Creatine
Supplement: The
Next Great Antioxidant?
by
Alfredo Franco-Obregón,
PhD
Muscle
damage is a natural
consequence of exercise.
A small amount of
muscle damage is
not a terrible thing
and, in fact, is
necessary to stimulate
new muscle growth.
If, on the other
hand, the amount
of damage you inflict
upon your muscles
with exercise exceeds
their capacity to
repair and rebuild,
then you’re in big
trouble. You then
have a scenario
of net muscle breakdown,
otherwise known
as catabolism. Situating
yourself in a catabolic
holding pattern
by continually overdoing
it in the weight
room will eventually
lead to overall
loses in muscle
mass and diminished
athletic performance.
This article focuses
one aspect of overtraining
and how to minimize
its effects.
Two
principal forms
of muscle damage
arise from physical
exertion:
The
first is mechanical
and occurs immediately.
In response to the
physical stress
of exercise, your
muscles and associated
capillary beds become
slightly damaged.
These microscopic
foci of damage may
then prime a robust
phase of increased
micro-vascularization
and new muscle growth
(aka, anabolism).
That is, conditions
permitting, capillary
beds will reform
to increase blood
flow and new muscle
tissue will be laid
down to replace
damaged tissue.
The end result,
increased blood
flow to larger,
more efficiently,
working muscles.
If, on the other
hand, the initial
amount of damage
is too great or
insufficient time
is given for your
muscles to fully
recover from the
insult, you will
lose strength and
mass!
The
second form of muscle
damage is a downstream
consequence of the
first and is, in
actuality, the initiation
of the rebuilding
process discussed
previously. This
form of muscle damage
results from reactive
molecular species
produced in response
to strenuous exercise,
but that exert their
degenerative effects
a few days later.
Rising
from the ashes …
Following
the initial insult
of exercise, damaged
muscle tissue must
be cleared away
before rebuilding
can commence. This
process begins with
the leakage of chemical
agents from damaged
cells that attract
specialized cells
known as phagocytes
(neutrophils and
macrophages) to
sites of damage.
Here, phagocytes
accumulate, greatly
increase in number,
and build an appetite.
Next, commences
a voracious phase
of cell eating,
otherwise known
as phagocytosis
(hence, their name),
whereby damaged
muscle tissue is
literally eaten
away. The process
of phagocytosis
is initiated with
the release of agents
from macrophages
that serve to breakdown,
or digest, damaged
cells in preparation
for absorption.
Following the removal
of all dead tissue,
the stage is then
set for new muscle
growth. New muscle
is formed from the
fusion of hundreds
of progenitor cells
that were previously
laying dormant waiting
for the appropriate
signal to act. From
start to finish,
this entire process
takes about 3-4
days.
Free
Radicals
To assist
in their removal
of dead tissue phagocytes
release digestive
enzymes, toxins,
and, most importantly,
Reactive Oxygen
Species, or ROS,
for short. ROS are
produced in the
burst of metabolic
activity known as
a "respiratory burst".
One of the most
powerful of ROS
produced by phagocytes
is the Superoxide
Radical. Superoxide
greatly weakens
the integrity of
the muscle membrane
causing small tears
that allow calcium
ions to leak into
the muscle cell.
It is a rise in
intramuscular calcium
that activates a
class of enzyme
known as proteases
that cause the muscle
cell to disintegrate.
Obviously, a small
amount of superoxide
plays an essential
role in the absorption
of damaged cells.
On the other hand,
overproduction of
superoxide surpasses
its usefulness and
can actually be
counterproductive
as its destructive
capacity becomes
unleashed without
warrant..
Oxidative
stress
Exercise
also directly produces
ROS. That is, independently
of neutrophils and
macrophages. Normally,
most of the oxygen
consumed during
cell metabolism
is converted into
water. A small amount
of the consumed
oxygen (2-4%), however,
is converted into
superoxide. Given
the fact that exercise
can increase muscle
oxygen consumption
by as much as 200-fold,
superoxide levels
also increase tremendously
with intense exercise,
easily surpassing
the body’s capacity
to neutralize it.
This gives rise
to a dangerous scenario
known as oxidative
stress, which slows
muscle recovery
and increases the
chances of injury.
In fact, some experts
believe that the
overproduction of
ROS may also accelerate
the normal aging
process as well
as eventually lead
to states of disease.
Antioxidants
Our bodies
possess a natural
line of defense
against oxidative
stress; special
molecules known
as antioxidants
that neutralize
ROS. Vitamins A,
C and E are examples
of vitamins that
can act as antioxidants.
Vitamin E is a particularly
potent antioxidant,
since it is able
to act in both aqueous
(within the cell)
and lipid (within
membranes) environments,
and is hence very
effective at protecting
our cellular membranes
from degradation
following oxidative
stress. Our bodies
also come equipped
with their own antioxidant
molecular complexes.
Some of the most
important enzymatic
antioxidants are
Superoxide Dismutase,
Glutathione Peroxidase,
and Catalase. Glutathione
is one of our principle
non-enzymatic antioxidants.
Athletes
are now paying closer
attention to their
antioxidant status
in an attempt to
better assist muscle
recovery. Proactive
measures one can
take to enhance
the body’s capacity
to cope with oxidative
stress include eating
foods rich in antioxidants,
supplementing with
antioxidant vitamins,
limiting alcohol
intake, especially
following exercise
and getting plenty
of rest. It now
turn’s out that
some athletes were
improving their
antioxidant defenses
in a way they hadn’t
previously imagined...
Is
creatine an antioxidant?
A study
was recently released
suggesting that
creatine might act
as a superoxide
scavenger in its
own right. This
would be an additional
benefit of creatine,
independent of its
better-understood
capacity to increase
ATP availability
during exercise.
It is thus possible
that part of the
benefit we obtain
from creatine derives
from its capacity
to act as an antioxidant.
The
salient points of
the study were as
follows:
The creatine
levels used in this
study were within
physiological limits.
In other words,
the concentrations
of creatine found
by this study to
be effective at
scavenging free
radicals were comparable
to those found within
muscle (20-60 mM,
for those interested).
This gave relevancy
to the study.
Creatine,
although not as
effective as glutathione
at neutralizing
superoxide, was
an effective antioxidant,
nonetheless.
Creatine’s ability
to neutralize superoxide
was measured in
a test tube, not
in an exercising
person. And, although
it’s reasonable
to assume that creatine
should behave similarly
within athletes,
subtle differences
may exist. For all
we know, creatine
may be an even more
efficacious antioxidant
inside the body!
Only further experimentation
will tell.
Take
Home
This report
indicates that creatine
possess' antioxidant
properties and is
able to effectively
neutralize Superoxide,
one of the more
insidious free radicals
produced by exercise.
Since these findings
where obtained in
a test tube, however,
it remains to be
shown if creatine
has the same antioxidant
properties within
an exercising person.
Although preliminary,
this result is surely
worth pursuing and
has important practical
implications for
muscle recovery
following strenuous
exercise.
Related
Creatine Resources
There are
a lot of creatine
products. How do
you pick the right
one for you? The
link below shows
the different types
of creatine products
and it is sorted
by the top selling
categories. Check
them out by Clicking
here.
Triple
Phased Powdered
Creatine Report
This e-report reveals
all the potentially
revolutionary nutritional
secrets of CREATINE
MONOHYDRATE supplementation.
You will learn the
"secrets" for making
it work correctly.
Before you purchase
Creatine you should
read this report.
What a complete
waste of money it
would be if you
were taking creatine
incorrectly and
urinating your hard
earned money right
into the toilet.
Get the inside scoop
and find out exactly
why every recreational
and professional
bodybuilder as well
as weekend warriors
swear by this stuff.
http://www.criticalbench.com/creatinereport.htm
Creatine: a practical
guide E-book by
Franco-Obregon,
PhD
A practical guide
clearly explains
how to create the
optimal anabolic
environment for
muscle growth, while
minimizing any adverse
consequences associated
with the use of
creatine. Includes
our exclusive creatine
recipe designed
to explode muscle
growth. Without
a doubt the last
word on creatine,
its benefits, side
effects and limitations.
