User:Skol1214/Creatine

One well-documented effect of creatine supplementation is weight gain within the first week of the supplement schedule, likely attributable to greater water retention due to the increased muscle creatine concentrations by means of osmosis.

A 2009 systematic review discredited concerns that creatine supplementation could affect hydration status and heat tolerance and lead to muscle cramping and diarrhea.

Early studies done on creatine monohydrate had shown an increase in total body water (TBW) by filling intracellular, and extracellular compartments in and around the muscle cells. Researchers believed that this increase was directly impacting weight gain seen by the subjects. Creatine uses osmosis to enter cells and fill creatine stores in the muscle. The combination of creatine drawing water in cells, and the cells retaining water has been shown to increase osmotic pressure on the cells. This increase produces swelling of the cells, giving the muscle an inflated look. Weightlifters on average gain 4-7 lbs of weight within the first few days of supplementing creatine. Weight gained from creatine is due to the loading phase, where high levels of creatine (.3g/kg bw/day) are taken to saturate the stores in the muscle. A 2003 study showed an increase in TBW after the first loading phase, then measured again after the loading phase and obtained the same TBW measurement. Another study involved the subject, having a consistent body mass throughout the entire year before, gain 4.8kg in body mass; 90% of which was from the increase in TBW and happened within the first week of supplementation.

Bibliography

Juhn, Mark S.; Tarnopolsky, Mark (1998-10). "Potential Side Effects of Oral Creatine Supplementation: A Critical Review". Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 8 (4): 298–304. ISSN 1050-642X

Wyss, Markus; Kaddurah-Daouk, Rima (2000-07-01). "Creatine and Creatinine Metabolism". Physiological Reviews. 80 (3): 1107–1213. doi:10.1152/physrev.2000.80.3.1107. ISSN 0031-9333

Antonio, Jose; Candow, Darren G.; Forbes, Scott C.; Gualano, Bruno; Jagim, Andrew R.; Kreider, Richard B.; Rawson, Eric S.; Smith-Ryan, Abbie E.; VanDusseldorp, Trisha A.; Willoughby, Darryn S.; Ziegenfuss, Tim N. (2021-02-08). "Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?". Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 18 (1): 13. doi:10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w. ISSN 1550-2783

Wu, Shih-Hao; Chen, Kuan-Lin; Hsu, Chin; Chen, Hang-Cheng; Chen, Jian-Yu; Yu, Sheng-Yan; Shiu, Yi-Jie (2022-03-16). "Creatine Supplementation for Muscle Growth: A Scoping Review of Randomized Clinical Trials from 2012 to 2021". Nutrients. 14 (6): 1255. doi:10.3390/nu14061255. ISSN 2072-6643. PMC 8949037. PMID 35334912.

Powers, Michael E.; Arnold, Brent L.; Weltman, Arthur L.; Perrin, David H.; Mistry, Dilawaar; Kahler, David M.; Kraemer, William; Volek, Jeff (2003). "Creatine Supplementation Increases Total Body Water Without Altering Fluid Distribution". Journal of Athletic Training. 38 (1): 44–50. ISSN 1062-6050. PMID 12937471.