Creatine

Creatine is probably one of the simplest supplements when it comes to how it works I the body. Your body has one major source of energy, ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This molecule is basically and nucleic acid with 3 phosphate molecules attached to it. The third phosphate makes this molecule have a lot of potential energy in the form of donating one of its phosphates to another molecule. It is these donated phosphates that allow your muscles to work as well any every other process in your body that requires energy. Creatine in the body can be bound to phosphate to form creatine phosphate. Your body naturally stores creatine phosphate so when the ATP uses up one of its phosphates and becomes ATP it can take it from the creatine phosphate and become ATP again. This allows for a quicker replenishment of energy for you to use. Supplementing creatine can gradually increase you natural levels of creatine phosphate.

This means you can work out harder and longer. Increased creatine in the cell also causes the cell to take on more water than normal. This increases weight and size as well. Some theories suggest that the increased water could be anabolic in itself independent of creatine’s biological activity.

So why is there so many different creatines??
It used to be that creatine monohydrate was the best form. Then some companies came out with liquid creatine which was soon discovered to be complete junk because creatine is not very stable in liquid solutions. Then cell-tech was released which is essentially creatine monohydrate with a ton of sugar (dextrose). This caused an insulin spike that would increase the creatine taken up into the muscle as well as sugar and everything else.
Now there are methods out their to increase the creatine uptake without adding 80grams of carbs.

Much like I described in the BCAA thread, the creatine molecule is modified. Creatine ethyl ester can cross the cell membrane against the concentration gradient. This means that the cell does not limit this creatine uptake like it does creatine monohydrate which it essentially regulates just by concentration of salts and water inside vs. outside of cell.
So these modified versions of creatine basically beat mother natures natural regulation of creatine levels allowing for levels above the physiological norm.

Other form of creatine include Kry-Alkylin and Magnesium Creatine Chelate.
These two forms are just creatine monohydrate.

Kry-Alkylin is creatine monohydrate but is made in a basic environment to limit conversion of creatine to its biproduct creatinine. Creatinine in high levels is hard on the kidneys. Your body naturally releases creatinine from its own creatine. I think that the claims these people make on how much conversion there is probably a little over exagerated. But this is probably the most health concious form of creatine, but it is no more effective than plain creatine monohydrate.

The Magnesium creatine chelate is designed to be more stable in the stomache so that it can be uptaken into the blood stream and then maybe taken up into the muscles. This again is no more effective that creatine monohydrate accept you get about a 8% increase in creatine effect with the same dosage. Other forms of Magnesium added to creatine other than chelated to the creatine mlecule actually decrease the effect.

Creatine monohydrate has approximately a 10% absorbtion rate. creatine ehtyl ester has creatin absorption levels in the 90% range.
So if you are gonna buy a creatine product the CEE is far the most effective.

Effervescent creatine is a waste!!! don't buy those products

except you skip over details like:

1. after heavy weight training the body creates an insulin spike even without carbs, thus dramatically increasing creatine monohydrate absorption

2. post workout, carbs like dextrose and maltodextrin are IDEAL for replenishing muscle glycogen

3. so because you SHOULD take some sugar carbs post workout, that further spikes insulin, so the monohydrate absorption level skyrockets.


so really, your comment should be "out of the tub, CEE has a higher absorption rate, but if you spend $4 on 5lbs of dextrose, it'll make your monohydrate just as effective".

And, will you please share the links to the scientific journals you studied to arrive at this conclusion?
because to date, I've never run across a REAL scientific study that showed anything was 'more effective' than monohydrate.

alright i know some about the creatine i'm taking and how it helps with the workouts and how it helps get bigger and is one of the few supplements that work but can it help with muslces such as back and abs besides just arms and chest and such....does it help work eveyrthing if used correctly?

every muscle in the body uses creatine. your body won't be selective about where it sends creatine.

but I still don't think you understand how creatine works.
creatine doesn't directly increase the size or strength of muscles.

creatine DOES allow muscles to work a little harder, so you get a better workout, which SHOULD lead to bigger/stronger muscles...if your training and diet and recovery are all done correctly.

alright, yea i can understand that just i wasnt sure cuz i've heard some of my friends in school be like wow that kid looks big....and than some1 would say nah he just uses creatine he just looks big...hence they are sayin he really isnt strong but he just looks it they are sayin creatine makes u look big not actually get bigger./...i dont kno if u understand that but yea

also malkore, on the days that i dont use the weights for a work out i will hit on the heavybag for 20-30 hard minutes. Do you belive this is a good thing to do on days i dont use weights and should i still use creatine after that workout. do you condiser that a workout

Any 1??????

some people get a lot of water bloating on creatine, which might be what your friends refer to...that or they're just ignorant on how creatine really works.

heavy bag on non-weight training days is fine. and yes, take a normal serving after that workout as well.

Your body doesn't send creatine to any specific places. Onces its in the blood stream it everwhere indiscrimently. The abosrption of creatine is what your body regulates, but in the case of ethyl ester compounds, they can be absorbed readily with less regulation.

And no the insulin spike you recieve post work out is not sufficeint enough to make monohydrate absorb at the rates of CEE. maybe a supraphysiological level of insulin would provide that but not the natural levels. Glut4 would actually help more than insulin up to a point here. This also doesn't help as much if you take your creatine before a workout.

Yes I will try and dig out my references and post them here when I have time.

TheGame,

and to be fair, the list of references at the end of this article is where I cite from, and why I disagree that CEE is really 'superior' to Mono.

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=768093

Also, I am a strong believer in dextrose and/or maltodextrin post workout, for glycogen replenishment. The associated insulin spike from those high GI and II carbs will facilitate transport of Monohydrate just fine. I simply consider that a positive side effect...the glycogen recovery is the primary goal of post workout sugar-carbs. At least that's my take on it.

alright thanks guys i appreciate it