Creatine: Muscle Enhancer or Kidney Killer???

Creatine works. Lifters know this, Researchers know this, and the marketers who sell the stuff know this. But nobody should put anything in their body without knowing the benefits and risks first. That goes for everything you eat, drink and to the amazing amino acid called creatine.

Creatine - typically bought in flavoured powders and mixed with liquid which increases the body's ability to produce energy rapidly. With more energy, you can train harder and more often, producing faster results. It's as simple as this If you can lift one or two more reps or 5 more pounds, your muscles will get bigger and stronger. Research shows that creatine is most effective in high intensity training and explosive activities. This includes weight training and sports that require short bursts of effort, such as sprinting, football, and baseball. There is less support to indicate that creatine improves endurance performance and aerobic-type exercise.

One thing is almost certain: If you take creatine, you'll gain weight. It'll happen quickly, While the initial gain is water (about 2 to 4 pounds in the first week of supplementation), subsequent gains are muscle due to the increase in the workload you can handle.

Because creatine is an "osmotically active substance," it pulls water into your muscle cells, which increases protein synthesis. Researchers found that muscle fibers grow when a person takes creatine.

The catch: This only happens if you take advantage of the boost in energy and hit the gym. Otherwise, it is just water weight.

The Other Side of the Story:

There have been unreliable reports of kidney damage, heart problems, muscle cramps, dehydration, and diarrhea, in addition to other negative side effects.

Some of these conditions can be caused by consuming too much of certain vitamins. Too much vitamin C can cause diarrhea, and too much iron may lead to stomach problems.

To be safe, use creatine only if you are healthy and have no kidney problems. That's because your kidneys excrete creatinine, a breakdown product of creatine.