly meat sources. If you do not eat creatine, your body will make the necessary amount. Likewise, the more creatine you obtain from food sources, the less creatine your body will produce. Creatine is a popular supplement for young and professional athletes who tend to take much more than is recommended. As reported by MayoClinic.com, the National Collegiate Athletic Association banned the distribution of creatine to players in 2000.

Creatine and Exercise

Creatine is an important component for exercise. Your body can change creatine back to phosphocreatine which is used by your muscles for energy. This conversion back to phosphocreatine is the system used by power athletes for short bursts of energy. This system is less important for endurance athletes. According to Dr. Mark Jenkins of Rice University, supplementation with 20 g of creatine for five days increases total muscle creatine stores by 20 percent. There does seem to be an upper limit because as the amount of supplemented creatine increases, so does the amount of creatine excreted in your urine. MedlinePlus reports that creatine mixed with carbohydrate seems to increase muscle creatine levels more than creatine alone. Manufacturers are now adding creatine to sports drinks, sometimes in high concentrations. There is no research to support taking large concentrations of creatine from either sports drinks or dietary supplements in order to enhance exercise performance. According to MedlinePlus, creatine in large concentrations can pull water from your body placing you at risk of dehydration if you exercise in the heat. In addition, creatine may cause irregular heartbeat; creatine taken in conjunction with caffeine and ephedra may increase your risk of stroke.

Research

According to the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" in June 1998, supplemental creatine has not been consistently shown to enhance performance for power or endurance athletes. Short-term use may increase body mass, but this gain is mostly related to water weight. The article points out that long-term supplementation in conjunction with weight training may increase lean body mass, but further research is needed. MedlinePlus reports that vegetarians and people with naturally low creatine levels receive more benefit from creatine supplementation than do people with already high levels of creatine. Once your body has reached the saturation point, no more creatine will be stored by your body.

Concerns

The long-term effects of creatine supplementation have not been studied. According to Jenkins, the use of creatine supplements increases your urinary concentration 90 times above the normal amount, which could possibly lead to kidney damage. In addition, Jenkins reports that there are impurities in every manufactured product including supplements. Creatine supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and no studies have been conducted on the impurities in creatine supplements. Avoid supplementation with creatine until long-term studies are complete.