I came across some research that said sodium intake was more important than insulin in regards to creatine uptake by the muscle. Any one have any thoughts on this?
While I don’t know anything (never looked
into it) regarding how creatine and sodium
interrelate, I do strongly feel that
it’s necessary to keep sodium intake
up to something reasonable, at least
2 grams per day and preferably more.
A lot of times, guys following bodybuilding
diets either accidentally or on purpose
get sodium low enough as to adversely
affect performance.
Sodium has gotten a lot of bad urban myths
attached to it. Fact is, and I mean fact,
that consistent sodium intake does not
cause bloating and does not have adverse
effect on blood pressure. There’s nothing
wrong with consuming a consistent 4 or
6 grams per day, let’s say.
On the other hand, it’s reasonable to avoid super-sodium-rich
meals. Just don’t treat it like an enemy.
I agree whole heartedly with Bill Roberts on this. There is much misinformation about sodium intake. Sodium is indeed necessary in proper amounts.
And, as far as the research regarding sodium and creatine. I have also seen soemthing regarding this as well as being necessary to glutamine. If I remember correctly, both creatine and glutamine “hitch a ride” with sodium across certain gradients. And I do attest to the fact that my results from creatine improved quite a bit when I started taking a pinch of salt along with my creatine. Perhaps this could be a weak link in the so called “non- responder”. As for those people, I believe it is a matter of HOW and WHEN you take the creatine, not just a matter of if you take it. 5 grams of creatine with 50 grams simple carbs, and a pinch of salt mixed in 16 oz. water before, and the same mixture with 30 grams added whey hydro will absolutely give you results.
Chris Shugart wrote in his SWIS article that Serrano said the same thing about sodium and creatine.
AST has a creatine product with a sodium transport system. I think it makes logical sense, but I tried the product and didn’t find much of difference. Skip LaCour liberally salts every meal to get sodium into his diet.
Sodium is certainly necessary for creatine to work well. After all, it is creatine phosphate that has an effect in the body, not creatine monohydrate. Creatine’s job is to donate a phosphate to ATP. Without enough phosphates creatine doesn’t do it’s job.