Beware of Creatine Supplements
Saturday, April 4th, 2009
photo credit: dram
If you have been regularly hitting the gym, then it’s a near impossibility that you still haven’t heard of a supplement generally addressed as Creatine or just ‘crea’. The usual conversation starts with a personal experience related to the massive volume of fluids that has to be consumed just to stay away from the cramps caused due by crea-based supplements. These guys swear by Creatine, saying that it offers one of the easiest ways of bulking-up in a short time. However, this very perception itself exemplifies what they are doing wrong — there are no easy ways of going about weight training and supplements are best handled by professional athletes or those who have the patience and the resources to seek regular medical attention.
Creatine is actually produced in our bodies as a part of the natural metabolism and helps in muscle contraction. Crea is looked upon as a major source of energy for muscles and it often defines the lifting strength. However, its use is only recommended for those who are into high-intensity power sports that need short bursts of energy, like short-distance runners. This is what Creatine supplements do — they help people pump-up their lifting potential by a few pounds in a very short time, sometimes just days. However, when used by amateur or the casual gym-goer, it does more harm than good.
The most common issue with use of crea is the cramp factor. Severe abdominal cramps have been noted among the majority of uninformed consumers of Creatine and sometimes these symptoms continue even after months of stopping the dose. Its overdose can cause an overload dysfunction on the liver and kidneys too. It is supposed to be used under strict supervision and that too under a mapped and gradually-increasing dosage pattern. Those who are pushing their bodies to the extreme by using it, just take care of one thing — this is one supplement that is bound to come back to haunt you. The number of misadventures that folks have had with Creatine stands testament to this.
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Tags: creatine, creatine supplements, supplements
I’ve had the same cramping issues with creatine. As soon as I take the stuff, I’ll find myself bloated or stuck in the bathroom all morning. While I have seen benefits with CEE compounds, the side effects almost seem like too much to outweigh the benefits.
a lot of my friends had used creatine but I never was to convince to used.
I have taken creatine but never had a problem. Although with whey protein, i tend to go out a lot more and frequently. I guess it all depends on your body and what its sensitive against.
Isnt this the stuff that may keep Mark McGuire out of the Hall Of Fame?
I will always avoid creatine supplements after reading this.
In fact, you have to think about intaking products (for instance ZMA) that contributes to increasing testosteron in you body.