70 | AustrAliAn triAthleteTraining TOOLBOX
performAnce
DR SIMON SOSTARIC
PhD.,BAppSc.,AEP.,AES
Exercise Physiologist /
Sport Scientistdr Simon Sostaric is a distinguished
exercise physiologist, sports
scientist, researcher and author.
Simon holds a physiology doctorate
(Victoria university, Melbourne,
Australia), in electrolyte regulation
and skeletal muscle fatigue.
he is the founder and director of
Melbourne Sports & Allied health
Clinic (msahc.com.au), with 25 years’
experience in professional sport,
clinical practice and academia.For more information,
Twitter: @Drsimonsostaric
facebook: @melbournesports
andalliedhealthclinicCREATINE
Creatine is naturally produced by the body
via a number of amino acids, which are
then stored in skeletal muscle and
liberated during muscle contractions to
support energy demands during muscle
contractions. A large number of scientific
studies over many decades has
demonstrated the efficacy of
supplementing with creatine monohydrate
to increase the intramuscular creatine
pool by ~30%. Subsequently, an elevation
in available creatine stores provokes a
greater rate of phosphocreatine synthesis,
and enhances muscle contractile force,
particularly during repeated bouts of
intense exercise. The most common
ergogenic method of creatine loading
requires 20g creatine per day for 5 days.
Performance improvements of 1-5% and
5-15% are commonly observed during
single (<30s) and repeated (<150s)
high-intensity bouts of exercise, respectively.
Furthermore, chronic improvements in lean
muscle mass, strength and power havebeen found following creatine loading.
Encouragingly, there is also recent evidence
of endurance performance gains. A study
by Tomcik and colleagues (2018)
demonstrated that combining creatine (5
days at 20g.day-1 followed by 9 days at 3g.
day-1) with carbohydrate (9 days at 6-12g.
day-1) produced a significant increase in
repeated sprint power output during the
late stages of a 3hr simulated cycling
time trial.Considerations for triathletes:
Triathletes may consider creatine loading
from both an endurance performance
perspective during competition, and from
a targeted strength training adaptive
perspective. The most common side
effects following creatine loading include
weight gain from water retention,
gastrointestinal upset, and muscle
cramping. The protocol that characterises
the greatest level of ergogenic efficacy
includes a preliminary loading phase of20g.day-1 over 5 days (divided into multiple
5g doses throughout a given day),
followed by a maintenance phase of 3-5g.
day-1 for 7-14 days. Furthermore,
combining 50g of protein and carbohydrate
with each loading and maintenance dose
of creatine appears to facilitate a more
effective uptake into muscle.CONCLUSION
In keeping with concluding remarks in Part
1 last month, athletes who are considering
the use of beta-alanine, sodium
bicarbonate or creatine for indirect and
direct performance benefits, should be
appropriately informed and risk assessed
by a practitioner with significant sports
supplements experience. Once it is
deemed safe to proceed with a targeted
event or training period, athletes should
validate for the appropriate dose that
exhibits tolerability. Generally speaking,
the magnitude of ergogenic benefits
with all legal sports supplements are
expected to be smaller in relation to higher
standard athletesPeeling, P., et al (Int J Sport Nutr Ex Metab, 2018).
Evidence-Based Supplements for the Enhancement of
Athletic Performance
Saunders, B., et al (Br J Sports Med, 2016). Beta-Alanine
supplementation to improve exercise capacity and
performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Egger, F., et al (PLoS One, 2014). Effects of Sodium
Bicarbonate on High-Intensity Endurance
Performance in Cyclists: A Double-Blind, Randomized
Cross-Over Trial.
Tomcik, K.A., et al (Med Sci Sp Ex, 2018). Effects of
creatine and carbohydrate loading on cycling time
trial performance.Chronic improvements in lean muscle
mass, strength and power have been found
following creatine loading.
— Simon Sostaric