Is creatine a doping substance?
Creatine is an acid that serves as an energy supplier for muscles. It is absorbed through food (often in meat and fish) and is used in sports to improve performance.The intake of creatine in dietary supplements is very popular with many athletes, as creatine is not classified as a doping agent, but can extend the duration of an athletic performance in the anaerobic range (without oxygen). However, studies do not prove the positive effects of creatine supplements in athletes in all cases.
This could be due to the fact that taking creatine only makes sense if the creatine stores are not filled to one hundred percent. If an athlete ingests creatine even though the stores are sufficiently filled, a small portion can be deposited in the body, since creatine is not broken down 100 percent (two percent remains). Occurring side effects can be muscle cramps or muscle hardening.
Apart from flatulence, bad breath, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, no other side effects are known, so creatine intake in reasonable amounts is also considered safe. No other side effects are known so far, although the modes of action and effects of creatine in the body have not yet been fully researched and proven by studies. Particularly with the long-term effects of constant creatine use there are still hardly usable study results.
Creatine is not on the doping list and is therefore also taken in competitive sports in so-called creatine cures. When buying creatine, however, athletes should make sure that they only buy high-quality creatine. Cheap products of often poor quality can contain traces of anabolic steroids, and in the worst case can lead to a positive doping test.
Studies have shown that of 24 young athletes who regularly took creatine, 20 had hormone levels as high as those of a doped athlete. Many of the creatine preparations are contaminated with other substances and thus represent an enormous health risk. Unfortunately, many athletes are not yet aware of this, especially not that they could be tested positive for certain doping substances.
For their own protection, athletes should pay close attention to where they buy their creatine and whether it meets a high quality standard. Many athletes rely on their doctors and nutritional experts and thus expose themselves to a high health risk. Each person reacts differently to creatine supplementation.
Above a certain amount, creatine can no longer be utilized in the body and brings no advantage, even if more is given. Therefore, athletes with a naturally low creatine level will notice more success than others who already have more creatine in their muscles in a normal state. The cure is suitable not only for top athletes, but also for hobby athletes.
According to experts, success in strength sports such as bodybuilding or weightlifting should be particularly good. However, creatine is now used in almost all sports. Creatine cures are mainly carried out with the food supplement in powder form.
There is creatine in the meantime however also as: Usually, however, the powder is the product of choice, especially creatine monohydrate is used by many athletes. Whether the supplement should be taken before or after training has not yet been scientifically clarified. However, in most cases it is recommended both before and after the sporting effort.
It is important not to take the creatine directly after a meal, as it then remains longer in the stomach and loses its effectiveness. In the creatine cure, the powder is dissolved in 0.5-0.75l of water or juice and drunk directly afterwards. The mixed drink should not be kept longer under any circumstances, because creatine dissolved in liquids does not remain stable for long and becomes less effective.
Caffeine and alcohol should be avoided during the creatine cure, as these inhibit the effect. In addition, of course, a healthy and balanced diet is necessary to support muscle growth and regeneration. Most experts today also recommend taking only small amounts of creatine, as this puts less strain on the body, saves costs and still brings just as good results.
In addition to the creatine cure, some athletes now also rely on long-term intake of the dietary supplement.
- Capsules and in
- Bars and
- Ready-to-drink.
Creatine is usually taken in the form of powders or capsules. It is recommended to take regularly about 2-5g/day for not more than 8 weeks (longer intake can lead to overload of the transport systems and to undesirable side effects).If necessary, it is also possible to start with a higher dosage Loading Phase, which involves taking a total of approx.
20g/day several times a day for a few days to fill the storage tanks at the beginning of the cure. It is important that creatine can only be adequately absorbed into the body in the presence of carbohydrates. Either creatine powder should be dissolved and absorbed in a sugary drink, or carbohydrates should be consumed immediately afterwards.
This applies especially to pure creatine (creatine monohydrate). Nowadays there are a lot of corresponding preparations that have creatine incorporated into a mixed preparation that already contains colehydrate. There are a large number of different preparations on the market, the correct concentration and absorption with carbohydrates is important. Even in capsule form, creatine can be taken “on the go” without any complications, and corresponding preparations may be more expensive.
