Creatine and Improved Athletic Performance: Benefits, Risks, and Regulation
Kaitlyn Paul
Ani Govjian
English 105
2 October 2012
Creatine and Improved Athletic Performance: Benefits, Risks, and Regulation
Abstract
Creatine, being a natural building block in fast twitch muscle energy supply, can also be used by athletes as a supplement to increase muscular performance. It can be classified by many athletic associations as a muscle building supplement, much like anabolic steroids, and these associations take that into account when generating use policies for competition. However, there are many risks associated with such use: organ failures, blood clots, and a reduction of the effectiveness of natural creatine stores within the body. The lack of regulation on such supplements also presents the risks of contamination and reactions with other substance ingested simultaneously as well as separately. The implications of creatine supplement use have not been fully developed and further research needs to be conducted to improve the limited knowledge base of the complete function of this complex substance in order to protect the safety of the athletes using them.
Key Terms
Creatine, phosphocreatine, type II (fast twitch) muscle fibers, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), ATP (Adenosine-5-triphosphate), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nutritional supplements
Introduction
Performance enhancing drugs have been used and abused in sports for as far back as historians can remember. One such substance, creatine, could be considered the non-steroidal anabolic steroid. Use of this supplement has spiked and has spread across various athletic disciplines. While creatine most definitely contributes to muscle performance in athletes, not enough research and regulation to fully consider it safe or even to understand its effects on the body have occurred.
Creatine and Improved Athletic Performance
Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid that is produced in the pancreas, liver, and kidneys and is used as an energy source for the
Ani Govjian
English 105
2 October 2012
Creatine and Improved Athletic Performance: Benefits, Risks, and Regulation
Abstract
Creatine, being a natural building block in fast twitch muscle energy supply, can also be used by athletes as a supplement to increase muscular performance. It can be classified by many athletic associations as a muscle building supplement, much like anabolic steroids, and these associations take that into account when generating use policies for competition. However, there are many risks associated with such use: organ failures, blood clots, and a reduction of the effectiveness of natural creatine stores within the body. The lack of regulation on such supplements also presents the risks of contamination and reactions with other substance ingested simultaneously as well as separately. The implications of creatine supplement use have not been fully developed and further research needs to be conducted to improve the limited knowledge base of the complete function of this complex substance in order to protect the safety of the athletes using them.
Key Terms
Creatine, phosphocreatine, type II (fast twitch) muscle fibers, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), ATP (Adenosine-5-triphosphate), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nutritional supplements
Introduction
Performance enhancing drugs have been used and abused in sports for as far back as historians can remember. One such substance, creatine, could be considered the non-steroidal anabolic steroid. Use of this supplement has spiked and has spread across various athletic disciplines. While creatine most definitely contributes to muscle performance in athletes, not enough research and regulation to fully consider it safe or even to understand its effects on the body have occurred.
Creatine and Improved Athletic Performance
Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid that is produced in the pancreas, liver, and kidneys and is used as an energy source for the
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