If you haven't heard about creatine supplements yet, then you soon will. It is being widely touted as a performance enhancer, and there is actual scientific evidence to support the claim. However, many claims have outpaced (and ignored) the science, so athletes from different sports are taking this substance willy-nilly. Such faddish use of substances can be harmful. Creatine supplements may offer short-term, and limited, benefits, but its long-term effects have yet to be discovered.

Muscle cells generate work from a chemical reaction that "liberates" energy into the tissues. In this reaction, ATP (adenosine triphosphate) splits into ADP (adenosine diphosphate) and P (phosphate). The muscles use up the ATP quickly, as there is a limited supply enough for but a few seconds of high-intensity exertion. When the ATP is exhausted, work will stop.

Fortunately for us, our bodies have other ways of converting ADP back into ATP. The fastest method is to somehow "move" the phosphate group off of phosphocreatine and onto ADP, which yields ATP. Once created, it is available right away for additional muscular work. This process also yields creatine, meaning there is enough phosphocreatine to keep ATP levels elevated for another few seconds. This cycle helps our muscles get from a few seconds of intense work with ATP to almost 10 seconds with ATP plus creatine.

The ATP-plus-creatine process is the fastest one involved in the anaerobic system, and is the most popular with "power" athletes. Football, where five or 10 seconds of all-out force may be followed by 45 seconds of huddling and standing, is a good example of the application environment for these "power processes."

State of the research today

Creatine is being investigated for its possible role in treating neuromuscular conditions like arthritis, muscular dystrophy, Huntington’s disease and even congestive heart failure. Some studies are already finding that creatine may extend the lifespan of laboratory animals (mice) that have been forcibly given Alzheimer’s. Research continues, and it is important to stay up on the science by consulting the scientific sources, not the press releases of the supplement manufacturers.

Since, unlike steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs, creatine occurs naturally in many foods, it cannot, therefore, be banned from any sporting competitions. Such foods as herring, tuna, salmon and beef contain various levels of creatine. Of course, the very best source of creatine is creatine monohydrate, which contains a higher proportion of creatine by weight than any other substance.

There is much to learn even now, and more in the future, about how this substance works and how the process can be optimized. We already know that creatine can dramatically increase muscle mass in as short a time as two or three weeks. Its role in improving performance of high-intensity exercise, increasing energy levels and speeding the recovery rates from injuries is already well established. Its ability to increase energy reserves in muscles comes from its ability to synthesize muscle proteins while minimizing protein breakdown. With what is already known, it will be quite surprising if most athletes do not begin using this amazing substance.

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