Going to the gym is one of the best ways to stay in shape. You can lift, run, and even take classes. But to see the best results, many take supplements. I myself have been lifting for a few years now, and I too have endeavored into supplements around this time last year. For me the decision was simple; I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted, while my friends who were using supplements were. I’m not talking about anything crazy, rather just the normal BCAAs, creatine, pre-workouts etc. Though there was no way for me to see the true effects of the supplements, I noticed my lifting go to a new level after a few months using the supplements.

There is one supplement though that has always been regarded as a risky one to take; one that many stay away from for a variety of reasons, creatine. Creatine is “a nonprotein substance synthesized in the body from three amino acids: arginine, glycine (aminoacetic acid), and methionine. Creatine readily combines with phosphate to form phosphocreatine, or creatine phosphate, which is present in muscle, where it serves as the storage form of high-energy phosphate necessary for muscle contraction” (Free Dictionary.com). Though this sounds all well, there are many downsides to creatine that many do not like. These include, dehydration, and possible tampering with organ functioning and possible nausea. To me, these thoughts of harmful side effects never really have caught my attention too much, as I always have drank plenty of water in a dosing period, but for many, this is not the case.

Now I started to rethink what I have been doing the past year. Was the creatine I’ve been putting in my body harming me? Have I been wasting my money on the product? All these were rushing through my head, so I decided to do my research. In 2001, the US National Library of Medicine and National Institute of Health decided to do a case study on the topic of creatine and muscle growth. They found that, through their study, they had strong information to suggest that creatine supplementation “may promote gains in strength and FFM in patients with MG (myasthenia gravis)” (U.S. National Library of Medicine). A After stumbling across this, I felt good about the purchases I have been making. There is a strong indication that it truly does help with muscle growth, which is exactly why I bought the product. Quinnipiac University also did a case study of their own on the supplement. Kevin was a senior on the baseball team there, and fell diagnosed with MG. After diagnoses, Kevin could not come close to his normal lifting ways, and after dosing of 5 grams of creatine per day, Kevin was back to his old ways, and even better, after a 15 week regime (Quinnipiac University). Both of these case studies reiterated what I had already thought to be true, that creatine truly does help in building muscle. But, unfortunately, there are still the side effects that catch many gym-goers attention.

Whenever I bring up the idea of using creatine to those who do not regularly take the supplement, I usually get one of 2 reactions. These are either “Make sure you drink a ton of water” or “Why do you take that?” Though the water is a legitimate fact with the use of creatine, according to the US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, the other health hazards are yet to be proven. Much of this is given off by broad conclusions drawn by the media, which in turn we as consumers believe. According to the library of medicine, the biggest connection they can make between creatine and health hazards is occasional cramping, and even that is anecdotal. All the other connections given off by the media are yet to be proven (U.S. National Library of Medicine). The University of Maryland also collected information on the supplement, and they too drew mostly positive results. They state “creatine has also been reported to help lower levels of homocysteine. Homocysteine is associated with heart disease, including heart attack and stroke” (University of Maryland). So even with all of the worries many have with creatine’s side effects, there are many benefits, including the decrease of homocysteine correlated with its use.

All in all, creatine seems to be doing just fine for me. Not once have I complained about it, outside of the occasional cramping, and neither have my friends. These case studies show to me the true benefits of creatine, while downgrading the risks. For me, this will not end my use of creatine, which I was afraid of before this research. Rather it just showed me that I have been making smart purchases the past year, and will continue to do so.

Works Cited

“Creatine.” University of Maryland Medical Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2015. <https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/creatine>

“Creatine.” TheFreeDictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2015. <http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/creatine>.

“Quinnipiac University Chemistry in Sports and Fitness: A Case Study Collection – Creatine Case Study.” Quinnipiac University Chemistry in Sports and Fitness: A Case Study Collection – Creatine Case Study. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2015. <http://learn.quinnipiac.edu/at/faculty/hs/alsmith/creatine_case_study.html>.

Poortsman, JR. “Result Filters.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sept. 2000. Web. 02 Dec. 2015. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10999421>.

Stout, JR. “Result Filters.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2001. Web. 02 Dec. 2015. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11404649>.

“Creatine – MusclePharm®.” MusclePharm. N.p., 17 Sept. 2013. Web. 02 Dec. 2015. <http://musclepharm.com/store/all-products/creatine/>.