Bodybuilding Supplements Facts, 10 Myths About Creatine

1. The more creatine a person takes the better the results will be. This is a common myth that is spread around and it is not accurate. Many scientists have also looked at ingesting 0.1 grams per kilogram of bodyweight and the end result was that the male athletes excreted 46% of the ingested creatine within 24 hours. The scientists also noted that lower doses of creatine monohydrate (5g/day) will yield an effective result that can even be achieved without employing a loading phase.

2. Creatine harms the kidneys and liver. Unless you have a pre-existing medical condition, creatine use should not damage your kidneys or liver. Most of the hype has been the result of anecdotal reports. In one study which tracked healthy athletes over a five-year period, football players who used creatine at levels up to 15.75g of creatine per day showed no effect on markers of renal or kidney stress.

3. Creatine causes excessive water retention. A recent double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that, after three months of creatine use, test subjects showed no significant increase in body water. In fact, the creatine group showed greater gains in total body mass and fat-free mass.

Now it is possible that some inferior-grade creatine may actually promote water gain that results in a soft, puffy look. However, this can be due to several reasons. One, it may not be due to the creatine, but excess sodium. When cheaply manufactured, excess sodium remains in the finished product.

4. Creatine causes cramping. The idea that creatine use causes muscle cramping is anecdotal with no clinical evidence to support this claim. On the contrary, clinical studies show that creatine use is not associated with cramping.

5. Creatine needs to be taken with a glass of grape juice. The concept behind using creatine with sugar products such as grape juice is a sound one. However, the trick is not the amount of grape juice per serving. Rather, this has to do with the function of insulin in the body. For creatine uptake to feel enhanced, insulin release needs to be clearly and effectively encouraged. Insulin functions can be considered a form of creatine pump designed to push it into muscles. If you are going to use juice, always be sure to get at least 100g of juice for every 5g of creatine you use.

6. Creatine will work much better in its liquid form. The reality of the matter is that in liquid form, you might not even be getting any creatine as much as a by-product of creatine breakdown. Creatine, in powder form, is a much more stable venture.

7. All creatine products are the identical. Just as there is a major difference between $100 caviar and $15 caviar, there is a major difference between high grade creatine and the lower quality inferior creatine. Those that have followed the history of creatine will know Chinese creatine is the lowest quality product available. Other weak products are those containing contaminants such as creatinine, sodium, dicyandiamide, and dihydrotriazine. German creatine, from companies such as SKW, can be considered some of the best products on the market.

8. Creatine use is always 100% safe. While creatine is a purely non-toxic product, creatine use does not come without any risk. As is the case with all nutritional supplements, individuals that possess pre-existing medical conditions and must not take creatine or other sports nutritional supplements. That is why it is best to speak with a physician prior to use.

9. Creatine must be taken at a specific time. While it has been proven that you can maximize creatine uptake by taking it with a 1:1 ratio of protein to carbs, no real evidence suggests that there's a best time to take creatine. Whether you take it in the morning, afternoon, or evening probably won't make a significant difference. For convenience sake, you might take it with your post-training protein/carb shake.

10. You can get enough creatine from your diet. The average person gets only about 1g of creatine per day from his diet. When you cook your meals, you also destroy a good part of the creatine found in foods such as beef, cod, salmon, and herring.

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