Caffeine vs Creatine
 | Caffeine |  | Creatine |  |
| Caffeine is a chemical found in coffee, tea, cola, guarana, mate, and other products. Caffeine is most commonly used to improve mental alertness, but it has many other uses. Caffeine is used by mouth or rectally in combination with painkillers (such as aspirin and acetaminophen) and a chemical called ergotamine for treating migraineheadaches. It is also used with painkillers for simple headaches and preventing and treating headaches after epidural anesthesia. Some people use caffeine for asthma, gallbladder disease, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), shortness of breath in newborns, and low blood pressure. Caffeine is also used for weight loss and type 2 diabetes. Very high doses are used, often in combination with ephedrine, as an alternative to illegal stimulants. Caffeine is one of the most commonly used stimulants among athletes. Taking caffeine, within limits, is allowed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Urine concentrations over 15 mcg/mL are prohibited. It takes most people about 8 cups of coffee providing 100 mg/cup to reach this urine concentration. Caffeine creams are applied to the skin to reduce redness and itching in dermatitis. Healthcare providers sometimes give caffeine intravenously (by IV) for headache after epidural anesthesia, breathing problems in newborns, and to increase urine flow. In foods, caffeine is used as an ingredient in soft drinks, energy drinks, and other beverages. People with voice disorders, singers, and other voice professionals are often advised against using caffeine. However, until recently, this recommendation was based only on hearsay. Now developing research seems to indicate that caffeine may actually harm voice quality. But further study is necessary to confirm these early findings. | Creatine is a chemical that is normally found in the body, mostly in muscles. It is made by the body and can also be obtained from certain foods. Fish and meats are good sources of creatine. Creatine can also be made in the laboratory. Creatine is most commonly used for improving exercise performance and increasing muscle mass in athletes and older adults. There is some science supporting the use of creatine in improving the athletic performance of young, healthy people during brief high-intensity activity such as sprinting. But older adults don’t seem to benefit. Creatine doesn’t seem to improve strength or body composition in people over 60. Creatine use is widespread among professional and amateur athletes and has been acknowledged by well-known athletes such as Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, and John Elway. Following the finding that carbohydrate solution further increases muscle creatine levels more than creatine alone, creatine sports drinks have become popular. Creatine is allowed by the International Olympic Committee, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and professional sports. However, the NCAA no longer allows colleges and universities to supply creatine to their students with school funds. Students are permitted to buy creatine on their own and the NCAA has no plans to ban creatine unless medical evidence indicates that it is harmful. With current testing methods, detection of supplemental creatine use would not be possible. In addition to improving athletic performance, creatine is used for congestive heart failure (CHF), depression, bipolar disorder, Parkinson’s disease, diseases of the muscles and nerves, an eye disease called gyrate atrophy, and high cholesterol. It is also used to slow the worsening of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease), rheumatoid arthritis, McArdle’s disease, and for various muscular dystrophies. Americans use more than 4 million kilograms of creatine each year. | |||
Alternatives
Reviews
| Add Caffeine review caffeine is easy to use, and it is easy to get. It gives you the feeling of renewed energy, alertness, and vigor. But it is harmful to your body causing fatigue, headache, ache and pains, depression and other negative symptoms. And the worst thing of all is that it is addictive. caffeine is not a good thing, not good at all. it takes you up, but then it brings you down with a crash. I have found that 1 caffine pill (200mg) along with IB takes my morning migraine headaches away in about 30 min most days. I only use over the counter pain killers and when I do not use the caffine with the IB then it won't work. Reading this site I now know why. Of course, this means that when I fell a migraine coming on at night I just have to endure until the morning because if I take my usual concoction I will not be able to sleep...this is the only down side of taking caffine pills to releive my headaches. THe other up side though is it helps me to wake up and get my day started. everything has it's ups and downs...use in moderation. I have had migraines for over 13 years ago. I have tried every treatment that there is out there, most have not helped at all. My migraines are everyday from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep. The first doctor I saw suggested caffeine pills, they maybe my heart flutter to much. Then he suggested for me to drink coffee or soda all day, that has worked to keep the migraines where I can handle them. I am now trying an injectable and it scars me, so I drink coke for most of my day. | Add Creatine review Took Creatine to elevate performance for professional Athletic Career. Suddenly pain in both legs-diagnosed with Chronic Compartment Syndrome, which Creatine is suspected to cause. Worked toward this career all my life, it's ruined. I now need operations on both legs. Also found Glycine-which is another name for CREATINE, in my NitroPeak Whey Protein powder ingredient list! Be careful. Better not to use. Track & Field Athlete who took this on/off for 2yrs while in college. No enhancement of performance that good, well-coached practices could deliver. For a sprinter/hurdler/jumper, it was unneeded water weight with a well-hydrating diet. It was "pushed" by then track coach on the whole team. I personally gained better results over the summers witout taking it. It has been 15yrs since that time frame and it is more difficult to shed off water weight now from those of us who took it regularly than my teammates who did not take it. Greater scientific class sizes over longer spans of time need to be taken to determine if it is really helpful or not. Most test sizes have only come from groups of around 40(VERY small). | |||
