Overview
Creakic is a dietary supplement used by athletes and bodybuilders to increase size and muscle capacity. The main ingredient in Creakic is creatine, an acid produced by the liver that supplies energy to cells in the muscles. The Mayo Clinic indicates that 95 percent of the creatine in the human body is found in the skeletal muscle. It was estimated in 1998 that consumers were spending $200 million on creatine supplements.
What is Creatine
The University of Maryland School of Medicine explains that creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in the foods we eat and is made in the liver, kidneys and pancreas. Creatine is stored in the muscles and used for energy. During short, intense workouts like sprinting or lifting weights, creatine develops into a major source of energy. Creatine is found in lean red meat and fish, including herring, salmon and tuna.
Who Uses It
The Mayo Clinic reports that about 25 percent of professional baseball players and up to 50 percent of professional football players take supplements contain creatine. A survey of high school athletes revealed that students who play football, hockey and lacrosse as well as gymnasts and wrestlers commonly use the supplement. Although the NCAA has banned faculty from giving creatine to student athletes, it remains popular with young athletes who, it is believed, take doses above the amount recommended.
Safety
A 2003 study published in “Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry” by lead researcher R.B. Kreider wanted to look at the long-term safety of creatine on athletes. Over 21 months, college football players were given either creatine or a placebo each day following training. Blood and urine samples were analyzed. The conclusion was that long-term use of creatine supplementation does not appear to negatively affect athletes in intense training programs.
In 1999, a study published in “Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise” by lead researcher J.R. Poortmans found that consumption of creatine, including short-term, medium-term and long-term use, had no adverse effects on the kidneys.
Health Perks
Not only are scientists finding that long-term use of creatine poses no negative health effects, but consumption of the supplement actually may improve health. In a 2002 study in the journal “Neuroscience,” lead researcher M. Wyss found that creatine had protective effects on neurological diseases like Huntington’s and Parkinson’s in animal models. This work has led the researchers to theorize that creatine not only could help strengthen memory function and intellectual capabilities but could decrease the risk for developing heart disease.
Side Effects
In 2001, researchers led by Brian Schilling published a retrospective study of the side effects of creatine in “Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.” They looked at 26 athletes from different sports. They analyzed blood, performed a clinical examination and evaluated testosterone, growth hormones, medical history, training history and cortisol. Body mass and composition was taken into consideration as well as heart rate and blood pressure. All results fell within normal, clinical range. “There were no differences in the reported incidence of muscle injury, cramps or other side effects.” Long-term use of oral creatine, it is believed, has no adverse side effects.
