[Sports Nutrition Lounge] Creatine & Karate Performance

🥋💪 Creatine & Karate Performance: What You Need to Know 🥋💪

Hey there, fellow athletes and fitness enthusiasts! 👋 Today, we're diving into the world of creatine and its potential impact on Karate performance. Let's break it down! 🔍

🧬 What is Creatine?
Creatine is a compound naturally produced in our liver and kidneys from amino acids like arginine, glycine, and methionine. You can also get 1-2 grams of creatine daily from foods like fish and red meat. 🐟🥩

🔬 Scientific Backing
Creatine is classified in Group A of the AIS supplement framework, meaning it has strong scientific evidence supporting its ability to enhance sports performance. Benefits include increased strength, muscle mass, power, and anaerobic capacity during training, regardless of age and sex. ♀♂

🌱 For Vegetarians
Vegetarians may particularly benefit from creatine supplementation to boost their intramuscular PCr levels, which are crucial for high-intensity exercise performance. 🥗💪

⚖️ Weight Considerations
One challenge for combat sports athletes is short-term muscle water retention caused by creatine, which can lead to increased body mass. Athletes aiming to meet weight limits might need to stop creatine supplementation about 4 weeks before weigh-in. 🏋🏼‍♂️🎛️

💊 Dosing Protocol
Current studies suggest that daily dosages of 3-5 grams (or 0.1 g/kg body mass) are effective without the need for a loading phase or specific timing. 📅💊

🔬 Best Form of Creatine
Creatine monohydrate remains the most effective form in terms of bioavailability, efficacy, and safety. 🏆💊

🥋 Creatine & Karate
For Karate and other striking combat sports, current research suggests limited potential for performance enhancement through creatine supplementation. No strong evidence currently supports its recommendation for these specific sports. 🥋🤔

Remember, every athlete is unique, and it's always best to consult with trained sports professionals (CSSD, RNutr, SENR, SDA) before starting any new supplement regimen. 💡👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

Reference

1. Antonio, J., Candow, D. G., Forbes, S. C., Gualano, B., Jagim, A. R., Kreider, R. B., Rawson, E. S., Smith-Ryan, A. E., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Willoughby, D. S., & Ziegenfuss, T. N. (2021). Common Questions and Misconceptions about Creatine supplementation: What Does the Scientific Evidence Really show? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7871530/
   
   

2. Candow, D. G., Forbes, S. C., Roberts, M. D., Roy, B. D., Antonio, J., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Rawson, E. S., Gualano, B., & Roschel, H. (2022). Creatine O’Clock: Does Timing of Ingestion Really Influence Muscle Mass and Performance? Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.893714
   
   

3. Januszko, P., & Lange, E. (2021). Nutrition, supplementation and weight reduction in combat sports: a review. AIMS Public Health, 8(3), 485–498. https://doi.org/10.3934/publichealth.2021038
   
   

4. Vicente-Salar, N., Fuster-Muñoz, E., & Martínez-Rodríguez, A. (2022). Nutritional Ergogenic Aids in Combat Sports: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 14(13), 2588. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14132588
   
   

5. Wax, B., Kerksick, C. M., Jagim, A. R., Mayo, J. J., Lyons, B. C., & Kreider, R. B. (2021). Creatine for Exercise and Sports Performance, with Recovery Considerations for Healthy Populations. Nutrients, 13(6), 1915. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13061915