Creatine is one of the most popular supplements used by bodybuilders and fitness experts today. But, when a product becomes very popular the rumors start to fly and the supplements containing creatine flood the market. To better understand how to use creatine in your diet, you must first understand why creatine is so very popular. See also our Creatine and your Muscles.
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What is Creatine?

When supplements or fitness gurus refer to creatine, they are most often referring to creatine monohydrate. While there are decades of research backing the benefits of creatine usage, the fitness magazine rarely, if ever, provide the real information you need to understand creatine, the effects of creatine and the basics on how to choose the best creatine for your body.

By definition, creatine is a “nitrogenous organic acid” that helps to provide “energy to the muscle and nerve cells.” (1) Creatine is said to benefit the muscles greatly for both bodybuilders and those who wish to improve their overall fitness performance . The benefits of creatine include:

• Promote muscle gain
• Increase the size of muscle fibers
• Increase muscle mass
• Increase muscle strength and power
• Increase physical fitness performance
  

Why Does Creatine Work?

This is the question of the day, right? Why take creatine? Sure, it supposedly does all of these fantastic things for the muscle as per nearly every fitness magazine and this article, but how does it work in the body to achieve these lofty goals?

The science behind the relationship between muscle fibers and creatine is a complex issue. However, the basics are quite easy to understand. Creatine improves the muscles ability to build by increasing the energy levels inside the muscle. For instance, if a person eats too much food, the body will store fat. The fat is a direct relation to the amount of food present in the body.  Now, imagine an over abundance of energy in the muscle. But, this time, the bodybuilder uses this energy to rip and tear the muscle. The muscle looks around and sees the extra energy, provided by the creatine, and rebuilds faster and larger than before. Instead of a fat roll around the mid section of the body, the bodybuilder grows larger in the spots he or she wants to grow larger, the muscles.

Is Creatine Safe?

According to the National Instititutes of Health, “creatine is naturally synthesized in the human body from amino acids primarily in the kidney and liver and transported in the blood for use by muscles.” (2) The NIH goes on to list some of the possible side effects that may present themselves when creatine is used in the body. These creatine side effects include:

• Muscle Cramps
• Muscle Breakdown
• Nausea
• Stomach Discomfort
• Loss of Appetite
  

Suffice it to say, that for a supplement, the product is relatively safe. These side effects are the same as those found in people who do not exercise at all, or those who may overeat at a given meal.

Why Take a Creatine Supplement When the Body Makes Creatine?

Yes, the body does make creatine on a regular basis. About 1 to 3 grams of creatine are synthesized by our bodies every day. The rest of the creatine that enters our bodies is normally in the form of food. Meat, traditionally eaten in volume by bodybuilders before the introduction of supplements, contains creatine monohydrate. Creatine monohydrate is the most common form of creatine found in food. For as long as meat has been consumed, the body has not been the sole source of creatine. It has always been supplemented in some way, shape or form.

If left unaided, the body will create enough creatine for survival, but bodybuilders and fitness buffs are not just looking to survive and the benefits of creatine require larger amounts that can be consumed on a healthy diet of lower meat volumes.

 

How Is Creatine Consumed?

Most often, creatine is consumed as part of a shake . Creatine powders and creatine supplements are there to add to a morning, afternoon or evening protein based, creatine muscle shake.

You can also buy creatine in tablet or pill form to be taken multiple times per day. Creatine is offered from a variety of companies so look for the tried and true names:

• Cell Tech Creatine
• Bun Creatine
• Body Fortress Creatine
• Prolab Creatine
• Six Star Creatine
  

Creatine and protein often go hand in hand. Meat offers a natural source for creatine.

How Much Creatine Can I Take?

The NIH has actually studied the amount of creatine that is sufficient for optimal body outcomes. The studies have included all age ranges, but we will focus on adults only.

According to the NIH research,” 400 milligrams per kilogram of body weight or up to 25 grams per day has been studied for multiple conditions.”(2) This means that any and everyone can take up to 400 milligrams per day for simple health (as long as approval is received from a supervising doctor). When it comes to building more muscle and gaining physical fitness a bit more creatine is needed. Again the NIH recommends, “To increase anaerobic work capacity, studies have used a dose of 5 grams four times per day for 5 days. For enhanced athletic strength and performance, studies have used a dose of 20 grams per day for 4-7 days. Daily maintenance doses of 2-5 grams or 0.3 milligrams per kilogram of body weight have been used.”(2)

The amount of creatine you take will certainly depend on your physical fitness levels and the end product you are aiming for in the body.  ***It is recommended that creatine supplements be taken with plenty of water. ****

Creatine is there to help bodybuilders and fitness buffs to build more muscle. The added energy provided to the muscle causes quicker recovery times, muscle gain and increased strength; everything an athlete could possibly want.
Various terms used to describe creatine may include: creatine ester, creatine ethyl ester, creatine kinase, creatine monohydrate, atp creatine, creatine glutamine, creatine phosphate, creatine phosphokinase, creatine ethyl ester hcl, creatine ethyl ester malate and creatine gluconate.

(1)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine
(2) http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-creatine.html#Safety

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