Creatine Literature Review

Creatine allows for increased storage of ATP. “The transfer of a molecule of phosphorous from creatine phosphate to adenosine diphosphate(ADP) results in the formation of ATP. …since the muscle creatine phosphate concentrations can fall to almost zero, it(creatine consumption) can make a significant contribution to the energy supply needed for brief bursts of very high-intensity exercise,” says Dr. Bolotte. The equation for the synthesis of ATP from creatine phosphate and ADP is as follows: PCr + ADP forms ATP + Cr. (http://www.lsms.org/journal/98creat.html) Also, lactic acid levels, which cause muscles to burn during workouts, are lowered by the consumption of creatine. Without the burning sensation, athletes don’t feel the need to stop exercising. Athletes begin their creatine process with a loading phase of twenty grams per day for five days. Then, they consume three to five grams per day. (http://www.mothernature.com/ency/supp/creatine_monohydrate.asp) Many studies have exhibited gains after this process of consumption.

Creatine has many drug like uses and people who are oblivious to creatine would think it is a steroid unless told differently. Creatine can be used as a way of cheating and can be abused to a very dangerous level therefore making it a risk for the athlete. Although creatine is a natural substance, supplementing creatine can boost your creatine level by over 500 times. Creatine can be found in red meat but to get 5 grams of creatine which is the recommended dosage you would have to eat 5kg of raw red

Creatine phosphate has been heavily experimented upon to show that it is an important effector towards muscle activity. When creatine phosphate is present in a solution containing muscle fibers without the presence of ATP, it serves as the energy supplier due to the fact that it absorbs bound adenine nucleotide, which is firmly linked to the contractile elements on muscle fibers (Bozler, 1953). Even in low concentrations this nucleotide can be considered an energy transfer mechanism, for it takes full advantage of the creatine phosphates energy supply, thus acting as a substrate for the enzymatic activity of the contractile elements of a muscle group. Consumption of this nucleotide leads to an increase in the strength of contraction. Creatine phosphate also speeds up rate of relaxation of muscles, for it induces the relaxing effect of ATP (Bozler, 1953). Thus, this research suggests that creatine phosphate is directly linked to instigate muscle contractibility.

     What is Creatine? Creatine is a nutrient that is found in many foods. It is most highly concentrated in lean red meat. A half-pound of red meat contains about two grams of Creatine. Every human body also

The transformation of creatine into energy occurs within the first few seconds of exertion. Creatine supplements are artificially made creatine that can be taken by athletes as ergogens, substances that can be used by athletes to enhance performance. Artificially made creatine is available as powder, capsules, candy, and gum. The goal of creatine supplementation is to increase the energy in the muscles so that athletes can improve their strength, speed, and endurance.

Creatine is perhaps the best supplement ever to hit the sports nutrition market. Creatine is a

Creatine (Cr) is a popular dietary supplement used by athletes to increase sports performance, muscle mass, and strength. Creatine was first discovered in “1835, when a French scientist reported finding this constituent of meat” (Demant & Rhodes, 1999). This organic compound is manufactured endogenously by the liver and kidneys “from the amino acids glycine, arginine and methionine” for energy stipulation during muscular contraction. (Arazi, Rahmaninia, Hoseini, & Asadi, 2011). Creatine is either converted into free form Cr or phosphorylated form as known as creatine phosphate (CP). The endogenous production and exogenous consumption of Cr yields about 1 gram a day for the average person (Cooper, Naclerio, Allfrove , & Jimenez, 2012). In

The evidence I will provide is strictly scientific, the information comes from the Journal of Sports Nutrition. The article is written by Richard B. Kreider, Exercise & Sport Nutrition Laboratory Department of Human Movement Sciences and Education The University of Memphis. The author has many credentials, such as his testing of finding the effects of six weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation in male and female track athletes, which can be found in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning. All of his research is peer reviewed.

Creatine (C4H9N3O2) is a non-essential amino acid that occurs primarily in muscle cells. It is a naturally occurring substance that is found in the pancreas and liver. It is important for the production and storage of energy in your body. The waste of creatine is called creatinine and is expelled through urine. Not only is it made in your body, scientists have studied and produced creatine in labs. The most common and most researched form of creatine is creatine monohydrate. All studies about creatine have mostly found creatine monohydrate to be the safest with no additives. Creatine is found in meats like fish and beef. The average person who eats meat gets an average of one to two grams a day.

But why is creatine supplementation needed for athletic performance if it can be manufactured by the body? Higher levels of creatine before exercise seem to have ergogenic effects which help the body perform better. Whether creatine is useful in long duration aerobic exercise hasn't been proven yet but it has a very specific and distinct function during

Regarding creatine as a supplement, there is no data to support any other form of creatine supplementation other than creatine monohydrate (Kreider, 2008). However, Kleiner (2014) reports that there are three major forms of creatine on the market: monohydrate, citrate, and pyruvate. Research supports all three as effective; however, monohydrate works best for muscle building and performance. Beef, pork, and fish, which are .5-1% Cr by weight, are highly bioavailable, whereas only 20 percent of creatine ingested as a supplement is absorbed. In other words, Cr from intact protein foods produces smaller, but more sustain effects compared to supplementation, which results in the most rapid increase in plasma Cr (Smith-Ryan & Antonio, 2013). Regardless, research indicates that Cr from meat or supplementation appear to yield the same absolute level of Cr to tissue. When choosing a particular food, shrimp has trace amounts, milk has 0.05g/lb, cod 1.4, tuna 1.8, salmon 2, beef 2, pork 2.3, and herring 3-4.5 (Kreider, 2008). When a sardine grows larger, it becomes a herring. Since sardines are a good source of protein and omega-3s, it makes since to eat both sardines and herring if wanting to ingest the most Cr through

Creatine is a substance found naturally in the body and is a necessary component of your cells' energy process. The body uses amino acids and produce creatine in the liver and kidneys. It will take up a significant

The basics of creatine are a compound formed in the protein metabolism and are present in most living tissue. It is involved in the supply of energy for muscular contraction.

With sportsmen seeking alternatives to illegal and unsafe performance enhancing drugs, “ergogenic aids” have come to their rescue. Ergogenic aids are supplements that enhance the performance of athletes by improving their speed, strength and agility. A number of natural products are marketed as ergogenic aids, which have found a ready market among sportspersons. Their biggest advantage is that they are legal, apart from being safe and effective. Examples of such aids include branched chain amino acids, creatine, medium chain triglycerides, pyruvates and vitamins.

Creatine helps in increasing speed, power, and size of the muscles, strength endurance and tolerance to fatigue.