The Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Anaerobic Exercise

PerformanceBy: Nick Wall & Jeff Rothstein

Outline

• Physiological Introduction

• Effects of Creatine Supplementation

• Experiment results– Performance– Dosage

• Conclusion

Introduction

• Anaerobic exercise performance:– Maintained for very short duration– Muscular fatigue & exhaustion reached– Energy requirement met by ATP

Introduction (cont.)

• ATP + ATPase (enzyme) ADP + Pi + energy– ATP used for energy produces ADP– PCr high energy molecule

• Used to regenerate ATP

– ATP and PCr limited in body• Depleted quickly during anaerobic performance• Limit affects duration

– PCr + ADP + H+ ATP + Cr

Introduction (cont.)

• 3 energy systems in the human body:– ATP-PCr system– Glycolytic system– Oxidative system

ATP-PCr system

• Immediate fuel sources are ATP, PCr, and ADP

• ADP is reformed into ATP by PCr or another ADP molecule

• Creatine kinase breaks PCr into Pi and Cr

• Pi is paired with ADP forming new ATP

• Lasts 10-30 seconds(Linderman, Redondo, Wilmore)

Glycolytic System

• Glucose found in blood and glycogen stored in muscles or liver– Converted to glucose-6-phosphate

• Anaerobic Glycolysis – 12 enzymatic reactions

• Breakdown glycogen to lactic acid without oxygen

• Net gain - Glucose yields 2 ATP, Glycogen yields 3 ATP

• Lasts 20-120 seconds – high intensity exercise

Oxidative System

• 3 Processes to produce ATP: – Aerobic glycolysis– Krebs Cycle– Electron Transport Chain

• Slow in producing ATP

• Tremendous energy-yielding capacity

• Used in endurance events

(Wilmore)

Creatine Supplementation Effects on Body PCr

• PCr occurs naturally in the muscles of the body• Creatine obtained through diet

(Chwalbinska-Moneta, Redondo)

– Increased levels of dietary creatine• Increase levels of PCr in the muscles???• Increase synthesis of ATP???

PCr levels high?

Creatine Supplementation Effects on Body PCr

(cont.)

• Studies suggest creatine supplementation– Increases levels of PCr in the muscles

(Burke, Hamilton, Mujika, Tarnopolsky)

– Increasing PCr in the body results in• More ATP produced during high intensity exercise.• Useful Force

– Increases in strength?– Increases in speed?

• Creatine = ergogenic aid(Hamilton, Ostojic, Redondo, Tarnopolsky)

Summary of Experiments on Results

• Results vary proving creatine as ergogenic aid– Positive results for power

increase– Delayed onset of fatigue– Mixed results on increases of

speed– Mixed results on decreased sprint

times

• Creatine proven effective– Proper dosages

Low PCr = Low ATP = Less energy = Slower start?

Forgot my creatine this

morning!

Summary (cont.)

• Tests performed– Creatine increased power– Creatine decreased fatigue

– Tests producing negative results• Protocol durations too long• Once exceeding immediate energy system

capabilities– Non-oxidative system used primarily

» Doesn’t use PCr

Results

• Creatine supplementation– Increase in PCr concentrations in muscles– More PCr to re-synthesize ATP– Dosage affects results

• 20g / day * 5-8 days– Mixed results

• Appears high dosage for 5-8 days– Enough time for muscles to increase PCr concentrations

• 7.7g / day * 21 days– Significant increase in power– Significant delay of fatigue

– Amount and time frame consumed main factor

Results

• Studies yielding no results– Affected by dosage and/or duration– Trained or not– Most studies on athletes

• Different results compared to athlete vs. non-athlete• Creatine might not affect the already trained individual

• Overall– Supplementation needs to follow dosage and duration– Protocol for testing must utilize immediate energy

system (>10-30 seconds)

Table of Results

Non-Performance Related Findings

• Adverse Effects– Protective effects– Gastrointestinal disturbances– Muscle cramps– Liver and kidney dysfunction– Well controlled studies almost nonexistent

(Poortmans)

• Body Composition– 28d period

• Used Phosphagen HP (creatine + glucose/taurine electrolyte supplement)

• Body weight increased• No differences in % of total body water

(Kreider)

– 42d period• Body mass increased

– Not attributed to water retention

– Muscle growth

(Francaux)

Non-Performance Related Findings

Conclusion

• Muscle cells have 2 high energy substrates– ATP and PCr– ATP fuels the working muscle– Converted to ADP during use– PCr converts ADP back to ATP– Provides more immediate energy

• Immediate energy system– First 10-30 seconds on maximal sprint

Conclusion (cont.)

• Short term use– <6 days does not affect performance

• Dosage– <20g during short term use results in no

change– Most important factor

• >20g/day for more than 5 days provided results• Low dose for long term provides results

Questions?

References• Burke, Darren G., Shawn Silver, Laurence E. Holt, Truis Smith-Palmer, Christopher J. Culligan, and Philip D.

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