Creatine has been named after the Greek word for flesh known as ‘Kreas’ and is a popular body building supplement. It was discovered by Michel Eugène Chevreul in 1832 as a constituent of the skeletal muscle. This nitrogeneous organic acid is found characteristically in mammals and aids in transporting energy to the muscle and nerve cells.
It is regarded as a natural body building supplement and is preferred by a number of athelets and bodybuilders. Body building is the art of developing lean muscle mass and cutting down excessive fat from the body showcasing fine cuts and curves. It requires rigorous exercise on a daily basis along with the consumption of a well balanced diet and adequate relaxation. You need to undergo weight training, strength training, resistance and flexibility training in order to develop the body of your dreams. It takes good performance and energy to help you reach your goals.
Creatine supplements became popular as performance enhancers in 1992 and have remained the most preferred food supplements among a number of atheletes ever since. Its consumption tends to boost the intramuscluar store of creatine thereby enhancing the metabolism of the skeletal system.
A number of athletes and body builders are absorbing huge quantities of
creatine in order to enhance their strength and performance. Muscle power is increased by the supply of energy to help the muscles contract. Once consumed, it is converted into phosphocreatine which is responsible for the short energy bursts required during weight lifting, endurance training, sprinting etc.
Creatine supplements are found in a number of forms such as capsules, powders, chews etc. There are several types of creatine supplements available in the market of which the most popular ones are creatine monohydrate and creatine ethyl ester (CEE). 1 tsp of powder is known to contain 5 gms of creatine monohydrate. The suggested daily intake consists of 1-2 tsp of the supplement dissolved in 8 ounces of water or beverage. Consumption of 10-20 gms of the supplement on a daily basis to inflate muscle is recommended for about a week. This is known as the loading phase. The intake of 5-10 gms of
creatine on a daily basis is recommended immediately before or after a wrokout to increase muscle growth up to 50%.
Athletes and Creatine: Creatine is known to increase creatine storage in the muscles and enhance performance. It is taken by a number of athletes to increase muscular mass to enhance the efficiency of high-intensity anaerobic activities such as sprint cycling, weight lifting, aerobics exercise etc.
Food Sources: Creatine can be obtained from food, supplements or amino acids. It is found in beef, salmon, cod, tuna, pork, herring etc. Dietary
creatine is absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream. It is also synthesized from the body stores of the amino acids glycine, arginine and nethionine. The kidneys make use of these to make guanidinoacetate, which is transformed into creatine and transported to the muscle cells for storage along with the kidney cells, sperm cells and brain tissue. The maximum amount of
creatine that the body can store is 0.3 gm per kilogram of body weight.
Side-effects of the supplement: One the one hand where the supplement is known to boost efficiency and enhance strength, it is also known to cause a number of side effects such as weight gain, muscle cramps, dehydration, heat intolerance. Overdose of creatine can also result in seizures, vomiting, diarrhea , anxiety, cardiac arrhythmia and even death.
Creatine is not banned by the majority of sport governing bodies but in some countries it is forbidden. In the United States NCCAA stated that colleges could not provide creatine supplements to their players.
Creatine supplements should not be underestimated as they are great performance and energy boosters but must be consumed under the guidance of an expert as an overdose can lead to potential damage. It helps in making you reach the ultimate levels of efficiency and plays a significant role in increasing metabolism thereby maximizing your strength, endurance and muscle mass.
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