All About Creatine

Creatine is naturally produced in the human body. It is primarily manufactured in the liver where it enters the bloodstream and is regularly delivered to other body parts and muscles. Initially, the amino acids arginine and glycine react, then form a compound called guanidinoacetate. When guanidinoacetate receives a methyl group from SAMe or S-adenosylmethionine, it transforms into creatine. Chemically, creatine is known as N-aminoiminomethyl-N-methylgycine-N-amidinosarcosine, N-methyl-N-guanylglycine and methylglycocyamine. One gram of creatine can dissolve in 75 milliliters at room temperature and the rate increases as temperature rises.

Creatine can also be acquired from a variety of foods such as meat and fish. Since a number of researches have shown that the body naturally does not produce enough creatine to support optimum muscle growth as well as the strength that most bodybuilders are aiming for, supplements are necessary in the form of pills, capsules or powders. Every day the body only produces anywhere from 1 to 3 grams of creatine. Supplements can provide 5 to 10 grams instantly with a single scoop. One kilogram of raw meat contains about 5 grams of creatine but the numbers slowly decrease as the meat is prepared and cooked.

Nowadays, creatine is a staple supplement among bodybuilders, power lifters and sports superstars because of the variety of effects that it offers. Some of the observed benefits include gains in lean muscle mass, muscle fiber size increase or hypertrophy, increased myosin, increased optimum strength and power, increased single-effort and repetitive sprint performance and increased exercise performance.

Creatine works by improving muscle bioenergetics. Muscles are composed of two fiber types namely slow-twitch fibers and fast-twitch fibers. Slow-twitch fibers or type I muscle fibers are more involved in endurance and stamina. Fast-twitch fibers or type II muscle fibers are more involved in muscle size and strength. Bodybuilders are more concerned about stimulating and developing their type II muscle fibers more since these can produce fast, powerful, strong contractions. Both types also expend energy at varying rates which explains why type I dominant individuals perform less power over an extended period of time while type II dominant individuals perform more power over a limited period of time.

Muscle fibers are glycolytic or are able to split glucose in order to create energy. Type II muscle fibers can split glucose quickly, regenerate ATP quickly and contract more powerfully since they contain high amounts of creatine and phosphocreatine or PCr or creatine phosphate. Increasing the amount of creatine in the muscles will then result in faster glucose splitting leading to faster recovery time and more powerful muscle pumps and contractions.

Another advantage of creation is that it increases stamina and endurance by serving as fuel once muscle glycogen stores or ATP is depleted. This means that the body supposedly uses up available stores in order to expend enough energy to support a variety of tasks including resistance and aerobic training. Once stores are depleted, the body should begin cannibalizing on its own tissues particularly a combination of muscle and fat. Creatine helps prevent muscle destruction as it feeds the body to produce energy.