Creatine Side Effects

Creatine has been widely promoted by health magazines, fitness gurus and personal trainers around the country. Research shows that creatine really does help build muscle – but the question is, are there any creatine monohydrate side effects? The last thing you want to do is take a supplement to help you get stronger and feel better just to find out that you weren’t prepared for creatine side effects. In this guide we’ll explain how creatine works, talk about the common dangers of creatine.

How Creatine Works
Creatine is an amino acid that helps your body create quick energy. This is particularly helpful with exercises and sports that require quick recovery time. People who enjoy weight lifting, racquetball, sprinting, football and other high energy sports are likely to benefit from creatine. Creatine actually pulls water into your muscle cells which helps to stimulate growth.

Side Effects of Creatine
As with any supplement, there are varying reports of creatine side effects negative reports being highlighted in the media the most. The important thing to keep in mind with these types of reports is are they scientifically based? Anecdotal reports of problems associated with creatine could actually be caused by any number of other health issues.

There is some speculation about whether or not creatine will impact your kidneys. Your kidneys produce creatinine which is a by-product of creatine. While there is no hard evidence to suggest that creatine can harm your kidneys, the general word of wisdom out there is that if you have existing kidney problems, it’s best to steer clear of creatine supplements. If you’re healthy with no kidney issues, you are good to go.

The one undisputed fact about creatine is that if you take it as a supplement, you will gain weight. Creatine pulls water into your cells and holds it which means that you’ll likely gain about 2 to 4 pounds, and you’ll gain it fast. Expect to see the change on the scale within a week of beginning a creatine supplement routine.

Also, children and teens shouldn’t use creatine in their exercise routine. There’s no reason for kids and young adults to put on muscle and it can actually be harmful to their overall health. Experts advise teens to wait until their early 20′s to really build muscle and instead, focus on cardio endurance and toning.

Getting the Most out of your Creatine
While there are a host of different creatine supplement products on the market, research indicates that you don’t need a product that is paired with a vitamins and other supplements. Pure creatine works best, particularly when mixed with fruit juice. The sugar in the juice will help speed the creatine to your muscles. When you shop for a creatine powder, don’t go cheap. Find the better powdered product and do a “mix test.” When you mix the powder with juice, it should fully dissolve. There is little point in paying for a supplement that cannot be fully mixed, and therefore ingested. You want the creatine in your body where it will do some good, not in the bottom of your glass.

Creatine is a well researched supplement and reports of creatine danger is greatly exaggerated and unproven. If you’re willing to add a few pounds of water weight in exchange for increased performance at the gym, then why not give creatine a try?

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