This article will cover much of what creatine has to offer as a safe and inexpensive supplement with an exceptionally wide range of potential uses. Though I will go into depth about each, creatine may:
• improve sarcopenia (a loss of muscle mass due to aging)
• improve brain function of healthy and damaged brains
• modulate inflammation.
• treat diseases effecting the neuro muscular system, such as muscular dystrophy
• mitigate wasting syndromes/muscle atrophy
• reduce fatigue
• treat gyrate atrophy
• improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
• improve Huntington’s disease and other mitochondrial cytopathies
• increase growth hormone (GH) levels, to those seen with exercise
• reduce homocysteine levels
• possibly improve the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• improve cardiac function in those with congestive heart failure
Creatine is proving to be one of the most promising, well researched, and safe supplements ever discovered for an exceptionally wide range of uses.
Creatine is formed in the human body from the amino acids methionine, glycine and arginine. The average person’s body contains approximately 120 grams of creatine stored as creatine phosphate. Certain foods such as beef, herring and salmon, are fairly high in creatine. However, a person would have to eat pounds of these foods daily to equal what can be obtained in one teaspoon of powdered creatine.
Creatine is directly related to adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is formed in the powerhouses of the cell, the mitochondria. ATP is often referred to as the “universal energy molecule”used by every cell in our bodies. An increase in oxidative stress coupled with a cell’s inability to produce essential energy molecules such as ATP, is a hallmark of the aging cell and is found in many disease states. Key factors in maintaining health are the ability to: (a) prevent mitochondrial damage to DNA caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and (b) prevent the decline in ATP synthesis, which reduces whole body ATP levels. It would appear that maintaining antioxidant status (in particular intra- cellular glutathione) and ATP levels are essential in ghting the aging process.
How does creatine work?In a nutshell, creatine works to help generate energy. When ATP loses a phosphate molecule and becomes adenosine diphosphate (ADP), it must be converted back to ATP to produce energy. Creatine is stored in the human body as creatine phosphate (CP) also called phosphocreatine. When ATP is depleted, it can be recharged by CP. That is, CP donates a phosphate molecule to the ADP, making it ATP again.
An increased pool of CP means faster and greater recharging of ATP, which means more
work can be performed. This is why creatine has been so successful for athletes. For short-duration explosive sports, such as sprinting, weight lifting and other anaerobic endeavors, ATP is the energy system used.
To date, research has shown that ingesting creatine can increase the total body pool of CP which leads to greater generation of energy for anaerobic forms of exercise, such as weight training and sprinting. Other effects of creatine may be increases in protein synthesis and increased cell hydration.
Creatine has had spotty results in affecting performance in endurance sports such as swimming, rowing and long distance running, with some studies showing no positive effects on performance in endurance athletes. Whether or not the failure of creatine to improve performance in endurance athletes was due to the nature of the sport or the design of the studies is still being debated.
Creatine can be found in the form of creatine monohydrate, creatine citrate, creatine phosphate, creatine-magnesium chelate and even liquid versions.
However, the vast majority of research to date showing creatine to have positive effects on pathologies, muscle mass and performance used the monohydrate form. Creatine monohydrate is over 90% absorbable, contrary to what some companies and “gurus” have claimed.
Courtesy: will brink
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