Creatine and Improved Athletic Performance: Benefits, Risks, and Regulation

Kaitlyn Paul Ani Govjian slope 105 2 October 2012 creatin and Improved Athletic Performance Benefits, Risks, and statute Abstract creatine, being a natural building block in fast twitch muscle free susceptibility supply, can also be personad by athletes as a append to increase fibrous operation. It can be classified by many athletic associations as a muscle building auxiliary, much like anabolic steroids, and these associations polish off that into account when generating design policies for competition.However, in that respect argon many risks associated with such(prenominal)(prenominal) use organ failures, blood clots, and a reduction of the effectiveness of natural creatin stores deep down the dead body. The wish of regulation on such supplements also presents the risks of contamination and reactions with other substance ingested simultaneously as well as separately. The implications of creatin supplement use have not been fully developed and elevate interrogatio n indispensabilitys to be conducted to improve the limited knowledge run aground of the complete function of this complex substance in order to protect the safety of the athletes utilise them.Key Terms Creatine, phosphocreatin, type II (fast twitch) muscle fibers, internal Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), ATP (Adenosine-5-triphosphate), Food and Drug judicatory (FDA), nutritional supplements Introduction Performance enhancing drugs have been used and abused in sports for as far back as historians can remember. One such substance, creatin, could be run intoed the non-steroidal anabolic steroid. Use of this supplement has spiked and has spread crosswise various athletic disciplines.While creatine most definitely contributes to muscle performance in athletes, not enough research and regulation to fully consider it safe or even to understand its do on the body have occurred. Creatine and Improved Athletic Performance Creatine is a natur every last(predicate)y occurring a mino acid that is produced in the pancreas, liver, and kidneys and is used as an energy source for the bodys skeletal muscles. It is also ingested with the drug addiction of meats and look for (Creatine Supplements 2011).The body reserves this substance and converts it into phosphocreatine which is stored within the muscles for later use. creatine phosphate is then converted into ATP (Adenosine-5-triphosphate) when the cells within type II or fast twitch muscle fibers call upon it during brief, high intensity use such as sprints or bounds (Jenkins 1998). Using a supplement to increase creatine levels within the body has become widely favourite among athletes as it increases strength and helps build lean muscle mass during exercises that use type II muscle fibers (Ehrlich 2011).However, due to its classification as a muscle building supplement, much like anabolic steroids, the NCAA prohibits the supply of creatine supplements to athletes by school officials of any kind (Greenwoo d 2008). Therefore, the athlete is responsible for the survival and consumption of creatine supplements should he/she decide to take them. Risks of Creatine wasting disease Creatine promises benefits that are every athletes dream such as change magnitude muscle mass and improved performance.However, research has indicated that there are some valid health concerns regarding creatine use that athletes whitethorn want to consider before deciding to ingest this particular supplement such as renal and liver issues, blood pressure, and anterior compartment syndrome (Greenwood 2008). An increased risk of stroke can also be caused by the prodigal use of creatine, especially when combined with commonly ingested substances such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug drugs like ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) or caffeine (Ehrlich 2011).The prospicient-term use of creatine can also prove to be dangerous to onenesss health with side effects from muscle cramps to seizures, ranging i n mischievousness with length of exposure (Creatine Supplements 2011). Dosing and overuse are also significant factors to be considered. With roughly 44% of high school senior athletes having reported using creatine in one particular study, it is evident that a wide number of users have not yet reached adulthood (Creatine Supplements 2011).Although creatine has been through with(predicate) some research, there is none that has indicated its safety in users under the climb on of 19 which is the largest demographic of users that experience overdose (Ehrlich 2011). Because creatine occurs naturally with the consumption of meat harvest-times and production within the liver and kidneys from amino acids, when one supplements their sustenance with exogenous creatine, it slows the production of natural creatine thus increasing their contain to take supplements and furthering the original issue (Jenkins 1998).Furthermore, the negative effects of creatine may be compounded by the oth er contents in the supplements. FDA law of Supplements The Food and Drug Administration in the United States does not influence the contents of nutritional supplements nor does it regulate/ensure proper labeling on product containers. The FDA simply requires reporting of adverse reactions to the contents of said supplements as they occur. Because of the lack of regulation from the FDA, any supplement, including creatine, could potentially contain substances harmful to the user as an athlete and/or as a human being (Jenkins 1998).For instance, there have been reports of contaminants within creatine such as dicyandiamide and dihydrotriazine, which are twain microbiocides substances that kill microbes or 90% of cells in the human body (Greenwood 2008). Further, since creatine is still mostly a mystery with regards to its effects on important organ systems and its effects when combined with commonly consumed substances such as energy drinks and over-the-counter drugs, ingesting it ca n prove to be extremely dangerous beholding as how a majority of Americans use these substances on a stiff basis.Conclusion The use of creatine, though heavily encouraged by the demands of society on athletes to be stronger or faster than their competitors, has the potential to ruin an athletes career because of the multitude of risks. One may see the words all natural on a bottle and assume that creatine supplements are safe to consume, but athletes should be educated about(predicate) the possible effects on his or her body and athletic career in the long run.Creatine needs to be banned in athletic competition and competitors need to be subject to testing like that of anabolic steroids until further research and innovations have been completed to ensure the integrity and safety of the product. The FDA needs to hold more restrictive regulations on supplements of any kind to reduce the chance of contamination and/or improper labeling. There is no doubt that creatine had a multit ude of effects based on its natural rigins within the body, but athletes, and people in general, need to be smart about what they put in their body and weigh the risks over the benefits.References Ehrlich S, reviewer. 2011. Creatine Internet. Baltimore, MD University of Maryland Medical System cited 2012 Sept 13. forthcoming from http//www. umm. edu/altmed/articles/creatine-000297. htm Greenwood M. 2008. Creatine overview facts, fallacies, and future. Essentials of Creatine in Sports and Health. Cited 2012 Sept 11 211-240. SpringerLink Internet. Springer, Part of Springer Science+Business Media. go through unknown. Available from http//www. springerlink. com/content/p5x7536l76h55717/fulltext. pdf. System Requirements Adobe Acrobat Reader and subscription required for access. Jenkins MA, author. 1998. Creatine supplementation in athletes review Internet. SportsMed Web cited 2012 Sept 11. Available from http//www. rice. edu/jenky/sports/creatine. hypertext mark-up language Unknown, compiler/author. 2011. Creatine supplements Internet. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons cited 2012 Sept 13. Available from http//orthoinfo. aaos. org/topic. cfm? topic=a00373