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Creatine Found to Boost Brainpower
Eric Ass Raymond writes "According to this BBC article, researchers from the University of Sydney and Macquarie University in Australia have found that the dietary supplement creatine - a natural compound found in muscle tissue - can improve not only your athletic performance, but also your intelligence and memory. One of the side effects, however, is an unpleasant body odour."
One of the side effects, however, is an unpleasant body odour
...yeah...like this affects the slashdot crowd much...
...dope testing for SAT's and other qualifying exams was announced today.
Thanks to creatine, not only is his body huge and muscular, he apparently has to be brilliant and have a good memory as well!
And maybe the "unpleasant body odour" will help him with his "clean out Sacremento" campaign...
MORTAR COMBAT!
...the amount of jokes about smartness, body odour and slashdotters will soon be verging on the infinite.
I can't imagine how dumb the muscle headed pea brains, I see at the gym every day, were before they started taking this stuff!
The Good Life
Some TV show or something did a poll catering to women. They asked them, "If there were a pill that made your ass bigger, but made you way smarter, would you take it?" 90% of the women said they wouldn't take it. Of course, that might not apply here, as us men have no shame.
Job? I don't have time to get a job! Who will sit around and bitch about being broke and unemployed then?
Just because you stink, it doesn't mean you're clever!
----------------------------------- My Other Sig Is Hilarious -----------------------------------
I think that comment goes with the 'real geeks dont have women' subject. Maybe I'm a poser then, cause I like showering, and chicks, and even both at the same time.
> So I can intelligent and smell or stupid and smell nice. Ho hum life is full of hard decisions.
To paraphrase an old saw, "strong, intelligent, sweet-smelling: choose two".
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
First discovered on the Simpsons and named "poindextrose"
Mouse powered Chips, Open source Processors and Lego
This is just another in the long series of sensationalist stories about studies that show *** increases ***, or doing X makes you better at Y.
What annoys me about these stories is that they are always based on small (eg 45) groups and they basically amount to pseudoscience and they give a bad view of the scientific community in general.
For example, how many times have you read stories about either possible cures or causes of cancer? Journalists should stop coming out with this crap and cover real scientific stories.
A much cheaper way to boost your brain power is to take Niacin (not Niacinamide). Many people notice that their mental clarity is remarkably better when they have had 500 milligrams of Niacin.
Take Niacin only after meals to avoid skin flushing (redness and tingling which lasts about 15 minutes), and only with an equal quantity of Vitamin C.
There are flush-free Niacin compounds and timed-release versions on the market of varying quality in their ability to prevent flushing.
Niacin is a vitamin, so it is completely safe.
Just what we need. Another fairly simple study looking at a supplement that has not been tested adequately. Anyone remember the problems folks had when they were rushing out to purchase tryptophan? What about all the people dropping melatonin like there is no tomorrow? (most melatonin is derived from bovine pineal glands.....ever hear of spongeoform encephalitis?)
Look, the food supplements industry is not well regulated and thus the ingredients or amounts of active compounds in each of these supplements is not always known.
Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
We all know that it's Odor though..... right?
maybe we should ask Linus what HE feels is the correct spelling....
We're like rats, in some experiment! -- George Costanza
... women have an obsession with the size of their rear-ends which borders on the paranoid delusional. They're all under the impression that wide hips and a generous backside are somehow UNattractive, which fascinates me since these things are caused by the same feminization hormones that brought us such lovely things as breasts and the female leg shape.
I can't understand how they all fell under this "MUST HAVE TINY ASS" spell. Is it just massive amounts of bizarre social conditioning? Do the vast majority of women suffer from some kind of targeted body dysmorphic disorder? What?
+++ATH0
"Reports of gastrointestinal distress, stomach cramps, nausea and diarrhea are also frequently reported, especially during the loading phase when greater amounts of creatine are being ingested daily." (creatinemonohydrate.net)
ugh, double the odor issues.
What you're saying is similar to dismissing cars, trains and bicycles because" they're for the sick and injured not for the lazy and impatient - just walk to work like the God intended."
BOO! TERRO
Creatine's just an amino acid.
Not one of the vital ones to life: ie, if you don't have it, your protiens will not all mis-fold / you will not degenerate into a corpse.
Having WAYYY too much Creatine will help fuel bacterial growth & whatnot. Still, Creatine is a neat fuel, the body likes having it in muscle to fuel short-term bursts of energy.
Interested in more about amino acids/proteins and what they can mean to you? Check out Folding@Home as mentioned on Slash_ _dot
And fold for team #93
I assert that my comment is only my opinion, not that of any employer, past, present or future.
According to this article, about 4 grams of creatine is found per kilogram of meat. So to get the same level of creatine you'd get from taking a supplement, you'd need to eat about 1-2 kilos of meat or fish a day.
See:
Shopper's Drug Mart herbal info on Creatine
Some snippets from this link:
We really need a moderation option "-1 not funny"
Szo
Red Leader Standing By!
I read something similar to this in Muscle and Fitness about a year ago, but the note there pertained to increased mental function in elderly men.
As a personal note, I've used creatine monohydrate powder off and on for about a year. I noticed somewhat increased lifting performance, but along with it a somewhat increased thirst. Be sure to drink *lots* of water if you take creatine. I didn't notice any difference between a creatine/glycogen stack (CELL-TECH) versus using a plain creatine monohydrate powder mixed in water, execpt the stacked product was much more expensive.
One thing to remember that merely taking a supplement (other than anabolic steriods) is not going to make you look like this guy. Athletic use of creatine delays the onset of muscle fatigue by enhancing the resynthesis of ATP from ADP and creatine phosphate. In other words, it allows you to do a little more work, a little faster than you could without it. It's a subtle, but measureable effect.
Rubber duckies don't count
You worked your ass off in school but didn't learn that some are NATURALLY smarter than others? All the time with the books but didn't pay attention to others to notice some are more adept at logic, music, art, athletics, etc.*? That it can take someone hours more to grasp the same concepts as someone else? Maybe some people are tired of being genetically disadvantaged in academics or arts?
You also need to learn that hard work without spending the time correctly slows progress. What's the problem with boosting intelligence so the effort is put to better use?
Life is also about a lot of luck. And if some are luckier than others, what's wrong with trying to spread the wealth? But I'm still quite skeptical of their claims...
*These are still broad categories. There are many aspects to intelligence and this is a simplification.
In times like these, it is helpful to remember that there have always been times like these. - Paul Harvey
You're retarded.
Anyone who told you they got those side effects from "using creatine" was bullshitting you. They were using some serious gear, not just creatine. In case you didn't know, it's actually quite difficult for most people to "look like a juicer" without some form of anabolic steroids or possibly a keen stack of prohormones. Natural body builders don't generally look like body builders, and they rarely compete, because they simply cannot pack on the muscle with the same ease of a hormonally-enhanced body builder. Creatine, while it does work, does not pack on the muscle like steriods do. If it did, it would be a controlled substance. Here comes the cluestick!
I am reading the threads above and I find it really amusing that everyone I have read so far mentions a bad experience (or a geek-BO joke). It seems many people believe creatine will just make you bigger. I am just as much as a geek as everyone here, but I grew up very athletic and all of my childhood friends have grown up to become Physical Therapists, Physical Trainers, etc. And, since I finished college (where I was captain of the wrestling team [which makes it hard for people to believe I am a geek]), I have been keeping in decent shape so that I can get the ladies.
/W
Creatine does not provide strength the way steroids do, if you are looking for that kind of work out, I would suggest Andro supplements. IIRC, this is what Mark Maquire was taking that got him in trouble. The problem with Andro is that even though it is legal it has the same side effects as typical anabolic steroids (acne, shrinking testicles, etc.).
Creatine is a complex amino acid that gets called upon as your fast twitch muscle fibers get closer to failure. For people who lift, these are the portion of the muscle that will grow if exercised properly. Your muscle fibers are torn or damaged during the workout, and rebuilt over the next few days. Your body will re-build these muscles much stronger than before, and in most cases, larger than before. The critical phase of the workout is the tearing of the fibers. When your body is properly loaded with creatine, it will allow you to go a little further than normally possible to tear down more than normal, which is when you will benefit the most. Creatine is a tricky supplement though, it is difficult to get your body to deliver it on ingestion. I've heard many times that insulin has something to do with it and most supplements suggest ingesting it with a natural fruit drink (grape juice, etc.). and it also suggests a loading phase for a week where you are taking a ton of the stuff.
I have used creatine off and on for quite a while, and I can say that my strength is slightly improved during periods when taking it, but if you are looking for size, the protein supplements are more important. The BO part is hard for me to understand, since people are suggested to take creatine about 30 minutes before your workout. Doesn't everyone shower after their workout? This has always been my routine, maybe that's why I have never heard of the BO. To me the bigger problem has always been that protein rich foods, as well as the protein supplements, make your breath smell and give you gas.
I guess what I am saying is that there is no easy way to get fit and look good. And I also understand that it just isn't a priority to everyone. So be it, but don't give a half-assed try to some supplement and then bitch because it didn't work the way you wanted. The first thing people need to learn is that you need to get a good workout above all else. These supplements only work if you are already getting a good workout without them, they do not turn a bad workout into a good one, they only turn a good workout into a better one.
No, no, and no.
"People who use creatine have problems with losing hair..."
I used creatine for a while. I have a lot of hair.... and it's still on my head.... and I grew it myself.
"...enlarged foreheads and impotence."
No. That does not occur from creatine.
"Basically, you can expect a number of the side affects that you would from using steroids-- you start to look like a "juicer"."
The only way you can look like a juicer is if you become a juicer. I don't know where you got your information, but I can assure you it's not the boyscouts.
Having used creatine on and off for the past 5 or so years, I can say that none of what this dude says is correct or accurate in any way. If anything, creatine can make you bloated IF you don't work out while using it. Also, some studies are linking creatine to increased rates of diabetes, and are finding that creatine might be taxing on the liver. And while using it, you have to drink more water (go to any nutrtion store and look at ANY of the creatine supplements and it will always say to drink moer water). Anyway, get a fucking clue.
I have seen studies linking creatine to DECREASED risk of diabetes, because it helps to regulate blood sugar.
A lot of studies show that creatine, in your post workout meal, increases the transport of glucose to your muscles, increasing glycogen retention in your muscles. Translation: good for you, stronger, faster recovery, decreased diabetes.
I believe Creatine also increases the amount of cellular water retention, but that once you stop taking it everything goes back to "normal". I also used Cell-Tech's Creatine mix, and concur with your statement that you should drink extra water.
People should understand that taking supplements doesn't gives you muscles. The only thing that increases muscle mass is your body repairing damaged muscle tissue. That's why you lift weights. If you've ever done bar-dips, you probably know the tingling feeling of micro-muscle tears. Supplements, steroids, it's all for the same purpose: to enable you to better wear out your muscles. Of course, people are always looking for shortcuts, often to their detriment (in the case of steroids), yet overlook some of the most basic and essential needs the body requires.
This is why sleep and diet are so crucial to muscle development. A proper diet, particularly one rich in protein, not only gives you the right building blocks for new muscle material, but also gives you energy when you're working out. Sleep is just as important, because it is during sleep (not during exercise) that your body repairs itself and rebuilds muscle. I've seen too many people work out every day, and then stay up late into the evening, complaining that they aren't seeing any results. They simply never give their body a chance to heal before they're breaking it down again in the gym.
Sorry for the fitness diatrabe, I just thought I'd add my two cents for anyone interested.
One side effect that I remember was increased agitation. Of course, the inferior boobs surrounding me at work could have caused that.
You know, you start working out, and all of a sudden your standards go through the roof. The chicks around you aren't pretty enough... they're not fit enough... their boobs are "inferior". Jeez.
It is rumoured that are these pills that can be found on the Internet that will make your penis bigger that you can ever imagine. That will counteract any potential shrinkage....
From excellent karma to terible karma with a single +5 funny post...
I used to live with a body builder, taking this suppliment doesn't make you ooze some odor out of your skin. One word, FARTS! Thats it, the stuff that used to come out of him used to clear classrooms! Oh my god, they should bottle that for riot control!
IMPORTANT: as the article states, people who eat red meat already get creatine from that source. Creatine supplementation is most interesting for people who exercise regularly and don't eat red meat.
It's interesting that the sub-headline of the article says "The dietary supplement creatine - known to improve athletic performance..."
I seem to recall seeing in the 1990s reports of studies showing that creatine did indeed improve athletic performance. My own experience was different.
In the mid-1990s, I was basically following the recommendations of the US government: loads of carbohydrates, reasonable quantities of protein, and very, very little fat. I avoided red meat and ate a lot more chicken and turkey breast meat.
I would go to the gym twice per week and train with high intensity. I discovered that even with the massive quantities of food I was eating and the decent amount of sleep I was getting (being a grad student at the time, I had a very flexible schedule... as a result, it was almost always possible to correct any sleep deficit with a nap), my body simply could not recuperate in less time.
The personal trainers at the gym had, I'm sure, the best intentions when they designed workout programs for me, but the problem is that the programs they designed would have been good for two types of person: the genetically gifted and users of 'roids (I don't think it's a coincidence that many personal trainers fit into one of these two categories). For a normal human being, it just isn't possible for the body to recover from three days of exercise in one day (they typically designed programs of the type "three days of training and one day of rest").
Anyway, since I wasn't eating red meat, I thought I could benefit from creatine supplementation. What did I find? Well, I can summarize it like this: if creatine were as effective as a bodybuilding supplement as it is as a laxative, I would be as big now as the next Governor of California.
In my experience, creatine just made my poop (much) softer and gave it a funny color. No, I don't make a habit of checking out the contents of the toilet, but the color was so weird it caught my eye and I started paying attention. I know this is disgusting, but I am simply telling a true story.
I eventually quit creatine and designed a workout program based on the book "Brawn," i.e., on lots of squats as the main exercise and on increasing the weight lifted each time at the gym, and focused on building strength, not size. I got a lot stronger, and I gained a significant amount of muscle weight.
In my experience, a good workout program that did not force overtraining (unlike most that personal trainers at gyms will create for you) and done with sufficient intensity (gawd how my thighs used to burn toward the end of a set of 20 squats with a bar 1.5 times the weight of my body) had a much greater effect on my strength than my use or non-use of creatine did.
In 2000, I came to the conclusion that it was kind of stupid for me to put so much effort into fighting nature. If my body were meant to be larger and more muscular, it would be that way naturally, without me having to destroy it every 3 or 4 days. I haven't done any weightlifting in years, and I haven't even thought about wasting money on creatine in several years.
FWIW, I don't remember feeling smarter during my experimentation with creatine. My immediate guess is that creatine is as effective as a "smart drug" as it is as a bodybuilding supplement, i.e., not very.
YMMV.
--Mark
"It is nice to know that the computer understands the problem. But I would like to understand it too." --Eugene Wigner
Back in the 1950s, chlorophyll was a fad food, and supposedly had the power to make you and your breath smell better. They put it in everything: toothpaste, candy, all sorts of stuff. Even dog food, so that your pooch would smell better. I think Clorets is the sole survivor from that time.
The fad ended when it was pointed out that goats practically live on chlorophyll, but they still stink.
Agreed. Creatine can be dangerous too. If some loser decides to take alot of this stuff and fails to hydrate themselves...kidney and liver problems will occur. I was one of those losers. You need LOTS of hydration as it basically uses water to make your muscles bigger. I was pissing blood at one point, and that was the last of that. This is just more sensationalism.
Der Tod ist der einzige Weg hier raus!
I don't want to insult anyone, but for me it's far more likely that lack of creatine (= vegetarian diet) is causing redused brain abilities than Creatine boosting brain power.
Doubtful. I've been a strict vegetarian since 1986, and a quasi-vegetarian for several years before that. I did not notice any coincident deterioration in memory function; I'd say if you want to preserve your memory function, the important thing is to avoid smoking too much weed - not take some weird, overpriced pills.
It's also interesting to note that India, a largely vegetarian nation, appears to be relatively geek-rich.
Oh, and there are plenty of brilliant vegetarians to hold up as examples, from Pythagoras and Plato to Tolstoy and Einstein.
Gentlemen! You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!
This is a perfect example of lunacy in science reporting.
A test is performed. One group has creatine in their diet, the other has none in their diet (vegetarians)
The result shows that "creatine good, no creatine bad."
The reporter then reports "more creatine better."
Besides the fact that there is absolutly no evidence whatsoever to back up that claim, the reporter also extrapolates the affect on vegetarians to non vegitarians. On top of that, a single study is taken as gospel.
What's the difference between a preliminary study and an old wive's tale? The old wive's tale has history behind it.
Most people can make their own creatine from other amino acids in the diet; creatine is non-essential. So, it is not really possible to be creatine-deficient unless you have an absorption/anabolism deficiency in respect to creatine. If you don't consume enough creatine over a period of time, normal people will make their own.
There is a reason for everything. Sometimes that reason just sucks.