If you are aware of the dietary supplements available in the market, there are high chances that you must have already heard about creatine. Alongside protein, it is naturally abundant in fish and meat.
Regardless of the many commercially available forms of this supplement, the formulation of monohydrate creatine is sought after for its property of increasing strength and enhancing muscle functioning. This in turn allows you to run an extra lap, lift heavy weights or do an additional set of reps. (Reps or repetitions is defined as the number of times one can perform an exercise, as in a gym.). )
In general terms, it can be considered a “muscle energiser”.
Creatine as supplement is consumed by bodybuilders, sprinters, resistance trainers and those undertaking cross fit. It is naturally synthesised in the body, and it can also be supplemented by means of powders and capsules which can be consumed with milk or water.
How is it metabolised?
Creatine is made up of three amino acids. Blood transports it to skeletal muscles, which are concerned with contraction and relaxation of muscles during any training exercise. It can strengthen muscle morphology and enhance physical performance.
Creatine is usually stored as phosphocreatine. When you consume creatine and take part in a high intensity exercise, the cells in our body readily convert the phosphocreatine into ATP which can readily form ATP molecules (adenosine triphosphate, the `energy currency’?? of our cells) for an immediate energy burst.
Creatine is a significant addition for bolstering your exercise routine and complements your ability to perform strenuous tasks.
If you run out of creatine, it is likely that you would experience muscle fatigue. Thus, creatine is responsible for speedily regenerating ATP. Athletes can maintain higher training intensity and endurance during their entire coaching period.
Effect on muscles
Both protein and creatine work differently but in synchrony to promote muscle growth. Creatine is synthesised naturally in the body but it can be exogenously supplemented as a powder. It boosts exercise performance and endurance by giving muscles more energy. Creatine phosphate is mainly responsible for increasing muscle mass and endurance. In sports like sprinting, weightlifting and athletics, creatine is known to improve performance. Another advantage of creatine is that it is a substance in most competitions it is not considered as a performance enhancing drug.
The daily intake of creatine is recommended at 5g per day. At least 95% of creatine is stored in the body’s muscles in the form of creatine phosphate. It is known to permit better contraction and relaxation of these muscles through energy production in the muscles during an intense workout. Intense training sessions cause the wear and tear of muscles eventually leading to inflammation.
Sources
- https://www.fda.gov/food/gras-notice-inventory/recently-published-gras-notices-and-fda-letters
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3407788/
- https://nccd.cdc.gov/ckd/help.aspx?section=G
- https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/asu/f/Albl_Alice%20Spring%202018%20Thesis.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3646410/
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286625775_Positive_and_negative_effects_in_creatine_supplementation_in_sports
- https://experts.nebraska.edu/en/publications/effects-of-creatine-monohydrate-and-polyethylene-glycosylated-cre
- https://www1.udel.edu/chem/C465/senior/fall00/Performance1/phosphocreatine.htm.html
