In efforts to improve ones muscle mass, strength or power there is one simple way. That is to increase the amount of work thus altering the training stimulus. An athlete must consider, volume, intensity and frequency along with rest and recovery. There are very few products that are on the legal market that can have such an effect on ones ability to increase these performance goals. A supplement called creatine has been credited with working wonders with similar goals as listed above.
Creatine and creatine phosphate are found in muscles, brain and blood. In order to produce creatine three amino acids (arginine, glycine and methionine) and two organs (kidney and liver) are needed. Processes that occur in the kidney and liver, starting in the kidney, form creatine. After this it is transported to the skeletal muscles, brain and cardiac muscle via the blood. Creatine phosphate provides a small phosphate reserve for regenerating ATP, thus it has become a popular supplement among many Americans. “Over the last half decade or so, creatine has become one of the more popular nutrition supplements, due to its purported ergogenic properties (Medeiros & Wildman 374)”. It has shown some promise in aiding with activities that involve high intensity. It has also…”demonstrated that creatine supplementation can enhance muscular strength and performance and potentially lead to increases in lean body mass (Medeiros & Wildman 374)”. Along with the American ideal of being slim and sexy, creatine has moved its way into the diets of many. The richest creatine containing foods are meats and fish so thus vegetarians are placed at a disadvantage of obtaining it. Knowing this supplementation amongst vegetarians shows a promise as well. It proves that creatine has more moderate applications as well. Creatine has also shown to make improvement is peoples of older ages. A study done in men aged (60-80) showed, “reduced muscle fatigue occurred with 30 days of creatine supplementation (McArdle, Katch, and Katch 486)”.

Creatine has shown some negative side effects as well…”anecdotal reports indicate a possible association between creatine intake and cramping in multiple muscle areas during competition or lengthy practice in football players (McArdle, Katch, and Katch 484)”. Other studies have linked creatine with gastrointestinal problems…”attributing to osmotic distress if the crystalline creatine is not adequately dissolved into a solution before ingestion (Antonio and Stout 57)”. It is also stated by Antonio and Stout that, “Creatine supplementation may cause large fluid shifts in the muscle, serving to alter electrolyte status, promote dehydration and/or increase thermal stress (57)”. This however is not conclusive due to the fact that scientist don’t fully understand the mechanism of muscle cramping.

To view a power point presentation on creatine monohydrate be sure to click on this link.

Antonio, Jose. , Jeffery R. Stout. Sports Supplements. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2001

McArdle, Williams D., Frank I. Katch, and Victor L. Katch. Essentials of Exercise Physiology. 2Ed. Baltimore, Maryland. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000

Medeiros, Denis M., Robert E.C. Wildman. Advanced Human Nutrition. New York. CRC Press, 2000