Creatine Creatine Powder® from Yamamoto® is made from 100% Creapure® quality creatine monohydrate.
Creapure® is a raw material of 100% pure creatine in monohydrate form (best form of assimilation) produced by AlzChem Trostberg GmbH
Creapure® is IFS FOOD certified guaranteeing its high quality recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative. In addition, the production of Creapure® uses hazard analysis and critical points as well as the HACCP management system which allows the control and evaluation of health risks in food production. Indeed, Creapure® is subject to strict rules on the control of the presence of impurities.
Here are typical Creapure® (HPLC) analysis values according to Yamamoto®:
Creatine monohydrate: min. 99.95%
Creatinine: <67 ppm
Dicianidammide (DCD): <30 ppm
Dihydrotriazine (DHT): no quantifiable.
To learn more about creatine…
Creatine is a natural amino acid derivative used as a sports supplement for weight gain, muscle and strength improvement since the 90s.
It is naturally present in the body. Its contributions come either from endogenous synthesis from three amino acids (glycine, arginine and methionine), or from food (animal meat).
Creatine works on several levels. It increases the concentration of intramuscular creatine phosphate and therefore provides a larger quantity of ATP during intense and brief physical effort (bodybuilding) when this exceeds the capacities provided by glucose and fatty acids. It also promotes the synthesis of glycogen in the muscle and the secretion of IGF-1 and MGF which are two anabolic hormones.
What is its interest?
Role of antioxidant:
New results show that creatine would exert an antioxidant role within the muscle. In one study, researchers gave creatine monohydrate to rats and took muscle samples before and after supplementation. The activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase 1 and 2, catalase or glutathione peroxidase was evaluated. Creatine supplementation would have reduced free radicals by 33 to 41% depending on the muscles, but the enzymes showed no change in their activity. This would mean that creatine alone would act as an antioxidant by directly fighting against the superoxide radical.
Benefits on intellectual performance
A study carried out by Swansea University investigated the taking of creatine supplements in people who did not eat meat. Indeed, creatine is a substance that is found mainly in animal products, which is why people following a vegetarian or vegan diet are subject to a greater risk of creatine deficiencies. The study involved 128 young vegetarian and non-vegetarian women who received either a placebo or a creatine supplement (20g/d) for 5 days. These young women then took tests assessing their brain function at the start as well as at the end of the study. The results showed that creatine supplements improved the memory of vegetarians by 40%.
Improvement in osteoarthritis
A Brazilian study was performed in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. A creatine supplement was given to two groups of women, a supplemented group and a placebo group. The study revealed that people who received the creatine supplement (20g/d for one week then 5g/d thereafter) saw their joint stiffness decrease and their leg muscle mass increase. Nevertheless, this is one of the first studies to investigate the effects of creatine supplements on osteoarthritis. Scientific hindsight and additional data are still needed to be able to establish a real correlation.
Benefit against aging
Creatine could play a role in “healthy” aging, particularly that of the brain.
This is a study carried out in animals. Nevertheless, this experiment carried out by German researchers showed that creatine supplementation could increase the healthy life expectancy of a strain of aged mice. A high dose of creatine could protect nerve cells and prevent cell death and toxic excitation phenomena. In this study, creatine supplementation increased the healthy life expectancy of mice by 9%. These same mice also saw their scores on neurobehavioral tests increase. Finally, brain imaging demonstrated that the supplemented mice had fewer pigments associated with aging (lipofuscin).
Increase in muscle mass and sports performance
Several very recent double-blind studies show that creatine increases muscle mass and improves certain aspects of sports performance, particularly those related to physical strength.
Creatine supplements would increase physical strength, therefore muscle volume and would therefore indirectly promote fat loss by raising the basal metabolism.
A meta-analysis was performed comparing creatine supplementation to placebo on strength performance measured in exercises lasting less than 3 minutes. 53 studies were studied in which no link with the characteristics of the population or the supplementation was shown which proves the effectiveness of creatine independently of all the conditions listed (see study) .
A second meta-analysis was performed to study the effects of creatine supplementation on high-intensity sports performance (football) depending on the type of metabolism used ( aerobic, phosphagen, anaerobic). Creatine supplementation has shown positive effects on anaerobic performance tests. The researchers concluded that with a dose of 20 to 30g of creatine per day, we could observe an improvement in physical performance tests related to anaerobic metabolism, in particular anaerobic power in football players.
Preconceived ideas at a glance:
Creatine and doping:
Creatine has been the subject of great debate in the sports world. Indeed, she was accused of doping by the former Minister of Sports Marie-George Buffet after some athletes admitted to having consumed it. It had even been desired that it appear on the list of doping products and wrongly accused of being banned in France.
These claims were nevertheless shot down by Dr. Jean-Marcel Ferret who recalled the fact that creatine was a natural substance that we consumed every day in our diet. Additionally, it was specified that there are no more valid reasons to oppose creatine supplementation as long as sugary drink supplements are sold. Both glucose and creatine help increase glycogen stores before, during and after exercise. So why would taking creatine be considered a doping gesture while that of glucose not?
Creatine is not currently prohibited in France and even if certain controls support the fact that on the list of authorized food substances, this list dates from 1912 and no national text specifically targets this substance. In addition, creatine is freely available throughout Europe and is logically authorized in France under the texts on the free movement of goods.
Finally, creatine is not a dangerous or carcinogenic substance as the AFSSA had argued. On the contrary, creatine is a major ally for high-level athletes who see their body subjected to continuous stress, which therefore has much greater needs than another person.
Creatine and danger to the kidneys:
Since creatine is widely used by athletes and the elderly, doctors and users have wondered if it could be harmful to health kidneys. These questions followed some cases of kidney damage after taking this supplement in bodybuilders. However, these were only isolated cases and the people in question also consumed anabolic steroid products that were often harmful to the kidneys.
Brazilian researchers then studied the subject to prove that creatine supplements were safe for kidney health. The research team therefore carried out a meta-analysis of 290 studies that used creatine supplementation. Their analysis showed no correlation between creatine consumption and impaired kidney function. However, it is true that blood creatinine levels can be high and increased in people who consume this type of supplement. However, this is a false indicator that in no way reflects kidney damage.
Other results showed that there was no indication of kidney damage following creatine supplementation. Similarly, there was no change in glomerular filtration rate (which assesses kidney function).
In conclusion, most studies investigating creatine supplementation have shown no negative effects on kidney function related to this supplementation.
