Does creatine help muscles survive tough exercise?
Effect of short-term creatine supplementation on markers of skeletal muscle damage after strenuous contractile activity
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Some athletes took creatine for 5 days before a super-hard race. Scientists checked their blood to see if their muscles were less damaged. They also tested rats given creatine and made their muscles work really hard.
Surprising Findings
Creatine may protect liver cells during extreme endurance events
Creatine is typically associated with muscle performance, not liver protection. The fact that it prevented rises in GOT and GPT—enzymes linked to liver damage—is unexpected and not commonly discussed.
Practical Takeaways
Consider short-term creatine loading (20g/day for 5 days) before an extreme endurance event to potentially reduce muscle damage.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Some athletes took creatine for 5 days before a super-hard race. Scientists checked their blood to see if their muscles were less damaged. They also tested rats given creatine and made their muscles work really hard.
Surprising Findings
Creatine may protect liver cells during extreme endurance events
Creatine is typically associated with muscle performance, not liver protection. The fact that it prevented rises in GOT and GPT—enzymes linked to liver damage—is unexpected and not commonly discussed.
Practical Takeaways
Consider short-term creatine loading (20g/day for 5 days) before an extreme endurance event to potentially reduce muscle damage.
Publication
Journal
European Journal of Applied Physiology
Year
2010
Authors
R. A. Bassit, C. Pinheiro, K. Vitzel, A. Sproesser, L. Silveira, R. Curi
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Claims (4)
Giving rats a lot of creatine for a few days before making their muscles work really hard might help protect their muscles from damage and keep them working longer.
Taking creatine for a few days before a big race might help reduce signs of muscle damage in triathletes after intense exercise.
Taking creatine for a few days before a big race might help protect athletes' muscles and liver from damage caused by extreme exercise.
Taking creatine supplements pulls water into your muscles, making them look bigger, but it might also mess with how well they work by stretching the muscle fibers.