ebracer05
Senior Don Juan
Creatine is one of the most well studied (maybe the most well studied) supplement on the market. It's also a naturally occurring compound in the body that you need. In the body it's in the form of creatine phosphate and it's essential for muscle condition - that's why it's a compound of interest for bodybuilders, strength trainers, and people who want to get in better shape.
Creatine also exists in chemical equilibrium with creatinine, which is why people with renal issues should consult their doctor before using it. You should drink it immediately upon placing it in water (ideally with a carbohydrate to increase absorption) because the longer it sits in solution, the more the equilibrium reaction will favor the... it's not tautomerizaiton, but it's essentially the same thing... to creatinine. That will place additional stress on the kidneys.
It's interesting to hear people talk about having problems taking creatine and I suspect it's a mental thing. Especially heart issues because one of the investigational uses of creatine is treating patients who have heart failure. It's been demonstrated to be a moderately efficacious treatment in some studies.
The creatine you were taking is probably creatine monohydrate and chemically, it's not much different than creatine phosphate - instead of having a phosphate group attached to it, it has a different chemical prosthetic group attached to facilitate its absorption in your body.
It's not a necessary compound at all if you want to get in better shape or look better, but like Espi said, it will give you a slight advantage. Nothing huge or anything like taking steroids, but it will give you a minor edge.
That being said, I would tend to think any issues experienced from creatine would be psychosomatic rather than as a result of the creatine itself. I have spoken with a few cardiologists about creatine use and all of them were pretty adamant that it's a benign substance as far as causing any harm.
If you did have any adverse reactions, look at the label of what you were taking. Unless you were taking a pure creatine (most aren't) it probably had other ingredients in it. Some creatine preparations are design to be used as pre workouts or are packaged with additional ingredients to help facilitate whatever goals are advertized on the packaging. If you aren't taking 100% pure creatine, you have no idea what is causing your issue.
One of the best ways to rule out potential problems is to discontinue the product's use and reassess your level of symptoms. It has a half life of less than 2 hrs, so if it caused an issue, it should likely be resolved within a day. Drink plenty of water (that means more water than you probably think you need) and don't take supplements that have a laundry list of ingredients you know nothing about
Creatine also exists in chemical equilibrium with creatinine, which is why people with renal issues should consult their doctor before using it. You should drink it immediately upon placing it in water (ideally with a carbohydrate to increase absorption) because the longer it sits in solution, the more the equilibrium reaction will favor the... it's not tautomerizaiton, but it's essentially the same thing... to creatinine. That will place additional stress on the kidneys.
It's interesting to hear people talk about having problems taking creatine and I suspect it's a mental thing. Especially heart issues because one of the investigational uses of creatine is treating patients who have heart failure. It's been demonstrated to be a moderately efficacious treatment in some studies.
The creatine you were taking is probably creatine monohydrate and chemically, it's not much different than creatine phosphate - instead of having a phosphate group attached to it, it has a different chemical prosthetic group attached to facilitate its absorption in your body.
It's not a necessary compound at all if you want to get in better shape or look better, but like Espi said, it will give you a slight advantage. Nothing huge or anything like taking steroids, but it will give you a minor edge.
That being said, I would tend to think any issues experienced from creatine would be psychosomatic rather than as a result of the creatine itself. I have spoken with a few cardiologists about creatine use and all of them were pretty adamant that it's a benign substance as far as causing any harm.
If you did have any adverse reactions, look at the label of what you were taking. Unless you were taking a pure creatine (most aren't) it probably had other ingredients in it. Some creatine preparations are design to be used as pre workouts or are packaged with additional ingredients to help facilitate whatever goals are advertized on the packaging. If you aren't taking 100% pure creatine, you have no idea what is causing your issue.
One of the best ways to rule out potential problems is to discontinue the product's use and reassess your level of symptoms. It has a half life of less than 2 hrs, so if it caused an issue, it should likely be resolved within a day. Drink plenty of water (that means more water than you probably think you need) and don't take supplements that have a laundry list of ingredients you know nothing about