The Creatine Secret Revealed

Creatine creates quite a stir in the world of sports. Manufacturers of this supplement market their products by claiming that sports celebrities are regular users. The list includes FIFA and NBA Most Valuable Players and weightlifting and sprint champions.

Creatine Monohydrate is a compound that occurs naturally in the body. Its job is to help your muscles release its stored energy. It is also found in red meat, poultry, fish, and other protein-rich foods. You can also get it over the counter at pharmacies in the form of powder or capsule.

It works by increasing the body’s amount of muscular energy that is stored in our muscle cells in a molecule called Adenosine TriPhosphate, commonly referred to as ATP.

If money makes the world go round, then by analogy, ATP makes the body go round. Each time we exert effort and require our muscles to produce energy, we pay the muscle cells with Adenosine TriPhosphate. The more strenuous the movement, the more ATP we pay for it.

Every athlete knows that physical strength and might spells the difference between losing and winning. Hence, together with determination, inspiration and will power, athletes need to pack in a good amount of energy reserves before going into the battlefield. However, our body can carry only so much ATP, anything beyond the threshold is excreted out. Hence, after a few minutes of highly strenuous activity, our muscle cells exhaust its muscle reserves and we get tired and slow down.

And that is when athletes turn to creatine. Taking a regular dose of supplement during practice and exercise is like opening a power credit line. Each time you run out of ATP, creatine replenishes the muscle cell’s reserves. It delays fatigue and boosts your energy.

Translated into real time athletic activity, Creatine gives you an emergency account of Adenosine TriPhosphate reserves. This is especially true in sports that call for immediate and sudden burst of energy like lifting weights, jumping and sprinting. The element shots up the ATP reserves thereby giving the athlete a surge of power to dash through to the finish line.

However, like any financial institution that goes unchecked, it could turn into a loan shark. Therefore, care and caution is required before plunging into the creatine habit. Reported side effects include stomach and muscle cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea.

Bottom line: Consult your physician or health professional before taking in any form of performance enhancing supplements.