How to use Creatine properly

SINCE there are still no long-term studies regarding the safety

of taking creatine monohydrate, the "super supplement" of the

Nineties, you have to make a personal decision about whether

you want to experiment with your body or not. However, if you

do decide to take creatine monohydrate, here is what you

should know about how to use it properly. Take note that

"properly" means "based on current research". As more studies

are done, the recommendations might change. These are the

best recommendations that researchers can come up with at this

point in time. Lastly, if you are a coach or fitness trainer,

medico-legal experts in the U.S. warn that you (the school, team,

or fitness center) could be sued for recommending creatine to

your players or clients if anything adverse should happen to

them since long-term use of creatine is still not proven to be

safe.

Initial loading dosage

There are two ways of taking creatine. The first method uses an

initial loading dosage of 20 to 25 grams per day (four or five

doses of 5 grams each equally divided over the course of the

day) for five to seven days. The second method, a more gradual

technique, is to consume 3 grams of creatine a day for

approximately one month. According to the American College of

Sports Medicine (ACSM) Health & Fitness Journal, this should

increase creatine levels by 20 percent.

Maintenance dosage

ACSM points out that the exact maintenance dosage is not

known but "a daily dose of approximately 0.03 to 0.08 grams per

kilogram of body weight should be adequate to replace normal

breakdown of creatine and maintain elevated creatine stores".

Creatine manufacturers usually recommend approximately two

to five grams of creatine per day. It is sensible to remember that

"more is not better" since consuming large amounts of creatine

may cause fat to accumulate in the liver.

Take creatine with carbohydrates

Some research studies indicate that taking creatine with a

carbohydrate source like juice or a sports drink may increase the

total amount of creatine in the muscle by 60percent compared to

taking creatine alone. These studies recommend taking 90 grams

of carbohydrates with each 5-gram dose in the initial loading

phase. One study showed that the creatine-carbohydrate

relationship also affects performance - study participants taking

creatine alone increased anaerobic work capacity by 9 percent

while those taking creatine and carbohydrates increased their

anaerobic capacity by 31 percent.

Other research implies that the electrolyte sodium may play an

important role in determining how well creatine is absorbed by

the muscle cells. Researchers at the University of Oxford in

England found that when sodium levels are below normal, the

absorption of creatine was decreased by 77 percent.

Researchers suggest drinking a sports drink instead of plain

water after intense exercise to maintain normal sodium levels.

Creatine supplementation may need to be "cycled"

It has been observed that some people plateau or do not

experience the same results anymore after a few months of

creatine supplementation. The theory is that creatine uses

certain proteins as a transport system into the cells but

prolonged use of creatine can shut these proteins down.

Therefore, some researchers are recommending using creatine in

a 'cycling' fashion. They say to try a two- or three-month "on"

cycle followed by a one month "off" cycle. This will also give

your kidneys and digestive system a rest.

Creatine and coffee don't mix

Don't take creatine with coffee since caffeine may cancel out the

effects of creatine. Researchers still cannot explain why this is

so.

Creatine can be used or abused. It you don't need it, you are

just wasting your money and may even be harming your body.

If you need it, it may improve your performance slightly in

short-burst intense activities like sprinting, jumping and weight

lifting.