Why Supplement with Creatine?

Why Creatine Monohydrate?

Your body naturally uses Creatine to create energy for anaerobic movements lasting less than 10 seconds.  Movements such as sprinting, lifting, swinging a golf club, jumping, pushing or pulling all benefit from the use of Creatine.  The system that mainly uses Creatine is called the ATP-Pcr system or Adenosine Triphospate Phosphate Creatine system.  Remember anaerobic means, "without oxygen".  Creatine is derived from three(3) essential amino acids; Glycine, Arginine, and Methionine or GAM for short.  Since these are essential amino acids, this means that you must consume them.  We normally get Creatine from fish and red meat, with fish having the greatest concentration of Creatine. 

Unfortunately the human body can only hold approximately 2 grams of Creatine in a person who eats a balanced diet and less for Vegetarians and Vegans.  As the chart shows, Creatine stores are less in Vegetarians when compared to Non-Vegetarians (White bar), but after supplementation with Creatine, Creatine stores rise for both (Black bar).  
 

 How Does Creatine Work?

 As mentioned earlier, ATP is what the body uses to create energy.  ATP has three phosphates.  Once used, ATP loses a phospate and turns into Adenosine Diphosphate or ADP.  ADP has two phospates but needs to turn back into ATP to create more energy.  To shorten the discussion about the process, ADP uses creatine to turn into ATP for more energy.  The following video explains this process in more detail.   

How Can I Benefit from Creatine?

Research has shown that Creatine Supplementation not only helps to increase natural energy but also to build muscle and strength(1). Research has also shown that Creatine; 

• May increase IGF-1, a key hormone for muscle growth (2)
• Reduces muscle breakdown 
• Increase cognitive function (3)
• Increases strength and muscle mass in aging adults (4)

1. The effect of creatine monohydrate ingestion on anaerobic power indices, muscular strength and body composition.

2. Effect of creatine supplementation and resistance-exercise training on muscle insulin-like growth factor in young adults.

3. Use of creatine in the elderly and evidence for effects on cognitive function in young and old.

4. Effectiveness of Creatine Supplementation on Aging Muscle and Bone: Focus on Falls Prevention and Inflammation