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The Shape of Your Life: Month Two Creatine Comes Clean A decade of research reveals that creatine is the real deal—but watch your step when tempted by other supplements making big promises By Dan Oko
As an amino acid manufactured by your liver and kidneys and found in meat, creatine is used to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the molecule that drives muscle contraction. But during intense anaerobic exercise—flashing a 5.10, ripping a double black—creatine stores in your muscles are exhausted, leaving you fatigued and unable to go on. By taking a creatine supplement, research shows you can provide your muscles with more fuel to endure longer bouts of explosive action. In one study at Appalachian State University, 36 track athletes consumed creatine while training and saw gains in their jumping ability and lean-muscle mass. So do you need creatine? No. But if you're an adult (the jury's still out on whether
Curious to try some of the other "wonder supplements"? Here's what you should know: Androstenedione WHAT IS IT? A synthetic hormone used in the production of testosterone. THE LOWDOWN: Though andro has a rep as a "legal steroid," studies have revealed no strength-enhancing properties—and a host of dismal side effects, including hair loss and kidney damage. PROFESSIONAL OPINION: "You may be the one that this drug does nothing harmful to," says Catherine Jackson, chair of the Department of Kinesiology at California State University at Fresno, "but you'll find better odds in Vegas." SURVEY SAYS: Be afraid, be very afraid. Ephedrine WHAT IS IT? A chemical stimulant derived from the herb ephedra. THE LOWDOWN: Ephedrine is ten times stronger than caffeine and is often marketed as an energy booster for the weight room. However, ephedrine can cause increased heart rate and high blood pressure, and it's associated with heart attacks. The stimulant was implicated in the death of Minnesota Viking Korey Stringer last summer. PROFESSIONAL OPINION: Says Jackson: "You're playing Russian roulette. I would not let anybody I care about take it." SURVEY SAYS: Did we mention heart attacks? Glutamine WHAT IS IT? An amino acid produced naturally and synthetically. THE LOWDOWN: Like creatine, glutamine is used by muscles in the production of ATP. But few studies have looked at the effects of over-the-counter glutamine supplements on strength training in healthy athletes. PROFESSIONAL OPINION: "It's been shown to limit muscle atrophy in people who are ill," says Jackson, "and you can elicit a similar stress response from intense exercise. So glutamine could have a positive effect." SURVEY SAYS: Wait for new research to emerge.
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