Creatine

By:
Jeremy
Likness

Creatine
is the most popular and commonly used sports supplement available today. There
are numerous studies backed by anecdotal evidence that support the efficacy of
creatine supplementation. For the majority of the population, including both
elite athletes and untrained individuals,
creatine
supplementation increases fat free mass and improves anaerobic and possibly
aerobic performance. While the effectiveness of creatine is well known, the
most effective way to take creatine is not known. In order to design an
“optimal” cycle for creatine, a number of factors must be considered.

What
Is Creatine?

A French scientist discovered
creatine in 1835. Creatine is a natural constituent of meat, mainly found in
red meat. Creatine is manufactured naturally in the body from the amino acids
glycine, arginine, and methionine. This process takes place in the kidneys,
liver, and pancreas. Approximately 40% of the body’s creatine stores are free
creatine (Cr), while the remaining 60% is stored in form of creatine phosphate
(CP). The typical male adult processes 2 grams of creatine per day, and
replaces that amount through dietary intake and fabrication within the body.

A breakdown of creatine.

Creatine is used for the
resynthesis of ATP. ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is the “power” that drives
muscular energetics. When a muscle is required to contract, the bonds in the
ATP molecule are split, yielding ADP (adenosine-diphosphate). The energy
released by breaking this bond powers the contraction of the muscle. When ATP
is depleted within the cell, the cell can no longer contract. There are
several methods by which the body rebuilds ATP. The fastest method, without
oxygen, is through CP. Creatine phosphate is “split” to yield the phosphate
portion of the molecule. This phosphate portion bonds to the ADP, turning it
back to ATP. Once CP stores within the cell are depleted, the body must use
other methods to replenish ATP.

Supplementation with creatine
increases Cr and CP within the muscle, allowing further capacity to regenerate
ATP. In other words, the creatine enhances the ability of the muscle to
maintain power output during brief periods of high-intensity exercise. The
periods are brief because the ability of a cell to store CP is limited,
therefore the body will quickly move to other methods of replenishing ATP.

The majority of studies
regarding creatine supplementation have used creatine monohydrate, the form of
creatine bound to a water molecule. Some studies suggest that the combination
of creatine and carbohydrate will enhance absorption or “uptake” of creatine.
Science shows that creatine is unstable in liquid form, meaning that serum or
liquid delivery systems are currently not supported by scientific literature.

The creatine rapidly degrades to
creatinine, which is not useable by the body. There is very little support for
the notion that creatine in any type of mixture, including an effervescent
mixture, is absorbed more efficiently by the body. A company known as Albion
Laboratories, Inc. claims to have found an effective delivery mechanism by
chelating creatine to magnesium (a chelate is an organic compound that is
typically absorbed more readily by the body than individual elements).

What
Is The Most Effective Creatine Dose?

Effective doses will be examined
later in this article. Current studies tend to follow a very standard
protocol:

20 g / d for 5 - 7 days
(”loading phase“)

5 g / d for remainder of cycle
(”maintenance phase“)

A more customized approach is to
determine dose based on mass. A common formula is:

0.3 g / kg / d for 5 - 7 days

0.03 g / kg / d for remainder of
cycle

Thus, an individual weighing
two-hundred (200) pounds would require 200 lb * (1 lb / 2.2 kg) * 0.3 g = 27
grams per day for the loading phase, then 2.7 grams per day for the
maintenance phase. Calculate this for yourself below. It is known that
creatine supplementation increases intramuscular creatine stores. To base
creatine dose on total weight, therefore, seems inaccurate. A 200 lb
individual with 20% body fat would have less lean mass than a 200 lb
individual with 8% body fat.

Bottom of
Form

What
Does Creatine Supplementation Do?

The common mechanism for
creatine supplementation is known to be the increase of intramuscular creatine
stores. It is known that CP is used to replenish ATP, and that the amount of
CP naturally present is well below the maximum amount of CP that the body can
store. Increasing dietary creatine allows the maximum amount of CP storage to
be reached, which in turn provides more capacity to regenerate ATP. An
interesting effect of creatine supplementation appears to be enhanced ability
for the muscle to store glycogen.

Glycogen is a form of
carbohydrate stored inside the muscle that is used to fuel anaerobic activity
(i.e. activity that is too intense to allow the cardiopulmonary system to
deliver adequate oxygen). The ATP-CP pathway is used during the initial few
seconds that work is performed. The next dominant system uses glycolysis,
which requires glycogen to fuel activity. After several seconds to a few
minutes, the dominant system becomes the oxidative or cardiovascular system -
in other words, aerobic exercise.

Many studies have shown that
replenishing glycogen stores may aid
recovery
and hypertrophy (muscle growth). Bodybuilders use a protocol known as
“carb-loading” to supersaturate their muscles with glycogen. Glycogen requires
water to enter the muscle cell, therefore having higher glycogen levels means
more fat-free mass and larger, fuller muscles.

If creatine does indeed increase
the amount of glycogen storage achievable through super compensation or
“loading”, it stands to reason that a well-timed creatine cycle in conjunction
with carb-loading will not only create incredible muscle fullness, but also
potentially create an environment suited to optimal muscle growth. It should
be noted that the super compensation was most pronounced when performed
following a period of creatine supplementation, not during the initial period
of supplementation itself.

An interesting effect of
creatine supplementation is possible interaction with satellite cells. There
are several different fiber types used to classify muscle tissue. In general,
muscle tissue can be considered “endurance” fiber - able to perform multiple
repetitions and highly resistant to injury - or “explosive” fiber - able to
perform maximal workload for a short duration of time and highly susceptible
to
injury.
There is a special type of muscle fiber known as “transitional fiber”.

This fiber can be considered the
“fight or flight” fiber - despite an individual’s lack of overall fitness,
when faced with a potentially dangerous situation, these fibers can “activate”
to provide enormous bouts of strength. These fibers are easily damaged, but it
has been shown that if cortisol levels are blocked subsequent to this damage
occurring, instead of being “swept” away by the body, these cells fuse with
“satellite” cells.

Satellite cells are special
structures that are not true muscle cells until they fuse with transitional
cells. The resulting cell is much larger and stronger. If these transitional
fibers are appropriately activated and subsequent cortisol levels
appropriately managed, creatine supplementation may help induce a significant
hypertrophy effect.

What
Training Protocol Is Most Effective With Creatine?

Creatine has a very specific
effect with very specific training protocols. Arbitrarily adding creatine
supplementation without considering training is a huge mistake. Most studies
show that a single bout of maximal or sub-maximal effort is not sufficient to
elicit a response from creatine supplementation. Creatine has been shown to
delay the onset of muscular fatigue during repeated bouts of work A single
bout of work appears to have no improvement with creatine supplementation.

This is more than likely due to
the role that creatine plays with ATP resynthesis. A single bout of work will
deplete ATP stores, yet it is the regeneration of ATP that creatine
supplementation affects. Creatine also increases the amount of time that
maximal output can be performed - for example, it may increase the duration of
a heavy lift, which means more repetitions at the same weight. All of these
factors tend to indicate that two major elements are required to benefit from
creatine supplementation:

Intensity,
in other words, maximal or sub-maximal output duration and repetition - in
other words, multiple bouts of work more than likely, these factors are what
provided the success of one study, which concluded that enhanced performance
and increase of lean mass were due to “higher quality training sessions .”
These sessions would include moderate to high intensity weights, and moderate
to high volume with multiple sets.

Is
Creatine Supplementation For Everyone?

Creatine supplementation may not
be effective for everyone. There are possible safety concerns with creatine
supplementation that will be discussed later. Due to the mechanisms by which
creatine supplementation works, it may not be effective for endurance athletes
to supplement with creatine. A significant percentage of the general
population appears to have no response to creatine.

People on vegetarian diets seem
to have a greater response to creatine, theoretically due to the lack of
dietary creatine intake. From this, it can be inferred that individuals who
consume large amounts of protein on a daily basis, especially red
meat,
will have a less significant response to creatine supplementation to the
amount being ingested through typical dietary means. It is interesting to note
that most creatine research uses the standard protocol of 5 g / d for
“maintenance”.

Anecdotal evidence suggests a
high rate of success with creatine supplementation. This same evidence
indicates that doses in the field are much higher than the established
research protocol or recommended label amounts.

This may account for a higher
anecdotal rate of success and perceived effect in the field as opposed to what
is suggested in the literature. Anecdotal evidence is not a substitute for
scientific research, but should be taken into account. What happens in “the
real world” is much more important than what occurs in isolated, scientific
trials when trying to make a “real world” application of creatine
supplementation.

Is
Creatine Supplementation Safe?

The majority of studies indicate
that supplementation with creatine for prolonged periods of time using large
doses are safe. One study concluded that supplementation from nine (9) weeks
up to five (5) years did not adversely affect renal function . Yet another
study examined muscle damage, hepatic (liver) and renal (kidney) function, and
found no adverse effects from creatine supplementation.

There is potential cause for
concern, however. The by-product of creatine use in the muscle is creatinine.
Creatinine is typically harmless, and is flushed by the kidneys. When the
kidneys are not functioning properly, however, any type of excess strain can
cause problems. Creatinine levels are typically used to monitor kidney
function, and creatine supplementation will raise these levels. A study done
on animals with existing kidney problems showed that creatine supplementation
aggravated and increased the acuteness of these conditions. Therefore,
creatine supplementation may not be wise for individuals with renal disease or
dysfunction.

The largest safety concern with
creatine is most likely the quality of the product. Creatine is manufactured
from sarcosine and cyanamide. During the production of creatine, contaminants
such as dicyandiamide, dihydrotriazines, creatinine, and various ions are
produced. Supplementation with large doses for prolonged periods of time with
a product that has not been sufficiently screened for contaminants could be
cause for concern. Finding a
reputable
company
that provides quality creatine product is very important when considering
creatine supplementation.

An
Interesting Side Note: Creatine And Aerobic Capacity

Creatine is mainly discussed
with reference to its effect on anaerobic output, specifically in the ATP-CP
and glycolytic range of muscular energetics. It is important to note that a
few studies do support ergogenic effects on oxidative (aerobic) systems as
well.

One study showed that creatine
supplementation reduced the “oxygen cost” of activity, meaning that less
strain was placed on the cardiovascular system when performing aerobic work
after creatine supplementation. Another study, performed on animals, concluded
that creatine supplementation increases the oxidative potential of cardiac
muscle. Both of these studies seem to indicate increased aerobic capacity.

For an individual concerned with
fitness, this is very important information. If creatine increases aerobic
capacity, creatine supplementation could potentially increase the amount of
workload performed during cardiovascular sessions. This would mean more
caloric output. Combined with resistance training and proper
nutrition,
the end result would be a net loss of body fat (combined with an increase in
lean muscle mass as evidenced by the other effects of creatine
supplementation). This is a powerful combination of effects!

So
What Is The Ideal Creatine Cycle?

Based on the information
provided here, I propose the following cycle. The length of an ideal cycle
would be relatively short. Many studies suggest that the main response to
creatine supplementation occurs during the first week, with subsequent weeks
of supplementation rendering no significant increase of performance or mass.

Research is very limited with
regard to extended cycles at high doses, however. The cessation of ergogenic
effects seems to correlate to the end of the “loading” phase. It is therefore
suggested that an extended loading phase may prolong the ergogenic effects. It
is also important to cycle off of the product for a prolonged period of time,
due to the high dose of the cycle and the potential for contaminants in the
product.

Guidelines

An ideal cycle would contain
the following:

• Duration of a few weeks
  

• An average dose more
  equivocal to a “loading” phase than a “maintenance phase”

• A larger dose for potential
  responders who lack natural, dietary creatine

• A smaller dose for potential
  non-responders with a significant amount of existing dietary creatine
  intake

• A training protocol that
  emphasizes all phases of muscular energetics to take advantage of the
  ATP-CP, glycolytic, and oxidative effects of creatine supplementation
  (HIIT is ideal for cardiovascular exercise when supplementing creatine,
  due to the repeated bouts of high intensity work)

• A training protocol that
  incorporates negatives in order to stimulate satellite cell fusion, as per
  Dr. Hatfield’s theory of holistic training

• A training protocol that
  emphasizes repeated bouts of work per the results of creatine studies
  

• A nutrition protocol
  tailored to reduce post-workout cortisol levels, which would involve a
  post-workout shake and possible glutamine supplementation

• A nutrition protocol that
  takes advantage of carb-load (super compensation) near the end of the
  cycle

From these guidelines, the
following cycle can be extrapolated.

Supplement
Cycle

First, the cycle will be short,
only 4 weeks in duration. It will involve a rapid “ramp-up” with a
corresponding “ramp-down” of creatine and incorporate glutamine
supplementation.
Nutrition
will be manipulated to favor hypertrophy during the first 3 weeks, then take
advantage of super compensation and unloading for the final week.

• First, determine a baseline
  creatine dose.

• For the average individual,
  this is proposed to be 0.3 g / kg lean mass.

• For vegetarians, consider
  0.4 g / kg lean mass.

• For those with predominant
  protein (35% of total calories or higher) in the diet, and those who
  consume at least 1 portion of red meat daily, consider 0.2 g / kg lean
  mass.

• A discussion of glutamine is
  outside the scope of this article. The proposed dose is 0.3 g / kg lean
  mass.

An example individual weighs 180
pounds at 12% body fat. Lean mass is determined to be 158 pounds, or 72 kg.
The individual has predominant protein in their diet and consumes red meat
frequently. Therefore, the baseline creatine dose is computed to be 72 kg *
0.2 g / kg = 14 grams. Glutamine dose is set at 72 kg * 0.3 g / kg = 22 grams.

Glutamine
will be divided into 3 doses: pre-workout, post-workout, and pre-bedtime. This
equates to 7 grams pre-workout, 7 grams post-workout, and 8 grams pre-bedtime.

Creatine will be “ramped up”.
The first week will be 50% of the baseline. Second week is 100% of the
baseline, and third week is 150% of the baseline. The unloading week is 50% of
the baseline. The creatine will be consumed post-workout (75%) and pre-bedtime
(25%). To summarize dosing:

Week 1:

Creatine: 5g post-workout, 2g
before bed.
Glutamine: 7g pre-workout, 7g post-workout, 8g before bed.

Week 2:

Creatine: 11g post-workout, 3g
before bed.
Glutamine: 7g pre-workout, 7g post-workout, 8g before bed.

Week 3:

Creatine: 16g post-workout, 5g
before bed.
Glutamine: 7g pre-workout, 7g post-workout, 8g before bed.

Week 4:

Creatine: 5g post-workout, 2g
before bed.
Glutamine: 7g pre-workout, 7g post-workout, 8g before bed.

Week 5:

All supplementation ceases
(cycle is complete).

Nutrition
Cycle

As indicated earlier, a
post-workout shake is important to replenish intramuscular glycogen and aid
with recovery. It has been suggested by several studies that a post-workout
shake may decrease cortisol levels. While it has also been noted that
ingestion of food can lower
growth
hormone
levels, this effect is minor compared to the potential benefits of a
post-workout shake. I recommend 50% of lean weight (pounds) in grams
carbohydrate, 1/3 of carbohydrate in grams of protein, and ? protein in grams
of fat. For the test case, the post-workout shake would be:

Carbohydrate: 80 grams
Protein: 27 grams
Fat: 14 grams*

* Healthy,
unsaturated fats, or medium chain triglycerides

This equates to 544 kcal of
energy. Post-workout shakes should be consumed immediately subsequent to bouts
of resistance training exercise.

The subject should be in a hypo
caloric state throughout the cycle (taking in more calories than expended to
induce muscle growth). This would preferably involve a zigzag of calories,
with higher calorie days coinciding with resistance training. Protein intake
should be considerable to accommodate increases in muscle mass. Nutrition
requirements vary widely from individual to individual, so no example menu is
provided.

One important factor for
consideration is the super compensation phase. After the third (highest) week
of the cycle, a period of low carbohydrate intake should ensue. This period
should last approximately three (3) days. The purpose of this period is to
deplete muscle glycogen stores. The third day will consist of an “unloading”
workout; a full-body regimen designed to fully deplete intramuscular glycogen.
Protein should be increased while carbohydrate is reduced to maintain
consistent overall caloric intake. After the unloading workout, carbohydrate
will be increased to 150% of the original levels and protein reduced slightly
to allow super compensation. This period will last 2 days, and then the diet
will resume to normal.

If a typical intake were 200
grams of protein and 200 grams of carbs, this would shift to 325 grams of
protein and 75 grams of carbohydrate during the carb-depletion phase (as an
example). During the super compensation phase, the subject would consume 100
grams of protein and 300 grams of carbohydrate.

Training
Cycle

In order to take advantage of
various systems of muscular energetics, a holistic approach is recommended.
This approach would involve a series of “mega-sets” (Dr. Fred Hatfield’s
“Holistic sets” or “ABC training”) designed to recruit a broad spectrum of
muscle fiber types for each muscle group. An example mega-set for chest might
be:

6 reps 90% intensity - explosive
10 reps 70% intensity - moderate
40 reps 55% intensity - slow

Intensity is expressed as a
percentage of one rep max. If the subject can bench 200 pounds for a single
rep, then the mega-set would be:

6 reps at 180 pounds - explosive
tempo (accelerate as quickly as possible)
10 reps at 140 pounds - steady tempo (1 second down, 1 second up)
40 reps at 110 pounds - slow tempo (3 seconds down, 2 seconds up).

The mega-set is performed with
minimal rest - only enough time to strip the weight between mini-sets. After a
mega-set, rest no more than 1 minute and repeat the mega-set for a total of
three (3) times. Note that these reps are general guidelines. A person with
predominantly slow-twitch (endurance) fiber in their chest would have higher
reps and may only perform 2 sets, as opposed to another individual with
explosive fiber in their chest.

Holistic sets are very taxing on
the central nervous system. For this reason, a moderate workout should be used
to extend recovery while preventing atrophy. An example schedule for this
program:

Week 1

Monday - Chest/Back (row)
holistic

Tuesday - HIIT exercise
Wednesday - Legs moderate
Thursday - HIIT exercise
Friday - Shoulders/Back (pull-down) holistic
Saturday - Moderate cardio
Sunday - ** rest **

Week 2

Monday - Chest/Back moderate
+ triceps

Tuesday - HIIT exercise
Wednesday - Legs holistic
Thursday - HIIT exercise
Friday - Shoulders/Back moderate + biceps + traps
Saturday - Moderate cardio
Sunday - ** rest **

Week 3

Monday - Chest/Back (row)
holistic

Tuesday - HIIT exercise
Wednesday - Legs moderate
Thursday - HIIT exercise
Friday - Shoulders/Back (pull-down) holistic
Saturday - Moderate cardio
Sunday - ** rest ** (begin low carb phase)

Week 4

Monday - HIIT exercise

Tuesday - Unload routine (full
body workout)
Wednesday - Moderate cardio (begin high carb phase)
Thursday - Moderate cardio
Friday - ** rest ** (return to normal diet)
Saturday - ** rest **
Sunday - ** rest - end of cycle **

The “unload routine” should
contain mostly multi-joint, compound movements, such as squats, dead-lifts,
bench press, clean and press, wide-grip pull-ups, and bent-over rows. Multiple
sets of higher reps (15 - 20) should be performed in superset fashion with
minimal rest. The final rest period prior to the end of cycle will allow
recovery while in a super compensated state. This could lead to significant
hypertrophy.

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