| Although creatine offers an array of | | | | research with creatine is its effect on |
| benefits, most people think of it simply as a | | | | neuromuscular diseases such as MD. One study |
| supplement that bodybuilders and other | | | | looked at the safety and efficacy of creatine |
| athletes use to gain strength and muscle | | | | monohydrate in various types of muscular |
| mass. Nothing could be further from the | | | | dystrophies using a double blind, crossover |
| truth.A substantial body of research has | | | | trial.Thirty-six patients (12 patients with |
| found that creatine may have a wide variety | | | | facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, 10 patients |
| of uses. In fact, creatine is being studied | | | | with Becker dystrophy, eight patients with |
| as a supplement that may help with diseases | | | | Duchenne dystrophy and six patients with |
| affecting the neuromuscular system, such as | | | | sarcoglycan-deficient limb girdle muscular |
| muscular dystrophy (MD).Recent studies | | | | dystrophy) were randomized to receive |
| suggest creatine may have therapeutic | | | | creatine or placebo for eight weeks.The |
| applications in aging populations for wasting | | | | researchers found there was a "mild but |
| syndromes, muscle atrophy, fatigue, gyrate | | | | significant improvement" in muscle strength |
| atrophy, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's | | | | in all groups. The study also found a general |
| disease and other brain pathologies. Several | | | | improvement in the patients' daily-life |
| studies have shown creatine can reduce | | | | activities as demonstrated by improved scores |
| cholesterol by up to 15% and it has been used | | | | in the Medical Research Council scales and |
| to correct certain inborn errors of | | | | the Neuromuscular Symptom scale. Creatine was |
| metabolism, such as in people born without | | | | well tolerated throughout the study period, |
| the enzyme(s) responsible for making | | | | according to the researchers.1Another group |
| creatine.Some studies have found that | | | | of researchers fed creatine monohydrate to |
| creatine may increase growth hormone | | | | people with neuromuscular disease at 10 grams |
| production.What is creatine?Creatine is | | | | per day for five days, then reduced the dose |
| formed in the human body from the amino acids | | | | to 5 grams per day for five days.The first |
| methionine, glycine and arginine. The average | | | | study used 81 people and was followed by a |
| person's body contains approximately 120 | | | | single-blinded study of 21 people.In both |
| grams of creatine stored as creatine | | | | studies, body weight, handgrip, dorsiflexion |
| phosphate. Certain foods such as beef, | | | | and knee extensor strength were measured |
| herring and salmon, are fairly high in | | | | before and after treatment. The researchers |
| creatine.However, a person would have to eat | | | | found "Creatine administration increased all |
| pounds of these foods daily to equal what can | | | | measured indices in both studies." Short-term |
| be obtained in one teaspoon of powdered | | | | creatine monohydrate increased high-intensity |
| creatine.Creatine is directly related to | | | | strength significantly in patients with |
| adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is formed | | | | neuromuscular disease.2There have also been |
| in the powerhouses of the cell, the | | | | many clinical observations by physicians that |
| mitochondria. ATP is often referred to as the | | | | creatine improves the strength, functionality |
| "universal energy molecule" used by every | | | | and symptomology of people with various |
| cell in our bodies. An increase in oxidative | | | | diseases of the neuromuscular system.Creatine |
| stress coupled with a cell's inability to | | | | and neurological protection/brain injuryIf |
| produce essential energy molecules such as | | | | there is one place creatine really shines, |
| ATP, is a hallmark of the aging cell and is | | | | it's in protecting the brain from various |
| found in many disease states.Key factors in | | | | forms of neurological injury and stress. A |
| maintaining health are the ability to: (a) | | | | growing number of studies have found that |
| prevent mitochondrial damage to DNA caused by | | | | creatine can protect the brain from |
| reactive oxygen species (ROS) and (b) prevent | | | | neurotoxic agents, certain forms of injury |
| the decline in ATP synthesis, which reduces | | | | and other insults.Several in vitro studies |
| whole body ATP levels. It would appear that | | | | found that neurons exposed to either |
| maintaining antioxidant status (in particular | | | | glutamate or beta-amyloid (both highly toxic |
| intra-cellular glutathione) and ATP levels | | | | to neurons and involved in various |
| are essential in fighting the aging | | | | neurological diseases) were protected when |
| process.It is interesting to note that many | | | | exposed to creatine.3 The researchers |
| of the most promising anti-aging nutrients | | | | hypothesized that "? cells supplemented with |
| such as CoQ10, NAD, acetyl-l-carnitine and | | | | the precursor creatine make more |
| lipoic acid are all taken to maintain the | | | | phosphocreatine (PCr) and create larger |
| ability of the mitochondria to produce high | | | | energy reserves with consequent |
| energy compounds such as ATP and reduce | | | | neuroprotection against stressors."More |
| oxidative stress.The ability of a cell to do | | | | recent studies, in vitro and in vivo in |
| work is directly related to its ATP status | | | | animals, have found creatine to be highly |
| and the health of the mitochondria. Heart | | | | neuroprotective against other neurotoxic |
| tissue, neurons in the brain and other highly | | | | agents such as N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) |
| active tissues are very sensitive to this | | | | and malonate.4 Another study found that |
| system. Even small changes in ATP can have | | | | feeding rats creatine helped protect them |
| profound effects on the tissues' ability to | | | | against tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), which |
| function properly.Of all the nutritional | | | | produces parkinsonism in animals through |
| supplements available to us currently, | | | | impaired energy production.The results were |
| creatine appears to be the most effective for | | | | impressive enough for these researchers to |
| maintaining or raising ATP levels.How does | | | | conclude, "These results further implicate |
| creatine work?In a nutshell, creatine works | | | | metabolic dysfunction in MPTP neurotoxicity |
| to help generate energy. When ATP loses a | | | | and suggest a novel therapeutic approach, |
| phosphate molecule and becomes adenosine | | | | which may have applicability in Parkinson's |
| diphosphate (ADP), it must be converted back | | | | disease."5 Other studies have found creatine |
| to ATP to produce energy. Creatine is stored | | | | protected neurons from ischemic (low oxygen) |
| in the human body as creatine phosphate (CP) | | | | damage as is often seen after strokes or |
| also called phosphocreatine.When ATP is | | | | injuries.6Yet more studies have found |
| depleted, it can be recharged by CP. That is, | | | | creatine may play a therapeutic and or |
| CP donates a phosphate molecule to the ADP, | | | | protective role in Huntington's disease7, 8 |
| making it ATP again. An increased pool of CP | | | | as well as ALS (amyotrophic lateral |
| means faster and greater recharging of ATP, | | | | sclerosis).9 This study found that "? oral |
| which means more work can be performed.This | | | | administration of creatine produced a |
| is why creatine has been so successful for | | | | dose-dependent improvement in motor |
| athletes. For short-duration explosive | | | | performance and extended survival in G93A |
| sports, such as sprinting, weight lifting and | | | | transgenic mice, and it protected mice from |
| other anaerobic endeavors, ATP is the energy | | | | loss of both motor neurons and substantia |
| system used.To date, research has shown that | | | | nigra neurons at 120 days of age.Creatine |
| ingesting creatine can increase the total | | | | administration protected G93A transgenic mice |
| body pool of CP which leads to greater | | | | from increases in biochemical indices of |
| generation of energy for anaerobic forms of | | | | oxidative damage. Therefore, creatine |
| exercise, such as weight training and | | | | administration may be a new therapeutic |
| sprinting. Other effects of creatine may be | | | | strategy for ALS." Amazingly, this is only |
| increases in protein synthesis and increased | | | | the tip of the iceberg showing creatine may |
| cell hydration.Creatine has had spotty | | | | have therapeutic uses for a wide range of |
| results in affecting performance in endurance | | | | neurological disease as well as injuries to |
| sports such as swimming, rowing and long | | | | the brain.One researcher who has looked at |
| distance running, with some studies showing | | | | the effects of creatine commented, "This food |
| no positive effects on performance in | | | | supplement may provide clues to the |
| endurance athletes.Whether or not the failure | | | | mechanisms responsible for neuronal loss |
| of creatine to improve performance in | | | | after traumatic brain injury and may find use |
| endurance athletes was due to the nature of | | | | as a neuroprotective agent against acute and |
| the sport or the design of the studies is | | | | delayed neurodegenerative processes."Creatine |
| still being debated.Creatine can be found in | | | | and heart functionBecause it is known that |
| the form of creatine monohydrate, creatine | | | | heart cells are dependent on adequate levels |
| citrate, creatine phosphate, | | | | of ATP to function properly, and that cardiac |
| creatine-magnesium chelate and even liquid | | | | creatine levels are depressed in chronic |
| versions.However, the vast majority of | | | | heart failure, researchers have looked at |
| research to date showing creatine to have | | | | supplemental creatine to improve heart |
| positive effects on pathologies, muscle mass | | | | function and overall symptomology in certain |
| and performance used the monohydrate form. | | | | forms of heart disease.It is well known that |
| Creatine monohydrate is over 90% absorbable. | | | | people suffering from chronic heart failure |
| What follows is a review of some of the more | | | | have limited endurance, strength and tire |
| interesting and promising research studies | | | | easily, which greatly limits their ability to |
| with creatine.Creatine and neuromuscular | | | | function in everyday life. |
| diseasesOne of the most promising areas of | | | | |