[ Contents | Search | Post | Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Turlo
Date: 5/15/2003
Time: 3:08:38 PM
Remote Name: 158.125.1.114
Right boyz ill start us off on this one! Creatine or "Methyl guanidine-acetic acid" (real name) basically there are three amino acids, Argine, Glycine + Methionine when transported into the liver makes Creatine. An average 12st male will have around 120 grams of creatine , mainly stored in muscles-bout 95%! No-one actually no's wat it does but most theories state that it basically reprodecs ATP (which is the bodies natural energy source) ATP only lasts for between 10-15 secs, but its very quickly useable compared to Carbs + protein. Unfortunatley it runs out quickly + so lots of recovery is needed. ATP is used for intense bursts, e.g 100m or weight lifting, wen a contraction occurs the bi product formed is ADP, which is basically useless, so creatine reacts with the "useless" ADP + creates "Super usefull" ATP, thus giving more energy for the muscles! Also creatine aids muscle "Volumization" (Puling water into the muscles)- increasing muscular density, obviously this leads to increased strength! Taking a creatine supplement can almost double your natural supply of creatine, so enabling the athlete to train that much longer + at a higher level!
Wow looks like the theory has allready been covered -saves me the job!! Wayne agree with all your points.
As Mr Miles stated the theory behind creatine is that it increases phosocreatine stores within the muscle and phosocreatine resynthesis, which means that more ATP can be systhsised allowing the working muscles to exercise for longer bla bla bla bla bla. Now thats the theory but theres still great controversy as to whether this theory actually works in improving performance. Many studies have shown creatine supplementation to improve creatine stores in the muscle and have proved that it increaed the power produced by the muscles over short term anaerobic tests. However there still still limited evidence to sguuest that creatine actually improves perforamnce ie. they have yet to prove that creatine supplemetation improves sprint times (although they have shown that it increases muscular power). No studies that i know have have shown creatine supplmentation to improve endurance performance.
Now heres some of the negitive effect of creatine supplementation:
Increases lean muscle mass - bad for any endurance sport - may be ok for some weightlefters etc.
Stomach cramps - you don't wanna be getting a bad stomach half way through training or a race do you!!
Dehydration - Very bad
Muscle cramps/ injury - very very bad!
Then you've got the ethical considerations. As distance runners we don't want to be taking the easy route to short term success. Creatine supplementation is the legal way of cheating - it should be banned. It has similar effetcs to to many steriods, ie it increases creatine stores above levels that your body can naturally produce - most steriods increase testosterone above levels that can be naturally produced by the body. So whats the difference between the two?????? Why is creatine not banned????? Just because its not banned it doesnt mean that its ok to take creatine becuae in yoyr head you know that it is cheating!
Cheers Turlo