Creatine and Caffeine - Can the Classic Pre-Workout Combination Actually Hinder Strength?

For years, creatine has been a staple supplement of athletes in many fields, from baseball to bodybuilding. The substance is quite attractive, given that it is safe, effective, inexpensive and natural - creatine is found in meat and is present in limited quantities in the human body. Creatine allows athletes to produce more power from their muscles and also enhances appearance, by drawing water into muscle cells, causing them to enlarge.

But there's another "c" supplement that shares many of the same characteristics - safe, effective and inexpensive - that has been in use even longer. That would be caffeine. Caffeine's potent effects have made it a staple in millions of people's morning routines, as it can take even the most exhausted individual and turn him or her into a bundle of energy. Like creatine, caffeine's long list of advantages - increased metabolism, enhanced endurance, superior focus, etc. - and short list of disadvantages (occasional jitters and the possibility of an eventual crash) have made it a popular choice for athletes.

Of course, it didn't take long for the idea to combine the two already-potent ingredients into something greater to emerge. The result is the nearly countless number of creatine and caffeine pre-workout cocktails on the market today. And while these pre-workout supplements are wildly popular, and often highly hyped, science suggests that the resulting supplements are not greater than the sum of their parts. Despite the massive number of formulations that have been created around the caffeine and creatine combination, a recent study indicates that the assumption that combining the two staples really isn't all that advantageous, and can actually hinder one's results.

A study published recently in the journal "Metabolism" pointed to an interesting interaction between the two substances. The study's main intent was to assess caffeine's effects on muscle tissue. Many of the results were positive - caffeine appeared to mimic the actions of exercise, resulting in fat oxidation and increased insulin sensitivity. Unfortunately, caffeine had another effect on muscle tissue. Within minutes of administering the caffeine, the amount of creatine in muscle cells decreased. In other words, the one-two punch of creatine and caffeine turned on itself, and the advantage of creatine was knocked out. Apparently, one of caffeine's effects, in addition to mimicking some actions of exercise, is to interfere with creatine metabolism in muscle cells.

What this means is that creatine and caffeine are best used separately. If you want to reap the benefits of superior strength from creatine, you may have to miss out on the energy burst from caffeine. But at least you'll probably save some money in the process.

SOURCE:

1. Egawa, T., et al. Caffeine acutely activates 5'adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and increases insulin-independent glucose transport in rat skeletal muscles. Metabolism, 2009; 58(11):1609-1617