creatine and beta alanine supplementaion

Question 1

discuss the creatine cycle

Answer 1

Pcr –> Cr, donates a phosphate to allow ADP to be resynthesised back to ATP

in mitochondria, Cr can regain a phosphate from ATP being produced by oxidation of CHO to then be used again to drive muscle contraction

Question 2

describe the general patterns seen with creatine loading

Answer 2

lower starting level = greater increase

but there is a ceiling effect to amount of creatine which can be stored in muscles

Question 3

what are the common doses of creatine during loading and maintainance phases

Answer 3

4x 5g doses over 7 days

1x 2g dose for maintainance

Question 4

Is there evidence to suggest that the maintainance doses are needed

Answer 4

yes

those who took loading doses but then stopped supplementing saw a gradual decline in creatine levels after

Question 5

is there evidence to suggest that the loading phase is neccessary

Answer 5

kind of

taking 3g/day for 28 days still saw creatine levels increase by the same amount but this occured at a slower rate

Question 6

outline the evidence of the optimal dosing stratergy of creatine

Answer 6

4x 5g a day vs 20x 1g a day

4x 5g = more excreted in urine, suggesting that less is retained within the body

Question 7

Is coingestion with CHO beneficial

Answer 7

taking with CHO increases muscle creatine content vs not taking
also decreases amount excreted in urine

Question 8

what is the mechanism behind increase creatine accumilation when taken with CHO

what is a possible issue with implementing this finding

Answer 8

insulin stimulated increase in uptake

was with 93g of glucose therefore could be detremental to energy balance

Question 9

what is another benefit of ingesting creatine with CHO (aside from creatine levels)

Answer 9

creatine augments increases in muscle glycogen concentrations

Question 10

outline evidence showing a performance benefit associated with creatine supplementation

Answer 10

5 days creatine supplementation

pre and post all out cycle testing

post = increase in maximum work rate and total work rate

a positive correlation between increase in work and increase in total creatine levels

Question 11

give evidence showing how creatine supplementation can be beneficial for training

Answer 11

placebo vs creatine supplement for 6 weeks

supplement = enhanced resistance to fatigue during resistance exercise

can do more work during gym, therefore more adaptation

Question 12

explain why creatine may help with muscle buffering

Answer 12

resynthesis of ATP due to presence of Pcr uses a H ion as part of the reaction

therefore could slightly increase buffering capacity

Question 13

what two proteins does carnosine comprise of

Answer 13

beta alanine and histadine

Question 14

why is beta alanine supplemented and not histadine

Answer 14

histadine is a lot more abundant in the body and therefore is not limiting to the synthesis of carnosine

Question 15

outline the evidence regarding the best supplementation stratergy to increase carnosine levels

what else did this data show

Answer 15

3.2 g/dl vs 5.2 g/dl vs carnosine

similar increase between high dose beta alanine and carnosine however beta alanine is much cheaper to make

some subjects had a much greater increase than others, indicating no ceiling effect

Question 16

outline evidence that increased carnosine/beta alanine supplementation is beneficial to perfomance

Answer 16

beta alanine supplement vs placebo group

significant elevation of muscle carnosine levels at 4 weeks and then at 10 weeks

also increase in cycling capactiy test at 4 weeks and 10 weeks, not seen in placebo
(greater increase = greater increase in performance)

Question 17

what findings have been published from a meta analysis of beta alanine supplementations

Answer 17

improvement in exercise lasting 60-240 seconds and >240 seconds
no benefit if below 60 seconds

2.85% improvement with 179g supplementation