The Creatine "Cell-Rinse/Flush" Theory
The Creatine "Cell-rinse/flush" theory
(Made with OpenArt AI, June 23rd, 2024, D. Troy Roach)
The Cell-Rinse/Flush Theory in three stages:
- The cell is sickly and dehydrated has trouble cleaning out the "rubbish".
- Creatine supplementation increases the hydration, thus the internal to the external pressure gradient while also watering down or "rinsing" the cell.
- "Rubbish" is pushed out of the cell into the interstitial tissues for elimination by the lymphatic system, which also works better with increased levels of H2O since it does not have it's own pump to regulate pressure.
Why I am interested in creatine now...
I am at that stage in recovery that I can have a mostly normal life... as long as there is not too much stress and I avoid too much low-level (zone 2) exercise or ANY intense exercise.
Unfortunately, life forces me to push myself more than planned; pacing is an art, not a science. Despite "enjoying the burn" of my muscles from the unplanned "exercise"... I pay for it later with abnormal muscle pain and excessive tiredness in the day(s) afterwards. Luckily, tinnitus has become my early warning signal that keeps me from crashing.
So, I decided a month ago to supplement with about 5 or 6 grams a day of creatine... along with a long list of other interventions like BCAA which I take two times a day.
First Month: I gained 4 kg... presumably in water weight. And I avoided pushing too hard and only had a couple unplanned "exercise" events that went OK. Just letting my body slowly build up creatine stores.
Second Month: Using the extra free time of summer break from work at university, I am actually trying to "work out". On Saturday I did my first HIIT (5 x 50 seconds) with a couple minutes of break between sprints. That came two-days after an 8km hike (+300m elevation) done all in zone 2 (110 to 123bpm) monitored with the Polar H10 strap (watches are useless for this). And Friday was a busy day with 10k plus steps.
Today is Sunday, a rest day. I feel a bit tired, but hopeful. Hydration and various herbal teas to help flush out lactic acid (and whatever else is rinsed out of the cells by this increased water weight) will be seen as a cleanse. This week will be my first complete week with exercise. Let's see how it goes.
To be continued...
30th June update: Made it through a complete week of training. Thursday I did my zone 2 on outdoor stairs. Did HIIT (6 x 50 seconds) Saturday. I happily had a groin strain from not warming up enough for the sprints. Happy because I felt slowed down by an injury instead of the normal fatigue. Today, Sunday, is a rest day. Feeling good. HRV "power" readings have trended up since my first HIIT. I still appear to be gaining weight. I think that I will switch to jumping rope for my HIIT and some of the zone 2 training. Less chance of injury and I can control HR and times better.
27th July update: Weight gains stabilized at about 71.5kg (pre-creatine 66kg). I have been able to do HIIT once a week. Yesterday I did 10 x 50-second sprints. Ten-second breaks is still too short for me, but I try).
My max HR on that day was 173! Up from 169 in past workouts. I must be getting younger!🤣
Jump-rope did not work out. My skill level is not good enough and some hops are very bad for my neck issues. The day after HIIT I have been feeling great! A good sign.
However, an unplanned afternoon hike last Monday (13kms with 500m+ elevation) was too hot and I needed to reduce exercise for a couple days after that. It was all done in zone 2 but it also came two days after a HIIT workout and increased temps here in Madrid.
01st Aug 2024 update: Workouts are going well. I am almost always successful in staying in my zone when using the Polar H10. I exercise early and then feel energized all day! HRV data shows some interesting trends. I am getting stronger and more in shape! The Amix Brand "re-core" mix clearly helps with recovery, whereas the BCAA did not make a difference. Too many ingredients to know why, but lactate clearance is the key.
I have continued taking creatine and now I am looking into HMB (short for β-Hydroxy β-Methylbutyrate) which seems important for sarcopenia. The effects on muscle mitochondria are the most interesting. Back to the supplement shop I go...
13th Aug 2024 update:
So far so good. The recovery mix and stretching after workouts stops most muscle aches. I still have that annoying voice saying "Go harder! Keep going until you can't anymore! No pain, no gain!" ,,,but I am ignoring the voice (for the most part) and continuing to pace and increase gradually.
One downside: Increased weight. In the initial weeks, I saw an increase of 4 or 5 kg. I am now 7kg over my starting weight. Hopefully, it is mostly water and muscle, but there is sure to be extra fat since my appetite has also increased. Another reason to look at fasting and possibly taking a break from creatine?
Going forward: Continue creatine? Reduce dose of creatine and amino acids? Try another fast to see if that + the creatine and exercise helps me get over the final hurdles?
The science behind creatine:
A funny, quick video gives all the answers to the longer videos below... in case you want to save time:
https://youtube.com/shorts/02WdS0B3AmE?si=lgekk6htueACfDZm
10 benefits of creatine... with lots of muscle B-roll. Watching it from the point of view of a person with LongCovid... you will hear many familiar terms mentioned:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fZsjkrXAo4
The science behind creatine from a couple "Bro-scientists".
Rhonda Patrick's summary of the benefits of creatine.
Video's focus is on muscle growth and recovery benefits & muscle fatigue reduction and some reasons to ignore some poor research showing downsides.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaynC1xbjfU
Rhonda Patricks FoundMyFitness.com gives an in-depth research analysis with references and finishes with this conclusion:
"Creatine supplementation is widely practiced to enhance exercise and sports performance. It is well-tolerated by most healthy people and those with pathological conditions. Numerous studies suggest that creatine may be critical in slowing bone and muscle decline in older adults and providing neuroprotective effects."A highlight for me is the research on the use of Creatine for TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). In my opinion, the damage done by SARS CoV2 to the brain should be considered a mTBI.
"These studies indicate that creatine supplementation may offset some of the damaging effects of TBI"Also of relevance is the research on metabolic regulation, reducing "bad" cholesterol and sugar spikes.
Dr Brad Stanfield addresses the various concerns or side effects regarding creatine supplementation.
All in all, he sees no downsides to 5 grams of creatine a day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsHq03ecnhM
Dr. Peter Attia speaking with an expert on creatine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD8-CJ6OuAQ
August 2024 update:
The Methylation hypothesis
Felix's theory on methylation differences is quite interesting. Creatine seems like a great supplement for just about anyone, especially those with low methylation. I assume that most people with LC or MECFS fall into this group so they should respond well to creatine.
Why does this help?
Creatine requires a lot of methylation resources. Supplementing creatine frees up those resources for the methylation of other compounds in the body. It becomes a form of indirect supplementation for other underserved processes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hui_D9sZeO8
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Take care of yourself and, if you can, someone else too.
We are stronger together!
D. Troy Roach
