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Interview with Dr. Richard Kreider
by Curt Pedersen with Dr. Richard Kreider

November 9, 1999

Interviewed this week is Dr. Richard Kreider. Dr. Kreider is a professor of exercise physiology at the University of Memphis and is a prolific researcher having published numerous articles in the field of exercise physiology. Dr. Kreider performed much of the early research on creatine monohydrate, regarded by many as the most effective sports supplement currently available. In this peakhealth.net interview, we speak with Dr. Kreider about creatine monohydrate’s benefits for athletes and the general population, the best ways to use creatine monohydrate, and safety issues regarding creatine monohydrate.

PeakHealth
In addition to asking whether creatine works, many people want to know, is creatine monohydrate safe?

Dr. Kreider
Creatine has been one the most studied sports supplements ever and to date, has proven to be a safe supplement. In one ongoing study using patients diagnosed with gyrate atrophy, subjects that have been using creatine continuously for 17 years have shown no negative side effects due to creatine supplementation. Our laboratory is also in the midst of performing a long-term study on creatine monohydrate and the initial data we are receiving is also indicating that creatine monohydrate is a safe and effective supplement. Results analyzed after nine weeks of supplementation indicate that creatine does not harm the kidneys, increase the incidence of cramps or muscle pulls or cause athletes to become dehydrated. The subjects in our study are all athletes exercising in warm, humid climates and are following the same diet. The one negative side effect that has occurred in some subjects in a few studies is stomach upset occurring after creatine has been ingested. This problem seems to be easily alleviated by taking creatine with a meal.

PeakHealth
Dr. Kreider, are the increases in bodyweight people experience when using creatine due to actual increases in muscle mass or is it just an increase in water weight?

Dr. Kreider
Research performed in our lab and other’s has shown that the increases in bodyweight that occur with creatine monohydrate use are due to increases in muscle mass, not bodyfat or water weight as many claim. The intramuscular increase in water weight seen in subjects using creatine monohydrate is proportional to water content within the muscles prior to using creatine. Studies performed by Dr. William Kraemer have shown that after 12 weeks of using creatine monohydrate, there was a 35% increase in muscle fiber size, which indicated that creatine facilitated muscle hypertrophy or growth. Body composition measurements performed in the studies we have performed also show that the increases in bodyweight are due to increased muscle mass, not water or fat weight.

PeakHealth
Could creatine be an effective supplement for dieters to prevent the loss of muscle mass when dieting?

Dr. Kreider
Research has shown when using creatine, subjects do not experience any increase in bodyfat, and in some instance’s a slight decrease in bodyfat. Hypothetically speaking, it may be an effective supplement for dieters due to its ability to maintain muscle mass, which is often lost when dieting.

PeakHealth
How can creatine benefit sports performance in anaerobic or power athletes?

Dr. Kreider
Creatine seems to improve performance the most in anaerobic activities with incomplete rest periods between bouts of activity. The best results seem to occur in events with rest periods lasting between 6-15 seconds. This is due to creatine’s ability to increase intermuscular stores of the energy substrate creatine phosphate which is used to produce energy during brief periods of work.

PeakHealth
Is creatine of benefit to endurance athletes?

Dr. Kreider
Although there is no specific data available, it appears that creatine could be of benefit to endurance athletes. One of the primary ways that creatine may benefit aerobic athletes is by improving an endurance athletes work capacity during their off season when they perform intervals and other type’s of intermittent anaerobic training. Endurance athletes may also benefit by using creatine when they are performing larger amounts of strength training since it has been shown repeatedly to increase muscle mass and muscular strength. Lastly, creatine could be of benefit to endurance athletes by offering a glycogen sparing effect. Studies by Green, et. al, have shown that creatine monohydrate helps to increase glycogen retention within muscle cells. Endurance athletes using creatine monohydrate during their competitive season may be able to prolong their performance at higher intensity levels.

PeakHealth
The majority of people using creatine monohydrate are males. Is creatine a beneficial supplement for females to use too?

Dr. Kreider
There are some studies that suggest women do not benefit as much from short-term creatine supplementation. However, it appears that women benefit from creatine when taking it for longer periods of time (6 to 20 weeks).

PeakHealth
Dr. Kreider, the majority of the reported benefits regarding creatine monohydrate are related to its ability to improve muscle mass and athletic performance. Are there potentially any other benefits for creatine outside of the athletic arena?

Dr. Kreider
Yes, there is some data indicating that creatine may be useful in supporting one’s overall health, especially individuals with diseases that limit their ability to perform physical activities. For instance, Creatine supplementation has been used to treat infants who are unable to synthesize creatine. Research has shown that individuals with conditions that cause muscle wasting such as HIV and various neuromuscular diseases are able to maintain, and in some cases increase their muscle mass when supplementing with creatine monohydrate. Other studies involving subjects diagnosed with congestive heart failure were able to perform more physical work when they used creatine monohydrate. Although creatine is not likely to cure someone diagnosed with the types of medical conditions I just referred to, it may allow people to be more productive and improve their quality of life.

PeakHealth
Is there a most effective way to use creatine monohydrate?

Dr. Kreider
We have found two protocols that appear to work best with creatine monohydrate. The first protocol works best with individuals that are most interested in the performance enhancing benefits of creatine. This protocol consists of loading with 15-25 grams of creatine monohydrate for five days followed by a maintenance schedule of 5 grams of creatine per day. The second protocol works better in individuals who are interested in muscle mass. This method involves supplementing with 15-25 grams of creatine per day for 5 weeks per cycle. The increase in bodyweight seen when using this cycle is usually 4 to 12 pounds.

PeakHealth
In addition to plain creatine monohydrate powder, there are a variety of creatine-based supplements that supposedly improve its effectiveness. Are any of these supplements actually better than pure, creatine monohydrate?

Dr. Kreider
There is data to indicate that ingesting creatine with carbohydrate may help the muscle absorb creatine better. Unfortunately, there is not yet any scientific data that supports the effectiveness of many of these products. The most effective creatine supplement we have studied was creatine combined with a vitamin/mineral fortified carbohydrate and protein drink. Whether other types of creatine containing supplements are effective needs to be studied.