Creatine Supplementation and Venous Thrombotic Events

Written by Ben Bunting: BA(Hons), PGCert. Sport & Exercise Nutrition. British Army Physical Training Instructor.  

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Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid that the body uses as a fuel for high-energy muscle cells.

It can also promote muscle growth and help improve endurance during exercise.

Creatine is a safe and effective supplement that has been used for decades.

It is a natural energy booster and can combat high blood sugar and fatty liver disease, among other benefits.

What is Creatine?

Creatine is an amino acid that's found in protein-rich foods such as milk, red meat, and seafood. It's also produced synthetically and is available as a dietary supplement for athletes and bodybuilders.

It's a key component in your body's energy system that stores and releases adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, for explosive movement such as sprinting and weight lifting.

Creatine is also involved in cell volumization, which helps you build muscle quickly.

You can find creatine in many forms, including liquids, powders and capsules. Some types are better than others, so it's important to know what you want before you buy a product.

Creatine benefits

Oral creatine supplements are typically used to increase physical or athletic performance, improve muscle mass, reduce fatigue and enhance mental performance, says Michael Bates, a doctor of sport medicine at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Studies show that it may also be beneficial for people with Parkinson's disease, reducing the decline of dopamine levels and improving strength and daily function.

While the benefits of creatine are most apparent during short bursts of intense exercise, such as sprinting and heavy lifting, it's a powerful nutrient that can benefit anyone who works out regularly.

It can boost high-intensity workouts by up to 15% and has a long-term impact on muscle growth.

What's more, creatine can improve your recovery time between sets, giving you more time in the gym.

That's great news if you love to lift but don't have enough energy or time to finish all your workouts.

In some studies, creatine monohydrate has been shown to help lower the level of homocysteine, a substance that can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Additionally, it may improve mental performance and boost working memory, especially under time pressure.

In addition to its use for sports, creatine is also used in medical settings to help treat certain diseases.

It improves exercise tolerance in patients with heart failure, slows the deterioration of gyrate atrophy (a condition that causes the muscles to deteriorate) in patients with Parkinson's disease, and decreases muscle pain and fatigue in people with McArdle's disease.

It is also a dietary supplement that can be taken by people with muscle disorders such as myopathies, which are muscular diseases affecting skeletal muscles.

Muscle disorder patients have low concentrations of creatine, phosphocreatine and ATP in their muscle tissue and may experience muscle weakness, weakened neuromuscular function and reduced strength.

How it Works

Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid that's derived from arginine and glycine, both of which are important for protein synthesis.

It is converted in the body to guanidinoacetic acid, which is then methylated by an enzyme called guanidinoacetate methyltransferase to form creatine.

It is primarily stored in skeletal muscles but is also present in the liver, pancreas and testes.

During an exercise session, it's released from the cells and is transported to the muscles via the bloodstream.

You can take creatine in a variety of forms, but the most popular is the form found in creatine monohydrate.

Other forms of the nutrient are creatine hydrochloride (HCL), Kre-Alkalyn, and creatine nitrate. 

In the long term, creatine helps you to recover between heavy sets more efficiently and to get stronger faster.

It also decreases the amount of myostatin in your body, which slows muscle growth and promotes fat storage.

Dose

Typically, it's recommended that people begin with a loading dose of 20 to 25 grams daily, followed by a maintenance dosage of 2 to 5 grams per day for at least 28 days.

Higher doses, up to 10 g/day, have also been reported to be beneficial.

Research shows that oral creatine can improve strength and muscle size in athletes who use it for a long period of time.

It also helps reduce the frequency of injury to the muscles, bones, ligaments and tendons. It can improve the performance of athletic individuals involved in high-intensity intermittent sports that require fast recovery from training and competition. 

Creatine supplementation is safe when taken under the supervision of a dietitian or a doctor.

It's not a banned substance by the International Olympic Committee or the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and it can be beneficial for most people who use it.

Venous Thrombotic Events and Creatine

Creatine supplements can be effective at reducing venous thrombotic events, according to research.

Studies suggest that taking creatine by mouth can increase venous blood flow and reduce the amount of time that blood pools in the legs, which helps to reduce the risk of venous thrombosis.

A clot in the leg vein is a common problem, especially for older adults who are more likely to develop blood clots.

It can occur when there is an injury to the leg or when you have surgery or other medical procedures that require you to be seated for long periods of time.

Venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are serious problems that can be life threatening if left untreated. 

Your doctor can diagnose venous thrombosis by talking to you about your symptoms and looking at your health history.

They might also do a physical exam to check for signs of blood clots in your leg veins.

If your doctor suspects DVT, they will order a few tests to confirm the diagnosis. They include duplex ultrasound and a CT scan of your legs, which will reveal any blood clots in the veins.

These tests can help your doctor determine the type of clot you have and determine how serious it is.

They can also help your doctor decide what kind of treatment is right for you.

The best way to prevent venous thrombosis is to stay active and avoid situations where you can get a clot.

For example, don't travel by airplane for long periods of time or take a long train ride. You can also exercise regularly to keep your legs healthy and strong.

Creatine supplements should not be used with drugs that thin the blood, such as heparin and clopidogrel.

They can increase your risk of bleeding and kidney damage, and you should avoid taking creatine if you are pregnant or nursing. 

Conclusion 

Creatine is a substance found naturally in the body. It is also a common ingredient in many sports supplements. It is used to increase muscle mass and improve exercise performance. It is also often used to treat muscle cramps and fatigue.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious condition that can be fatal.

It is caused by a number of factors including genetic mutations. In addition, risk factors such as obesity and age can increase the likelihood of VTE.

Treatment for VTE is based on the presence of risk factors and a patient’s prognosis. Anticoagulation is the primary therapy for VTE. The goal of anticoagulation is to reduce the risk of recurrent VTE and pulmonary embolism.

At present, while there are some studies available that look promising regarding the clinical use of creatine within the human vasculature system, the evidence is still fairly limited and research within its infancy.

As such, more research needs to be carried out to attain a greater understanding of the effects of creatine on blood flow and whther it can be a useful agent or cause potential issues.