People Use Creatine example essay topic

Introduction Since the beginning of time, the body has been a sign of dominance. Creatine mono hydrate has been around for over a hundred years, but it has been only used as a dietary supplement for the past decade. Over the years creatine has been one of the leading in supplements, and it is used worldwide. Creatine is neither a drug nor a steroid; it is a legal dietary supplement. Athletes use it to get the edge on competition and older people use it to stay healthy.

It all depends on who wants to use it. With everything in the world, there is a positive and a negative creatine is no different. Being a user myself, I want find out problems that may later come up. I am looking to find what creatine can do for me, both positive and negative. Up to this point I love creatine and over a period of three years I have noticed a dramatic change. Creatine has helped me advance my athletic ability and hopefully to fulfill my dreams and goal.

The world has just surpassed the millennium mark, but there is so much we still don't know. Creatine is a supplement that has not been looked at for its long-term effect, but in due time needs to be. With so many people reporting their benefits, creatine has to be doing something right, but who knows what is in store for the future? Until a fact has been stated, and proven that creatine is deadly, one shouldn't listen to myths.

To some, creatine may be dangerous drug, but to analyze it, one must know what it actually is, the ways to use it, along with the pros and cons of using creatine. Body The year was 1886 a French scientist just happened to stumble upon a substance that would enhance muscle growth. Chevreul, the scientist, found that creatine is stored in the human body naturally. It is mostly stored in lean red muscle tissue in the form of creatine phosphate (Sahelian 49). To users, it is known as creatine, but to advance researchers it is known as methyl guanidine-acetic acid.

Creatine is a combination of three substances; glycine, arginine, and methionine. Naturally found in the body, creatine provides the energy our muscles need to move. Creatine is produced in the liver, pancreas, and the kidneys. The way creatine works is very abstruse, but the first thing one must know is that creatine exists in two different forms. One is 'free' creatine which is chemically unbound, and the other is 'creatine phosphate. ' These two creatines make up two thirds of the total supply in the human body (Creatine Information par.

4). For someone's muscles to work, a special fuel must be present. This special fuel is known as ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). ATP releases one of its phosphate molecules and then it turns into ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) (Creatine Monohydrate par. 5 and 6).

This cycle is repeated because there is only enough ATP to last about ten to fifteen seconds. Here is the chemical make-up of creatine. (Creatine, Creatine par. 10) Like mentioned earlier there are three amino acids that make up creatine. Another ways to explain how creatine works is by the formula researchers have developed. ATP'a ADP+ P+ ENERGY'a ADP+ CP'a ATP+ C (Sahelian 78-79) When ATP loses its molecule, it is just ADP, so now the ADP goes and finds CP (creatine phosphate) which is found throughout the body.

This cycle is repeated as long as there is CP in the body. When the body runs out, the CP has to be restored. This is why some people use creatine to keep the CP level strong in their body (Sahel ain 78 79). Creatine is used all over but is used mostly in sports. It helps athletes get a competitive edge.

Right now creatine is not banned in sports, and the reason is that creatine is neither a drug nor a steroid. Creatine is a dietary supplement and is sold in stores like GNC, Vitamin World, and is sold by over 100 different companies. NCAA did a survey and it showed that 13% of athletes used creatine to enhance their athletic ability. The summer of 1998 when Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire were racing for the home run record, both announced publicly that they used creatine. (Conkling 36, 37, 38). Some think it was unfair, but creatine is not illegal and so there was no reason those two men couldn't take it.

Athletes have reported that creatine does give or can result in muscle cramping, muscle strains, dehydration, nausea, seizures (Passwater). These are all possibilities, so it all comes down to what will one do for that 'edge'. With all the uses of creatine, people have discovered different ways for the user to take creatine. Here are the forms; capsules, powders, tablets, and liquids. With all these different ways of taking creatine, people are often left with the de scion of choosing their own method.

That is a very tough question, because it all depends on the person. People react to things differently (Saleh ian 106). So the form which one takes creatine is all up to that person. The cost of these products range, to where powders are the cheapest and liquids are the most expensive (Yvonne). Users purchase over 200 millions dollars in creatine each year (Conkling 36). Conrad P. Earnest is one of the first to seek in-depth information on creatine.

With five different studies on creatine and its effects, he is considered an expert in this field. A friend, who said he had great results, first introduced Earnest to creatine. At first, Conrad was unsure but after using creatine he stated in thirteen different articles that creatine is a success. When asked which athletes get better results by using creatine Earnest replied, 'Sports that involve short bursts of energy like sprinting get better results. ' Creatine reduces recovery time and increases the amount of work one can perform. Long distance or endurance sport may get help but not as much.

Some studies even show that it may hurt athletes in those competitions. When asked how much is alright to take, Conrad believes that five to ten grams a day is plenty of creatine, and should maintain ones creatine level (Sahelian 98-100 102 104-106). EAS specialist Richard Passwater has his own perspective on creatine. Passwater is a specialist in the EAS research center and has studied creatine for many years. The pros and cons to him are about the same. With every pro there is a con.

Here is a basic example: a pro is promotion of muscle growth and an increase is muscle strength. The down side to those is water retention, which means the body is storing more water. Side effects he stated were muscle-cramping which was due to dehydration and another is stomach distress like nausea and diarrhea (Passwater). Mr. Passwater also said that when too much is consumed the body would start cramping. The excess creatine is put through the waste system, which in fact is a waste of creatine. If one takes an excessive amount of creatine, a drastic problem is that the body will not hydrate properly.

Another statement Passwater had was that eighteen is the right age to start creatine, but that's an opinion. One benefits more if he or she is matured more. Will a user of creatine make muscle gains? That is a very popular question. Passwater said' Yes, because creatine promotes growth by reducing muscle fatigue (Passwater). ' Long term studies have not been completed, so it can not be determined if there are any.

In the long run that means no one knows what is in the future for creatine users (Passwater) After hearing from two researchers, now on to Bill Phillips. Mr. Phillips is a professional weight trainer and has used creatine himself. He is the author of the 1997 Sports Supplement Review. A major question is always brought up when talking about creatine, and it is, is it safe? To Bill the answer is yes, and that is because there are no studies that show it is not. Yes, people have made allegations, but they have not been proven.

Besides asking if it is safe, people ask, 'Is creatine legal?' That has the same answer as the question about it being safe, yes it is Creatine has not been banned by any sports association or any government agency. Everyone wants strength and muscle gains, which in fact are what creatine, can do. Creatine helps in three unique ways and they are; it helps build lean body mass, provides energy, and finally speeds up recovery time (Phillips 52 55-56). All of these are essential elements to gain and strength.

Besides general information and an expert's opinion, creatine has its own pros and cons. Creatine never has the same effect on any two people. The people who get the best results are athletes that participate in a sport that involves bursts of energy (Yvonne). Some of these sports are: powerlifting, bodybuilding, sprinting, baseball, wrestling, and boxing, marital arts, football, field events in track.

The reason creatine reacts on these movements is because it is energy that is stored and waiting to be used. Other sports like cross-country or any type of endurance sport may not need creatine. In fact creatine may be a mistake for those athletes because creatine can hurt their performance (Conkling 46) With using creatine there comes short term effects. This may happen off and on or continuously, it depends on the user. Some of these effects are water retention, but then there is a pro to that. Water retention helps enhance the promotion of muscle (Passwater).

Another is cramping, but again a pro is that it accelerates energy and quick recovery. After time the short-term effects may be gone, but now people are asking about the long-term effects. Studies show that as of now there are no long term, but not enough studies have been conducted (Passwater). The top the things a creatine user needs to know are: (1) Creatine allows muscles to store more energy. (2) Creatine increases strength and power. (3) Creatine boost protein synthesis and lean muscle mass.

(4) While one could get creatine from eating lots of meat, the fat and cholesterol content are major drawbacks. (5) A creatine users body can only store so much creatine, it's is very important not to exceed the recommended dosage. (6) Once creatine is in the muscle, it stays there for weeks. (7) Athletes in sports with quick, explosive movements get the most benefit from creatine.

(8) Creatine has no major side effects when used properly. (9) There has no scientific evidence that creatine improves performance in long -distance events such as marathons. (10) The amount of creatine one uses with increase muscle mass (Sahelian 112 113 114 115 116 117 118) The ASSA says that creatine could link to cancer (Monson). It is not proven but when the media hears this, they denigrate creatine.

The reason being, creatine is not looked at for long-term effects, so when this came up, people reacted as if they were going to die from creatine. Some people totally abhor creatine because of things they hear. This new allegation of creatine being linked to cancer is the scariest. If creatine leads to cancer, shouldn't it be banned to protect users? No one is forced to use creatine; people are taking it on their own free will, so the outcome in the end is in their hands. In conclusion, creatine is a successful supplement to myself.

I have been using it and yes I do get those annoying short term effects, but they go away in due time. Creatine helps in the sports I participate in and I will not stop taking it. I know in the long run creatine could hurt me. I want to be the best I can in what I do, and creatine is helping me obtain my goals. With the information and the knowledge I have learned, I know how to use creatine properly and what to watch out for.

This allegation about cancer is very serious, and if it is true I will stop taking creatine immediately. Sacrifices have to be made and dreams have to fulfilled. Coming into my senior year, I want to accomplish all my unaccomplished goals, and never have to say I held back. I laid it all and the line and did my best, and had help with creatine.