Creatine Supplement

Hi

by Lavender - 2024-10-01 09:32:53

My little sis and her male friend are big on going to the gym. They both take that supplement but they don't have pacemakers. Sorry I can't be of help. Maybe call your cardiologist to see if they have any input on that. 

Medication/pacemaker function

by Gemita - 2024-10-01 09:50:25

Andie, I have tried many supplements over the years, at least those I was deficient in and only with a doctor’s guidance but I haven’t tried Creatine. 

Have you received advice from your doctors about taking a Creatine supplement and will they be watching your serum creatinine levels to ensure that they stay within the safe range?

Have you been told what a safe level of creatine supplement will be for you as you attempt to build muscle strength?  I see doses up to 10 grams daily for up to 5 yrs have been safely used.

I presume your kidneys are functioning normally and you/your doctors feel a supplement might help where other treatments have so far failed?

I wish you every success with this supplement, if it is safe for you to take.  Please come back and let us know of your experience, any side effects, results etc.  Take good care. 

PS I see that initially a Creatine supplement may cause some fluid retention, depending on the dosage.  Definitely discuss the dose, supplement you want to purchase and all ingredients before starting just to be safe.  Your pharmacist is a good person to ask too.  They have a wealth of information, especially if they know you and know any meds you are currently taking.

If the supplement does start working, you may find your pacemaker will not need to support you quite so much, so adjustments to settings might then need to be made over time.  All meds can certainly affect our pacing experience, like beta blockers that slow conduction and slow the patient, when we might then need increased pacemaker support.

Lavender and Gemita

by Andiek11 - 2024-10-01 10:13:18

Thanks ladies.  I messaged my cardiologist and will be curous as to his opinion - I've already made my "guess" as to his position.   Just wondering if any of the atheletes that populate this site have any first hand experience.  Creatine is a long established, common pre-workout supplement and can have some potential cardiac benefits. But as with anything you put in your body, there is a potential for side effects and the last thing I want is to undercut the improvements I'm getting from my PM or create more issues (like panic calls from the PM clinic).  I'll let you know what I find out.  :)

Creatine

by doublehorn48 - 2024-10-01 12:01:32

I took creatine for a couple of years. Didn't have any side effects. I really couldn't tell if it helped or not. That's why I quit taking it. I think to is a lot more important to make sure you get enough protein. It's hard to get 100 grams a day which is what most active people try to get each day. You probably know already that you should have some protein  pretty quickly after exercise.

If you don't use it you lose it,

m. scott

Science

by sgmfish - 2024-10-01 16:21:21

There is only one way to know.....double blind study.

Creatine supplement

by Rch - 2024-10-01 18:33:51

I personally don't take any supplements unless I have laboratory evidence of deficiency, Supplements markets are totally unregulated industries, and data are not evidence based. However I do know some people who take Creatine on short term basis in preparation for competitive sports. All these are younger athletes with normal renal and hepatic functions. Here is a patient friendly information on Creatine from Harvard health.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/what-is-creatine-potential-benefits-and-risks-of-this-popular-supplement#:~:text=Creatine%20supplementation%20does%20not%20build%20muscle

As to intensity of my exercise, I generally don't push my HR  beyond 220-age. Most often. I limit it to 85-90% of my max HR! 

Please check with your Cardiologist on both Creatine and max HR as appropriate for your age. 

Harvard Health info

by Rch - 2024-10-01 18:36:42

Hi

If you are unable to open the link above, just web search the topic 

'What is creatine? Potential benefits and risks of this popular supplement'

Thanks

Thanks to all!

by Andiek11 - 2024-10-01 20:34:22

Appreciate the input, guidance and cautions shared by all.  Excellent food for thought. The supplement market is indeed similar to the Wild West in terms of minimal regulation and lots of inflated promises.  Definintely a caveat emptor enviornment.   HOWEVER....  ;)

1) My cardiologist felt there was minimal risk from a cardiac / PM perspective.

2) I'll share this journal article just for informational purposes that discusses creatine and the heart.   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8067763/ .

3)  For my particualr fitness program (mostly resistance and aerobic training), creatine has been shown to have good potential benfits in helping me make better progress in my cardiac response and building muscle.   

4) Main natural source of creatine is from animals.  I'm a vegan so I will naturally tend to be a bit low in creatine, so a small suplementation has a very good potential benefit me.

Bottomline is that I will try a very low dose  (2-3 grams / day) as part of my workout hydration.  This in combination with hitting my daily protein goal of 90 grams (hear ya, Doublehome48!) I think is a good trial plan.   Are there risks of potential heart palpatations? Very small, but there.  Should I experiece any, I will stop the supplement as go back to the drawing board.

Thanks for the update

by Lavender - 2024-10-01 20:54:37

I take no meds and the only supplement I take is daily Vitamin D3. I try and get what I need in my diet.  Good to know what your cardiologist thinks!