Creatine Supplementation: A Brief Overview

Athletes and fitness enthusiasts who desire to improve their strength, performance and stamina often turn to nutritional supplements to help them achieve their goals. 

The fact is, many supplements do not deliver the results that are promised by manufacturers and retailers. 

Creatine monohydrate is a supplement that has been used by athletes for decades to increase muscle size, strength and endurance and is considered by many to be the best pre-workout supplement.

Creatine Supplementation

Creatine is typically available as a flavored liquid or in powder form.  Generally, the recommended dose for a creatine powder supplement is three to five grams once per day. 

Some manufacturers recommend saturating the body with as much as twenty grams per day for the first week of creatine use. 

The necessity of this “loading phase” has been disputed and it appears that simply ingesting three to five grams of creatine per day from the onset is just as effective in producing the desired effect.

How Creatine Works

Creatine works by providing the body with the compounds necessary to develop ATP, an enzyme that allows muscles to explosively contract and reduce recovery time.  By continuously supplying the body with creatine, the muscles are able to handle a greater workload for a longer period of time, resulting in greater muscular strength and endurance. 

Users of a creatine monohydrate powder supplement will typically notice results within two weeks of starting its use.

Creatine is primarily stored within muscle tissue and is also found in small quantities in the kidneys, liver and brain.  It should be noted that creatine can be ingested by consuming animal-based foods, particularly beef.  

However, in order for a person to consume five grams of creatine, approximately one kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of beef would have to be eaten.  It is generally much easier to use a creatine supplement to achieve the desired dose.  

Those who seek a safe, effective nutritional supplement to enhance their athletic performance should consider including creatine in their fitness and nutrition program.  

The supplement is inexpensive and readily available at most nutritional supplement retailers and online distributors.  Unlike many other supplements on the market, creatine monohydrate has been shown to increase athletic performance in its users with few negative side effects and has been proven safe for long term use.  

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