In gyms across America creatine has been well known and well used for years. This dietary supplement is believed to help weight lifters bulk up and because of this creatine is incredibly popular with men.

In gyms across America creatine has been well known and well used for years. This dietary supplement is believed to help weight lifters bulk up and because of this creatine is incredibly popular with men. There are women who use this supplement as well, however by far the clientele is mostly men. The age range is quite wide, however, as kids as young as 15 or 16 are using creatine and men as old as 60 or more use it to. The desire to have a good body does not begin or stop at any certain age, which makes creatine popular with all ages.

What is Creatine?

There are many types of the creatine supplement, but creatine monohydrate is the one that is used most frequently for increased athletic performance. This supplement actually occurs naturally in our bodies. In fact, muscle cells have creatine in them. Meat and fish also contain this organic compound. The way creatine works is that it routes more energy to the muscles for increased performance. This is done by providing extra ATP molecules, which are chemical energy molecules, to the muscles. So it is believed that the higher ATP levels that result from increased creatine levels results in better muscle performance. There is a small percentage, or one out of five users, who say creatine does not help them at all. But the vast majority report that creatine does in fact help them bulk up. Nevertheless, knowing all the information about creatine and its side effects is important before using this supplement.

Creatine Side Effects

There are some side effects to using creatine and these should be considered before using this supplement. For example, the muscles retain water when creatine is used. This results in water weight gain in the first few weeks of use for many. Dehydration may be an issue as well because the muscles are utilizing so much water that the rest of the body suffers. Cramping and other dehydration symptoms should be expected. Because of the water retention and possible dehydration it would make sense for individuals to up their water intake when using creatine. However, many athletes like wrestlers intentionally lose water weight for matches and because of this they should be extra careful.

There are claims that creatine has other side effects as well ranging from increased blood pressure to increased stress on the kidneys and even exacerbating the growth of tumor cells. It is not known for sure what the long term side effects of creatine are because its effects have not been studied for more than a year although this supplement has been around since the 1960s. On the other hand there are some studies that suggest creatine may actually lower an individuals triglyceride levels, which would be a positive side effect. Unfortunately, until more long term studies are performed we will only be able to speculate about the long term side effects, both good and bad, related to creatine use.

So if you decide to start using creatine to help you bulk up keep this information in mind. If you feel like you are having any negative side effects you should talk with your doctor. Creatine has been used safely for many years, but that does not mean it is 100% safe. So, use your judgment and common sense when it comes to creatine