Creatine is one of the most popular, and well-researched, supplements on the market. If you’re trying to get big, combining creatine with resistance training can increase body mass and lean muscle mass. Although the body makes creatine, and it’s found in foods, many take the compound as a supplement to ensure getting enough to produce results. Consult your health care provider before taking creatine supplements.
Insulin-like Growth Factor
One of the ways creatine increases muscle mass is by boosting levels of insulin-like growth factor, a peptide hormone that has anabolic, or muscle building, properties similar to the hormone insulin. Scientists at St. Francis Xavier University in Canada studied the impact of creatine supplementation on insulin-like growth factor in resistance training adults. Subjects were assigned to receive creatine or a placebo daily for eight weeks while on a weight training program. At the end of the study, which was published in the August 2008 issue of "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism,” scientists found those in the creatine group experienced significant increases in insulin-like growth factor compared with those who had a placebo.
Body Composition
Researchers at the University of Connecticut investigated the impact of creatine supplementation on body composition in resistance training men. Participants were assigned to receive 0.3 g/kg of creatine or a placebo daily while performing weight training five days per week for four weeks. Scientists observed that those in the creatine group experienced increases in body mass and lean mass compared with those who had a placebo, as reported in the May 2004 issue of "European Journal of Applied Physiology.”
Meta-Analysis
Scientists at Old Dominion University performed a meta-analysis, or review, of the scientific evidence regarding the effects of creatine supplementation on body composition. They concluded that creatine was superior to a placebo in increasing lean muscle mass. The research was reported in the June 2003 issue of the "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.”
Safety
Creatine’s safety has been a concern, especially with respect to to liver and kidney function. Scientists at the University of Memphis reported in the February 2003 issue of “Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry" that athletes taking creatine for an average of 19 months didn’t experience any adverse effects on liver and kidney function compared with those who had a placebo.
References
- "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism"; Effect of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance-Exercise Training on Muscle Insulin-like Growth Factor in Young Adults; D.G. Burke et al.; August 2008
- "European Journal of Applied Physiology"; The Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Muscular Performance and Body Composition Responses to Short-Term Resistance Training Overeaching; J.S. Volek et al.; May 2004
- "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism"; Effect of Creatine Supplementation on Body Composition and Performance: A Meta-Analysis; J.D. Branch; June 2003
- "Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry"; Long-Term Creatine Supplementation Does Not Significantly Affect Clinical Markers of Health in Athletes; R.B. Kreider et al.; February 2003
Member Comments