The Truth Behind Creatine

Whether you’re an athlete or not, chances are you’ve heard about Creatine. Is it a steroid? No. Does it increase growth hormones? No. So then what exactly is Creatine? Well, Creatine is a substance that the human body synthesizes, but it can also be found in meat products. Its primary function is to hook up with ATP and transport it to muscle fibers. ATP is what all forms of any energy are converted to for use. Protein, fat, carbohydrates, and ethanol (alcohol) are all converted to ATP, then the body uses these as an immediate energy source. Creatine connects with ATP to form Creatine phosphate, and then transports it to the muscle fibers. This can enhance the body’s exercise performance.

Creatine does in fact volumize the cells with water, and yes it does make a person look bigger than they actually are because they are filled with water. However, by using Creatine, one will gain more muscle mass than they would’ve without using it. For example, if you took two people that exercised exactly the same for one month, one on Creatine and the other one not, the person on Creatine will gain more muscle mass. They will look larger because of the water retention, but even after they stop taking Creatine and flush it out of their system, they will still have more muscle.

 If Creatine increases muscle mass, then why isn’t it a steroid? Simple answer: Creatine doesn’t increase muscle mass. Creatine only allows one to work out harder than they would normally be capable of due to an increase in the amount of available energy. The reason people gain muscle mass is because they are able to perform more reps, more sets, and/or work out at a higher intensity. Creatine works best for athletes who are doing short intermittent exercises. This includes many sports such as football, baseball, basketball, any weight lifting, and many others. Marathon and long distance runners would not receive the same benefit.

So how exactly should you be taking Creatine? Cycling it in and out your body is a good idea because this way, the body doesn’t grow accustomed to not needing to produce its own. Furthermore, it works better for people who just begin to take Creatine (Fun Fact: Girls benefit more than guys when taking Creatine). An ideal schedule to take Creatine would be to have one serving right after a workout for a straight month, then take a week or two off before beginning again.

Whether Creatine has proven side effects or not is a hot topic. Creatine has been on the market for quite some time, and there are still yet any proven side effects. Doctors will make the common misconception of confusing Creatine kinase with Creatine phosphate. Consuming an excess of Creatine kinase will harm you; Creatine phosphate won’t. Just make sure to stay hydrated because as the water is absorbed in the muscles, more water is needed for the body.

This article is not meant to persuade anyone to actually begin taking Creatine. Creatine is one of the most well-known supplements on the market, so naturally it is a very hot topic with a lot of common misconceptions.

Summary

• Creatine is not a steroid
• It supplies immediate energy to muscle fibers
• It works best for exercises with short breaks in between

Thank you for reading, and if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me.

-Michael Roulic