What is it?
Creatine is an amino acid which is made up of Arginine, Glycine and Methionine in the body. The liver is responsible for combining these three amino acids to create creatine. But creatine is also in our diet through foods such as meat and fish, but cooking destroys most of the creatine.
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Creatine plays an important role in cellular energy production by recharging adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in skeletal muscle, as creatine phosphate (phosphocreatine). Without ATP which is formed in the mitochondria, muscle contraction is not possible. The chemical name for creatine is methyl guanidine-acetic acid.
It is said that on average a 160 pound guy would have approximately 120 grams of creatine in their body and 95-98% of that is stored in the muscles, while the reat is found in the brain heart testies etc. The average person needs about 2grams of creatine a day, athletes and larger people obviously need more and since there is only 1 grams of creatine found in an 8 ounce steak (the richest dietry source of creatine) creatine supplements have become very popular. It estimated that the world largest consumer of creatine America, spends about $14 million per year on creatine supplements, and last year alone consumers spent $200 million on creatine.
What does it do?
There are four major benefits fo creatine, to provide your muscles with additional energy, volumization of your muscles, to act as a buffer to lactic acid, and enhance protein synthesis.
Creatine is primarily used for the resynthesis of ATP. When a muscle contracts the bonds in the ATP are split, it loses a phosphate molecule and becomes adenosine diphosphate (ADP). When the ATP is depleted creatine phosphate donates a phosphate molecule which bonds to the ADP, turning it back to ATP. In other words creatine enhances the muscles ability to maintain power output over short periods of high intensity stress, but often these naturally occurring stores of creatine phosphate run dry. This is why supplementing creatine is essential to increase creatine phosphate within the muscle, allowing the regeneration of ATP, for increased energy to produce muscle size and strength.
Creatine has the ability to pull fluid into the muscle cells, and by doing this it increases the volume of the cells. Often while on a creatine you will experience massive gains in muscle, but when you come off creatine you will see your muscles decrease in size. This is due to the creatine pulling fluid into the cell then the fluid being flushed from the cell when the creatine is not consumed. But your muscle will still be larger and stronger than before starting your creatine cycle, there will just be no moremassive pump from the fluid retention.
Recently it has been discovered that creatine acts as a buffer to lactic acid, and Lactic acid being the burning feeling you would most likely have experienced during intesnse training. What happens is the creatine bonds with a hydrogen ion which helps delay the build up of lactic acid. This allows you to push out more reps and more sets than usual, where lactic acid had previously restricted you. But since this is new found information there needs to be more research conducted.
Again there hasnt been a great deal of reaserch to support this idea but data has indicated that creatine assist with muscle growth by creating an anabolic state where protein synthesis can occur.
Obviously the main benefit of creatine is to provide your muscles with additional energy, these other three are simply add ons.
How much to i need?
Generally through your diet you are not getting enough creatine if you are an very active person, especially if you are lifting weights a d il explain why. Your body hold approximately 3.5 grams of creatine per kilogram of body weight and when you train this is used up. Once you have used this supply up your body will not be able train again until those stores are replenished. So if you supplement with creatine not only will you delay the onset of your creatine supplys from becoming depleted allowing for harder, longer workouts, you will also be able to replenish the drained supplies so that you can get back to training earlier.
Studies have shown that your muscle can hold 5 grams of creatine per kilogram of body weight, so if you are supplementing with creatine and weighed 70kg you will be able to hold 350grams of creatine compared to 240 grams if you werent supplementing. This can make a huge difference to your results you get from your training.
How do i take it?
Generally there is a two phase cycle with creatine use. First there is a 5 day loading phase where you consume 20grams per day, spread evenly over the day. This is followed by the longer maintenace phase lasting around 5 weeks where you consume 5-10 grams per day, taken generally around training times, but i will go into more of that in another article.
