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ChatterBank0 min ago
ive been weight training for about 3 months now and have currently been thinking about using creatine. what are the advantages/disadvantages of it? thanks in advance :p
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.If you are a strength athlete training for an event, creatine has many advantages. By increasing the level of creatine phosphate (CP) in muscle tissue, it increases the amount of chemical energy available to muscles, thereby enhancing performance and increasing recovery. In short, you can lift more for longer, meaning you get bigger muscles.
Set against the advantages, however, are some serious risks. A French study, for instance, linked regular use to cancer. The jury is still out on this one, but do you want to be a human guinea pig?
In any case, too much CP in your system has many proven, undesirable side effects such as: muscle spasms; muscle tears; insomnia; oedema; and gastrointestinal discomfort.
Another consideration is that creatine is stored in the kidneys. Does the body regulate creatine levels when a certain threshold is crossed? On the evidence we have so far, it would appear not. The American Food and Drug Administration is investigating the effects of creatine supplementation; it believes that, if used in high doses, it may lead to serious kidney damage.
There are also doubts about the efficacy of creatine; it might only work for certain people under certain conditions.
I think your decision will boil down to one question that you must ask yourself: Will larger muscles honestly change my life so much that it is worth taking a risk? If you�re a professional athlete looking to improve performance in an event, then the answer might be yes. On the other hand, if you are weight training just to gain size and improve your appearance, you might decide that it's not worth it, especially when glutamine and protein supplements are far safer and have a proven track record.