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Creatine Background Information
What is creatine?
Creatine is a protein made from amino acids. Our body produces about one gram each day in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys. We also eat about one gram of creatine each day from meats such as beef, chicken or fish. If you don't eat enough protein you may have lower creatine levels.
Where is creatine made?
There are three primary countries that manufacturer creatine powder: China, Europe, and the United States. Companies buy creatine from one of these sources, package it, mix it with other ingredients and then finally market it to the public. I recommend buying U.S. or German creatine because of their strict manufacturing standards.
Poor manufacturing standards may result in toxic contamination. My advice is to stick with companies such as the German company, Creapure, that have very high professional standards. It will cost you more, but it is well worth it.
How do I know where my creatine comes from?
It's difficult. Hundreds of U.S. companies are using Chinese creatine, but you'll ever seen "made in China" on the label. To help you identify where your product comes from German manufacturers license the use of their logo only to those companies that buy their creatine. ViaCore uses the Creapure™ brand creatine from Germany. ViaCore chose Creapure™ because of its focus on the quality and purity of their creatine product. Read more about Chinese creatine
What does creatine do in the cell?
Creatine stores energy that you get from food. Some of the creatine forms creatine phosphate, an energy source for nerve cells. When you take extra creatine, more energy is available for immediate energy needs.
How does creatine help an athlete?
Creatine allows the muscles to store more energy. Athletes report gains in strength, faster recovery after workouts, and increased endurance.
Creatine Safety Information
Are there any negative side effects with creatine use?
Despite many positive results, some people report stomach aches, diarrhea, increased urination and muscle cramps. These are probably caused by one of two things. Many athletes have the “more is better” idea when using creatine. If one scoop of powder is good, they reason, then two scoops must be better. In fact, one creatine study found that 78% of high school athletes either take more creatine than the recommended dose or aren't sure how they're taking.
When high doses of powder enter the stomach, they draw water from the body, causing the intestine to cramp. You can easily solve this problem by using a product, like Creatine Power Tabs, that gives you the ideal dose every time. People using this product have not reported any of the above side effects.
Is creatine safe?
Creatine has been used for at least ten years in the United States, and Russia has used creatine well before then. No controlled studies have shown serious side effects. In times past, heavy meat eaters such as the Plains Indians, African Tribal People, and Eskimos have all eaten high concentrations of creatine in their meat over long periods of time, without any known ill effects.
I've heard that there have been no long-term studies on creatine. Is this true?
No, it's not true. A recent creatine study followed a number of athletes who had been taking creatine for up to 5.6 years. The researchers found no negative side affects with long-term creatine use.
Will I retain water with the Creatine Tabs?
Your muscle cells will get larger and they contain water. However, they won't cause you to bloat up.
If I stop taking creatine how long will creatine last in my muscle?
Creatine levels in muscle gradually fall and are usually back to normal in a month.
Will creatine injure my kidneys?
Creatine in your body gradually changes to a substance called creatinine (notice the spelling) a waste product that is excreted by your kidneys. High powder levels may raise creatinine, but this does not injure the kidneys. Creatinine is not known to be toxic.
Is creatine a steroid?
Creatine is not a steroid, and therefore does not have any of the side effects known to be found with those drugs.
Will creatine mess up my hormones?
No, creatine is not a hormone, and has no known effect on our hormone levels or endocrine system.
Do you take creatine?
Yes, I take creatine. It helps keep my weight down by keeping my muscle size up. More muscle keeps my metabolic rate high so that I use more calories.
What is the correct creatine dosage?
Companies that make creatine powder suggest "loading" 15-20 grams per day for a week. Then the dose can be reduced to a maintenance dose of 5 grams per day. The idea is to make sure that people get more than enough creatine to make a difference in every day activities or athletic performance.
However, these high doses do not translate into higher creatine levels in your muscle. Later studies showed that a "loading" dose is unnecessary and may cause some side effects.
How to get the most out of your creatine.
If I doubled my dose of creatine powder, wouldn't I double my results?
No, if you take a mega-dose (5-10grams) of creatine 73% ends up in the toilette . Smaller, more frequent doses allow for better creatine absorption. In order to maximize results, take no more than 1.25 grams every 2½ hours.
Why can't you absorb more creatine?
Your muscle cells have a transport system, called the Creatine Transporter that regulates how much creatine gets into your cells. This Creatine Transporter acts like a gate, opening and closing to allow creatine into your muscles. Your muscle cells are designed to absorb 1g to 1.5g of creatine every 2½ hours. This is about the same amount you get from food. For example, an 8oz steak has about 1g of creatine. This is a natural amount for your body to absorb in one meal. This is the same dose people have been getting, for thousands of years.
If you're supposed to take a smaller dose, then why do companies suggest 5-10 grams, taken once or twice per day?
To sell more product. As more companies began selling creatine marketers looked for ways to distinguish their product. If their competitor had five grams, they increased their dose to ten grams
Plain creatine powder is not very expensive. So what if I waste a few grams. Wouldn't you rather have too much than too little?
To waste a few grams may not a big deal for your pocketbook. However, it is incredibly important if you want amazing gains in size and strength. Remember your Creatine Transporters? Normally, after a dose of 1.25g, your muscles will be ready for more creatine in about 2½ hours. However, when you flood your body with a five or ten-gram dose of powder, your Creatine Transporter gate closes down. A 5g dose shuts the gates for six hours and a 10g does keeps the gate closed even longer.
Is there a way to take creatine that can help overcome the creatine delivery problems you describe?
Yes, ViaCore developed a chewable, great tasting tablet that allows you to take the scientifically-proven dose of 1.25g, four times daily and get all of the benefits of creatine without any of the downsides. You don't even have to use water to take it. You can keep a bottle in your car, office or gym bag.
Will creatine help some athletes more than others?
Yes, if an athlete does not eat much protein they may have lower creatine levels and see a dramatic improvement with supplementation. Vegetarians, for example, have much lower creatine levels.
How should an athlete use creatine?
You need to space out your dose to 1.5 grams of creatine every 2 ½ hours, for a total of 5 grams each day. On workout days or during competition you can change this routine. Chew two tabs 20 minutes before and an additional two tabs immediately afterwards for a quick recovery.
Will I gain weight with the Tabs?
You will gain lean muscle. Therefore monitor your weight using carefully targeted doses that are right for you.
Can Creatine Power Tabs help me lose fat?
Creatine by itself does not help you lose fat, but the Tabs have been used by some wrestlers who are on a low calorie diet. They take creatine to help preserve their muscle.
How can I learn more?
We welcome your questions about creatine or any other questions you might have. Email your questions to us and we'll respond quickly.
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