- Chemically, creatine is synthesized from three different amino acids: arginine, glyine and methionine. It is mostly stored in the skeletal muscles. Creatine intake is usually from animal products, and thus there can be seen relatively low levels of creatine in vegetarians.
- Creatine has a number of benefits in terms of muscle development, recovery and energy. In terms of muscle development, creatine is particularly useful for developing muscle mass as it contributes to muscle hypertrophy through muscle protein synthesis. In terms of recovery, this is also significant in that it allows muscles to repair quicker, with an increase in muscle fibers. Creatine is also important for activities that call upon the ATP (Adenosine Tri-Phosphate) energy phase, such as weight-lifting. Creatine allows for slight increases in single-rep maximum lifts, as well as the ability to increase the reps in subsequent lifts in a set.
- There are several risk factors associated with creatine use. One side effect is known as muscle volumizing, which means that the muscles are effectively "bulked up" with water moving from the blood stream into the muscles. Another side effect, related to the first, is dehydration. The increased ability to work in the ATP energy phase may lead to athletes neglecting to hydrate properly, and what hydration they may already have is being moved from he blood stream into the muscles. A third side effect of creatine use is gastrointestinal distress, such as flatulence and diarrhea. This is mainly due to the fact that creatine often doesn't dissolve in the intestines, and leaves particles in the intestinal wall.
- There are several studies that have been conducted on the benefits, risks and effects of creatine. Examples of such studies are: Poortmans J. R., Francaux, M. (September 2000). "Adverse effects of creatine supplementation. Fact or Fiction?" Sports Medicine; Burke DG, Chilibeck PD, Parise G, Candow DG, Mahoney D, Tarnopolsky M (2003). "Effect of creatine and weight training on muscle creatine and performance in vegetarians" Medicine and science in sports and exercise 35 (11): 1946--55 and Journal of Athletic Training 2001;36(1):85--88.
- The function of creatine is essentially a transport system to deliver energy to sites in the body where ATP takes place. This is an intracellular function, which is the key to how creatine helps bodybuilders and weightlifters to increase their loads and thus their weightlifting gains.
