The Safety and Benefits of Creatine

The Safety and Benefits of Creatine

Topic: The Safety and Benefits of Creatine

General Purpose: To inform

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the safety of creatine use and also to inform them of the benefits creatine use can provide.

Central Idea: Many people are misinformed on the subject of creatine use and exactly what it is and what creatine can do.

Organizational Pattern: Topical

Introduction

I. How would you like to be able to increase your strength or even increase your bench press by 25 pounds in less then ten days? Or how about improving your endurance. What if I were to say this can be accomplished without taking any harmful or illegal substances. These types of results have been recorded with the use of the supplement creatine.

II. I first became interested in weight training when I was in high school. After poor gains from weight training alone I stumbled upon the keys to success, proper nutrition and supplementation. Creatine is a supplement I have used for awhile and strongly believe it has accelerated my strength and size gains. In three and a half years amount of time I have gained 62 pounds from 153 at the beginning of my senior year in high school to currently 215 pounds.

III. Today, I will explain how creatine use can be beneficial and also safe to use with no harmful side effects. Also, I hope to inform you of what and how natural the substance creatine really is.

Body

I. How many people here have heard creatine is bad for you, or heard stories of creatine hurting someone who has taken it?

A. Many studies have been performed on creatine to determine if there are any adverse side effects from creatine consumption when taken at an amount of 3-5 grams.

II. Creatine is a natural occurring substance. Ray Sahelian MD has done extensive research on creatine.

A. Sahelian states "Creatine is not an herb, mineral, vitamin, hormone, or steroid."

1. Creatine is a natural nutrient found in our bodies and the bodies of most animals.

2. Approximately 95% of the body's creatine supply is found in the skeletal muscles.

B. Creatine is easily absorbed through the intestinal tract and into the bloodstream.

1. Creatine production occurs in the liver, pancreas and kidneys.

C. From Sahelian study it is easy to see that creatine is a natural substance found in food. By taking creatine as a supplement all you are doing is increasing the amount of natural creatine the body has.

III. Creatine is not only safe but has also been found to be beneficial for overall health.

A. Bill Phillips Founder of Muscle Media, EAS a supplement company, and health and fitness expert who has also allocated money to Kent State and many other colleges for studies in science and sports nutrition.

B. In Phillips Sports Supplement Review 3rd issue a study is done to test the safety of creatine use and its benefits on normal people.

C. Phillips study took men and women between the ages of 32-70 and found that creatine loading at 20 grams of creatine a day for 5 days, followed by 10 grams a day maintenance dose for 51 days, produced no adverse effects.

D. The study did show some beneficial results. 22% decrease in VLDL cholesterol and 23% decrease in blood triglycerides. VLDL cholesterol and triglycerides are complementary risk factors in heart disease and adult-onset diabetes.

E. This study shows that not only is creatine not harmful but it can also be helpful for other health risks.

IV. In an article in the June 2003 Flex magazine Brian Rowley provides other health benefits that creatine provides.

A. Rowley states that creatine can decrease the levels of a damaging blood metabolite called homocysteine, which is a strong warning marker for heart disease in humans.

B. It is reasonable to say creatine may help prevent heart attacks.

C. Rowley also states that creatine may protect brain and spinal-cord cells against premature destruction.

V. Layne Norton is a Bio-Chemistry Graduate, natural bodybuilder, and an author of many articles on bodybuilding.com.

A. In Norton's article Creatine Fact and Fiction, Norton talks about the effects of creatine he has found from research and studies.

B. Norton states by supplementing with creatine you will increase these (creatine) stores, thus giving you more energy for your workouts. There is another anabolic property that creatine holds and this is its