Creatine overview facts, fallacies, and future

Abstract

Without question, since its over the counter availability to consumers in 1992, creatine has become one of the most popular nutritional supplements among exercise and sport populations. In addition to its popularity, creatine has become one of the most extensively studied and research validated products that have been experimentally dissected in a multitude of ways. Specifically, investigators have evaluated topics such as muscle-creatine content and phosphocreatine resynthesis, short-and long-term ergogenic effects of creatine ingestion, gender issues associated with creatine ingestion, age-specific issues related to creatine ingestion, ethical considerations of creatine ingestion, viable clinical and medical applications of creatine ingestion, health and safety concerns regarding creatine ingestion, and more recently relevant biochemical mechanisms regarding the creatine transport system. Although each of these research approaches have greatly contributed to the body of creatine literature, it is first imperative to grasp various foundational aspects associated with understanding this controversial nutritional supplement. With these considerations in mind, the purpose of this chapter is to set the stage for a creatine overview regarding the following information: (1) creatine facts, fallacies, and safety (2) creatine quality, purity, and formulations, (3) creatine dosage protocols, (4) creatine nutritional supplement combinations, (5) foundational creatine ergogenic efficacy, (6) future creatine research options, and (7) common creatine practical applications. © 2008 Humana Press.