Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine or methyl guanidine – acetic acid is a natural energy providing protein which is found in the bodies of vertebrates. Methionine, Arginine and Glycine combine in the liver to form the metabolite we know as Creatine.  Ones diet also acts as a source of creatine. Health freaks, body builders and athletes take creatine as a dietary supplement to gain energy for workouts. Physicians warn that improper dosage of creatine can result in short term effects like weight gain, nausea, vomiting, muscle and stomach cramps to long term effects like Kidney and Gastro Intestinal problems.

Dosage has been a bone of contention among users. When using creatine, one should keep in mind that not everyone reacts to creatine in the same way. Users having less creatine in the body, like vegetarians, show a quicker and more perceptible reaction to creatine. Meat eaters, who have presence of creatine in their body in comparatively larger quantities, will have a slower reaction. This should not lead the latter group to take higher dosages of creatine.

Athletes using creatine take a “loading dose” of 20 to 25 grams a day for one week; then begin a “maintenance cycle” of 3 to 5 grams per day. The “loading” and “maintenance” dosage recommendations differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Usually the “maintenance cycle” is continued for a month after which athletes “cycle off” from creatine for a week or so. This follows a resumption of creatine with the “loading dose”. Cycling creatine dosages help athletes to overcome any immunity which the body builds against it and take advantage of the extra water weight and strength which comes from reloading.

Creatine dosage has been in debate among physicians for a long time. Critics of creatine and physicians have spoken against excessive intake and blamed this for all side effects which have been reported by creatine users. It is recommended that creatine be taken in measured dosages of 3-5 gms to minimize loss of creatine due to excretion through urination. They also suggest that regular checks of creatine in the users must be made, to check levels of creatinine. Kidneys in the body maintain normal creatine levels. Blood tests to check creatine levels are a reliable indicator of whether the kidneys are functioning properly. High levels of creatine in the blood suggest an impending renal failure.

Through creatine cycling athletes try to replicate its results which were obtained when they started to take it. Creatine, through a process of loading and off-loading has been becomes the most effective health supplement. There may of course be disadvantages to ingesting creatine in high dosages frequently. Among these, the most apparent is that the body may stop its own creatine manufacturing process, when creatine is ingested in high dosages. Though studies have not confirmed this, trainers and physicians believe this to be true.

Users are advised to follow dosage specifications and schedules. Users are advised not to skip servings or attempt to make up for missed servings by taking more creatine in the next dose.