Mega Creatine Fuel 120 caps 1200mg TwinlabCreatine is considered a naturally occurring nutrient found in skeletal muscle. Creatine assists in providing muscle fibers with the energy needed to enhance muscle building, athletic performance, weight management and increases stamina.Instructions: As a dietary supplement, take 3-6 capsules daily.Additional Info: Creatine plays an important role in the transfer of energy. In the muscle, it is used to fuel the process of contraction. It is converted to Phosphocreatine which is important for short energy bursts such as sprinting and weightlifting. Depletion of Phosphocreatine can result in muscular fatigue and fading muscle power.Ingredients: Creatine MonohydrateCreatine MonohydrateClinically Relevant ConditionsRanking Health Conditions Secondary Athletic performance (for high-intensity, short-duration exercise) Other Congestive heart failure High cholesterolHigh triglycerides Physiology and Clinical Effects Creatine (creatine monohydrate) is used in muscle tissue for the production of phosphocreatine, an important factor in the formation of ATP, the source of energy for muscle contraction and many other functions in the body.1 2 Creatine monohydrate supplementation increases phosphocreatine levels in muscle, especially when accompanied by exercise or carbohydrate intake.3 4 It may also increase exercise-related gains in lean body mass,5 6 7 though how much of these gains represents more muscle and how much is simply water retention is unclear.8Most, though not all, controlled studies have shown that 20 grams per day of creatine monohydrate for five to six days in sedentary or moderately active people improves performance and delays muscle fatigue during short-duration, high-intensity exercise such as sprinting and weight lifting.9 10 11 However, outcomes for trained athletes in competitive situations have not been consistent.12 13 14 Creatine supplementation does not appear to increase endurance performance and may impair it by contributing to weight gain.15 Improvements in exercise performance after creatine supplementation are strongly dependent on the extent of muscle retention of creatine during supplementation. About 30% of people who take creatine supplements fail to retain significant quantities in the muscle.16 17 Only one controlled study has been done to evaluate the long-term (over one month) effects of creatine monohydrate supplementation;18 more research is needed.Creatine supplementation has been reported to improve strength in rare diseases of muscle and energy metabolism.19 20 21 For people with congestive heart failure, IV creatine has been found to improve heart function, but oral supplementation has not been effective, though skeletal muscle function does improve.22 23A double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that a supplement of 5 grams of creatine plus 1 gram of glucose QID for five days followed by BID for fifty-one days significantly lowered serum total cholesterol and triglycerides, but did not change either LDL or HDL cholesterol, in both men and women.24Food Sources Creatine is produced naturally in the human liver, pancreas, and kidneys. It is concentrated primarily in muscle tissues, including the heart. Animal proteins, including fish, are the main source of the 1?2 grams per day of dietary creatine most people consume. Supplements in the form of creatine monohydrate are well absorbed and tolerated by the stomach.Deficiency and Risk Symptoms Individuals involved in intense physical activity, especially those limiting their intake of red meat, may have low muscle stores of creatine. Several muscle diseases, as well as rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases, are associated with lowered creatine levels.25Recommended Dosage Two methods are used for supplementing with creatine. In the loading method, 20 grams of creatine per day (in four divided doses mixed well in warm liquid) are taken for five to six days.26 Muscle creatine levels increase rapidly, which is beneficial if a short-term rise in force is needed, such as during a weight-lifting competition, football game, or sprinting.In the other method, 3 grams of creatine monohydrate per day are taken over an extended training period of at least four weeks, during which muscle creatine levels rise more slowly, eventually reaching levels similar to those achieved with the loading method.27 Smaller daily amounts of 2?5 grams may be adequate for maintaining elevated muscle creatine concentrations, but whether this is effective for producing long-term improvements in athletic performance is unclear.28 29 30 Taking creatine with sugar appears to maximize muscle uptake.31 32Caffeine intake should not be excessive, as large amounts may counteract the benefits of creatine supplementation.33Contraindications Little is known about long-term side effects of creatine, but no consistent toxicity appears in most reports of creatine supplementation. In a study of dosing habits and side effects of creatine, diarrhea was the most commonly reported adverse effect of creatine supplementation, followed by muscle cramping.34 Some reports show that kidney, liver, and blood functions are not affected by short-term higher amounts35 36 or long-term lower amounts (10 grams per day for up to 51 days)37 38 of creatine supplementation in healthy young adults. In a study of nine people take 5?30 grams per day, no change in kidney function appeared after up to five years of supplementation.39 However, interstitial nephritis, a serious kidney condition, developed in an otherwise healthy young man supplementing with 20 grams of creatine per day.40 Improvement in kidney function followed avoidance of creatine. Details of this case strongly suggest that creatine supplementation triggered this case of kidney disease. Creatine supplementation may also be dangerous for people with existing kidney disease; a patient with nephrotic syndrome developed glomerulosclerosis, another serious kidney condition, while taking creatine, which reversed when the supplement was discontinued.41Muscle cramping after creatine supplementation has been anecdotally reported in three studies42 43 44At the time of this writing, no evidence of drug interactions with creatine monohydrate was found in the medical literature.References:1. Greenhaff PL, Bodin K, Soderlund K, et al. Effect of oral creatine supplementation on skeletal muscle phosphocreatine resynthesis. Am J Physiol 1994;266:E725?30.2. Greenhaff PL. Creatine and its application as an ergogenic aid. Int J Sport Nutr 1995;5:94?101.3. Harris RC, Soderlund K, Hultman E. Elevation of creatine in resting and exercised muscle of normal subjects by creatine supplementation. Clin Sci 1992;83:367?74.4. Green AL, Simpson EJ, Littlewood JJ, et al. Carbohydrate ingestion augments creatine retention during creatine feeding in humans. Acta Physiol Scand 1996;158:195?202.5. Stone MH, Sanborn K, Smith LL, et al. Effects of in-season (5-weeks) creatine and pyruvate supplementation on anaerobic performance and body composition in American football players. Int J Sport Nutr 1999;9:146?65.6. Earnest CP, Snell PG, Rodriguez R, et al. The effect of creatine monohydrate ingestion on anaerobic power indices, muscular strength and body composition. Acta Physiol Scand 1995;153:207?9.7. Stout JR, Eckerson J, Noonan D, et al. The effects of a supplement designed to augment creatine uptake on exercise performance and fat-free mass in football players. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1997;29:S251.8. Kreider RB, Ferreira M, Wilson M, et al. Effects of creatine supplementation on body composition, strength, and sprint performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998;30:73?82.9. Toler SM. Creatine is an ergogen for anaerobic exercise. Nutr Rev 1997;55:21?5 review].10. Greenhaff PL. The nutritional biochemistry of creatine. J Nutr Biochem 1997;8:610?8