Creatine is naturally found in vertebras. It is a nitrogenous organic acid. The supplements of creatine are used by athletes and other body builders to improve their energy levels. The nerve cells are also benefited. Creatine comes from the Greek word ‘Kreas” which means flesh. This was first found by Michael Eugene Chevreul in 1832 who gave it the name creatine. He saw that it was a part of the skeletal muscle. Creatine is not a steroid. It occurs naturally in the body.
Creatine is mainly taken by people who want to build their bodies. This enhances the athletic performance of people who take part in sports. It increases the muscle mass. It is generally taken as creatine monohydrate or creatine ethyl ester. It can be taken as a powder in a drink or as a capsule. It is beneficial if creatine is taken with high gylcemic index carbohydrates.
Taking creatine increases weight gain by about 1 Kg. per week. There is also water retention. So, people taking creatine should supplement it with fluids. Taking creatine for short periods is safe. The main work of creatine is to give energy to work out for longer periods of time, build body mass (not muscle strength) and give spurts of energy for certain athletic activities such as cycling. Sports persons, such as basketball, football and baseball players take creatine.
Teenagers generally want to have an excellent body. To build their body mass and improve their athletic performance, they resort to taking creatine supplements. This is easily available. This is generally good to be used during off season training. Their effect on teenagers has not yet been fully studied. However, ‘The American College of Sports and Medicine’ does not recommend the use of creatine by anyone who is less than eighteen years of age. If it is taken, it should be medically prescribed. It should be taken under supervision. The teenager should be taking a well balanced diet. The creatine supplement should benefit him/her for the serious training that is being undertaken. The parents, coach, athletic trainer and the doctor should all be involved in supervising the teenager. In such a case a teenager who is a serious athlete can take creatine supplements. This would also see to it that he/she does not take anabolic steroids. Creatine might not work for everyone. So, the doctor would be able to decide whether the teenager needs to take it or not.
Some feel that there might be only slight improvement in performance even if creatine supplements are taken. So, when teenagers need to take it, it is best to take lesser than the recommended dose. It is safer for the athlete to understand the long term effects f creatine and their disadvantages before using such supplements. There is no study to tell us of the effect of long term use. Many teenagers depend on creatine supplements. It is better for a teenager to have a healthy, well balanced diet and train well rather depend on supplements to help you build your body mass.
Since, teenagers are always eager to do their best and achieve a lot in a short span of time any supplement to enhance their performance is always welcome by them. They should take in the pros and cons and discuss it with their trainer to really know whether they need supplements. Having knowledge about creatine and its benefits will definitely helpful.
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