Why do athletes take creatine?
When creatine is taken orally it gets absorbed through the intestines and then enters the bloodstream. This provides a ready source of creatine that the body can draw upon during demanding exercise, when muscles need quick supplies of ATP to keep on performing at peak levels. Studies have shown that creatine can increase the performance of athletes in activities that require quick bursts of energy, such as sprinting, and can help athletes to recover faster. Creatine is best for the serious bodybuilder. It helps increase muscle mass, rather than muscle endurance, so its not well suited for athletes participating in endurance activities.
Creatine has been known to treat symptoms of serious illnesses, such as the muscle weakness associated with congestive heart failure. Others contend it can benefit people suffering from neuromuscular disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, stroke, and the hardening of the arteries that feed the heart.
I want to start taking creatine - is it safe?
For the most part, athletes haven't experienced adverse side-effects from taking creatine supplements; however, it is important to stick to recommended dosages. The body can only absorb and use a limited amount of supplemental creatine; taking excess amounts is therefore pointless, expensive, and even potentially unhealthy for the liver and kidneys, since they will try to process this compound. Dehydration has also been reported to be a problem while taking creatine.
Athletes generally take a "loading dose" of 20 grams of creatine a day for five or six days, then continue with a "maintenance dose" of 2 to 5 grams of creatine a day thereafter.
What are the side effects?
No serious side effects have been reported with creatine supplements. Diarrhea was the most commonly reported adverse effect, followed by muscle cramping. Another common side effect, especially at higher than commonly recommended doses, is water retention. Many users mistake this retention for true, long-lasting muscular weight gain.
Benefits
increases athletic performance
increases muscle mass
beneficial for muscular disorders
Nitric Oxide
Nitric Oxide is essentially a signaling molecule that helps control a range of processes in the body, including nerve signaling, immune functions, muscle growth and the dilation of blood vessels. An amino acid compound called arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (A-AKG) and arginine-ketoisocaproate (A-KIC) can boost short term Nitric Oxide levels, thereby increasing blood flow, oxygen transport, and delivery of nutrients to skeletal muscle. Nitric Oxide influences the functioning of virtually every organ in the body, including the lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach, brain and the heart.
The A-AKG and A-KIC may help your muscles experience an extended pump, may help your body signal muscle growth and speed recovery, and may help improve your strength and stamina.
Everyone needs nitric oxide to carry out key physiological processes within the body. For bodybuilders, nitric oxide supplements may prove useful in increasing growth due to increases in blood flow to certain areas of the body. Men suffering from erectile dysfunction may also find supplementing with nitric oxide helpful.
What are the side effects?
NO supplements with too much arginine can lead to diarrhea, weakness and nausea. To be safe, take a small dosage for one week, note the benefits and the side effects, and increase the dosage until the benefits are maximized and the side effects minimized. Over time the two will converge and you will hit the optimal dose.
Benefits
improves strength and stamina
increased muscle growth and recovery
increases muscle pump
