Fact or Fiction? Creatine is Harmful

Welcome to the first “Fact or Fiction?” post.

In the fitness and nutrition industries, new rumors are heard every day. In this blog series, I hope to dispel some of them, based on research and my own experiences, so you can make better choices about your health.

What's the truth?

Creatine: The Fiction

When my friend found out I was going to start taking creatine, he was very concerned. “That’s a steroid!” he cried, opening his eyes wide in fear as he echoed his high school wrestling coach’s words. He must have thought I would take 5 mg of creatine and suddenly bulk up to SheHulk-like proportions, sprouting chest hairs and angrily chugging protein shakes.

At least he cares.

He wasn’t alone in his protestations. If you type, “Is creatine...” into Google, it saves you a few seconds and fills in “a steroid” lickety-split, proud of itself. Bodybuilding.com forums are filled with questions about creatine’s ill effects (and yet no signs of proper grammar).

Why all the commotion if it’s not grounded in truth?

To be honest, no one’s really sure. Some think it was because Mark McGuire was taking creatine when he got busted for steroid use, and the two just became synonymous. But if we look at the science, facts are that creatine, in the recommended doses, isn’t harmful at all. It’s actually pretty awesome.

Creatine: The Fact

Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid that helps supply energy to muscle cells, primarily, by increasing the formation of adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. It is produced naturally by the body from amino acids glycine and arginine. It is a completely natural thing that is naturally in your natural body, naturally.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s look at why people, mostly athletes, are taking creatine as a supplement.

How Creatine Works

Benefits of Creatine

• Supplies extra energy for high-intensity exercise
•  Reduces muscle cell damage and inflammation after exhaustive exercise (in other words, it helps with recovery)
•  Increases muscle size and, therefore, body weight (good for bulking up for competitions)
• Enhances brain function by acting as a neuroprotectant
• Improved glucose tolerance (which may assist with warding off diabetes)

For studies and more information, check out these links:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson181.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/creatine/background/hrb-20059125

How to Take Creatine

You’ll read it recommended that you begin taking creatine with a loading phase, typically taking 15-25g a day for 1 week. Though this will get the creatine into your system faster, it won’t really have any long-term effects. So if you’re nervous about taking such a large dose, don’t bother loading.

Take 5g of creatine a day, at any time of day. It is typically in a powder form that you can mix into water or a protein shake. However, don’t mix it with any sort of citrus juice, as that can render the creatine useless (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/koch1.htm).

Here's a link to where you can learn more about creatine and buy it: Shop for Creatine. 

Give creatine a shot. You won’t test positive on a steroid test, I swear. The worst that could happen is some tummy distress. Alternatively, the best thing that could happen is you feel stronger, faster, and have better cognitive function.

Lift.Eat.Love.Sleep.

To Thine Own Self Be True: A Rant

Health is a touchy subject. 

As someone who writes about gym routines, diets, and general self-discipline, I know this first-hand. Many people have histories that make talking about food restriction or cardio triggers that could catapult them into the danger zone of eating disorders or unhealthy exercise routines. Others, tired of trying to change their bodies for years with no luck, get defensive, refuse help, and eventually give up the fight. 

For those who have struggled with their bodies, who view them as enemies instead of allies that carry them through the joys of life, reading page after page after page of articles touting the newest diet craze as the final answer, of bloggers (like myself) explaining nuances of low-carb, or scientific research articles whose results contradict each other, is exhausting, frustrating, and generally confusing. 

I get it. Really, I do. I've been through it all myself. 

There's a lot of information out there, and it's difficult to discern between reliable and unreliable sources at times. Heck, the fitness industry is a giant money-making machine, and there are people out there who make a really good living preying on the vulnerabilities and desperation of the sad, misguided, and ill-informed products of a society that puts more importance in looking good than feeling good. 

So I completely understand if you're skeptical of and angry with any fitness or nutrition advice. 

But just as being over-informed is dangerous, being completely uninformed is just as dangerous to your health. As there are fitness "specialists" selling you anything from vibrating ab belts to shake weights, there are nutrition "experts" out there who can convince you that their processed, sugar-filled meal-replacement shakes will turn you into Cindy Crawford in 60 days (or your money back!). 

It may surprise you how misinformed some people are. The other day, I read a story of a woman who won't eat animal products because she heard that "muscle weighs more than fat," and she thought that meant eating muscles will make her gain more weight than eating fat. Other people have no idea, at all, how many calories are in anything. But why would they? For most people, nutrition is a 2-day course in 7th grade health class, and there is no way it adequately covers even the most simple ideas like how eating fat won't make you fat, let alone how you should calculate your TDEE and eat enough protein to maintain your muscle mass. 

There are a lot of mysteries still out there in the fitness and nutrition world. As of this moment, there is no definite one-size-fits-all fitness and nutrition plan. There are, however, a few universal truths:

-More vegetables are better than fewer vegetables

-Too much refined sugar is bad for you

-Healthy diets require some proteins, fats, and carbohydrates

-Moving every day is good for your body

Yes, these are intentionally vague. I don't want anyone spreading the word that I said something like, "No one should ever eat any carbs, ever," or "Vegans are wrong," or "Running is bad for you," because I don't think those things. 

What I do think is this.

Health and fitness are both physically and emotionally personal things. It is up to you, and you alone, through good ol' trial and error, to see what fits into your lifestyle and can become a part of you for your entire life. It doesn't matter how great I think HIIT is if you hate it so much you never want to do it. And it doesn't matter if someone says low-carb is the greatest diet ever if you're a lactose-intolerant vegan; unless you want to subside on olives and guacamole forever, it's just not going to work. 

When it comes down to it, do as the title says: to thine own self be true. Be honest with yourself about what foods and exercise routines make you happy and what you can stick with for the long haul. Try to follow the above universal truths. An even more simplified version would be, "Move more. Eat things from nature, not from factories. Be patient and listen to your body." 

And as always, I'm here if you have any questions. KatherineHajzer@gmail.com 

Lift.Eat.Love.Sleep.