Why Creatine Monohyrdrate Is One Of The Most Popular Sports Supplements

One of the most popular but least understood sports supplements on the market is creatine monohydrate.

Creatine is a compound that is made naturally in our liver, kidneys and pancreas, before being secreted into the blood and transported to tissues. It acts as an energy replenisher, and its chemical name is methylguanido-acetic acid.

It has a few key benefits, the first of which is that it replenishes ATP. This is the molecule that's broken down to release energy for muscles to contract. A study has shown that more ATP can be stored from creatine than from food, and because muscles can store ATP, this allows you to maximise the amount stored in your body. It gives you more energy to lift heavier weights, train harder and at a higher intensity. Creatine also promotes muscle growth by stimulating the synthesis of proteins. The more creatine stored in a muscle, the more water is drawn into it making it fuller and stronger. Increasing the volume of muscles in this way helps to trigger protein synthesis, minimise protein breakdown and increase glycogen synthesis. If a muscle is trained properly it could also lead to enhanced muscle growth.

It can act as a lactic acid buffer too, which will help improve exercise recovery time. Lactic acid is a bi-product of anaerobic exercise, such as weight training, when oxygen doesn't reach the muscles. It's lactic acid which produces the burning sensation when a muscle is tired. Creatine helps to delay the onset of fatigue by acting as a buffer for the lactic acid. Creatine can help you gain weight too, which is a result of an increase in muscle tissue. The biggest increases are usually seen during the first month of its use.

Creatine monohydrate is the most popular form of creatine, because its virtually tasteless, dissolves well in water and is the most effective.

Whilst numerous studies show that the use of creatine monohydrate is safe, even in large quantities, there are some side effects. It can cause mild irritation to the stomach and nausea for a short while, due to the amount of water retention caused by taking the supplement. This can be unpleasant, but is harmless and minimised if you consume lots of fluid.

by: Matthew Taylor

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