Creatine is an amino acid that acts as an energy booster. Athletes who need sudden bursts of energy in sports like weightlifting, wrestling and sprinting use Creatine as an energy supplement. Creatine is believed to aid the chemical reaction in the body, which occurs when the body undergoes sudden exertion. Creatine is an approved energy booster and is even used by athletes who participate in the Olympic Games, the first such instance being the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Even though Creatine is manufactured in the body itself, it can be also taken exogenously in the form of tablets/capsules or powder.
Naturally formed Creatine is produced in the pancreases, liver and kidneys. It is carried to the muscle through the blood stream, where it is converted into Creatine phosphate (phosphocreatine). This Creatine compound helps to generate ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in the muscle.
Creatine Monohydrate is a Creatine supplement. It is the most commonly used and also the most effective Creatine supplement available in the market. Creatine monohydrate contains more Creatine per weight of material compared to any other compound. There are two ways to take Creatine monohydrate: loading and maintenance. Loading is more suitable for people who have never taken Creatine as it involves taking comparatively heavy doses of Creatine till the muscle attains saturation point. The usual dosage in this method is 20-30g per day for 4days to one week. After the loading period, a daily dose of 5-15g per day is recommended. The other method is to start small with just 5-15g of Creatine monohydrate per day. Creatine monohydrate can be taken with just water or any carbohydrate based drink such as dextrose (glucose).
There are many advantages from Creatine: Creatine provides instant energy to the body. It improves muscle strength and makes the muscle suitable for high-intensity, short duration exertion like weightlifting or sprinting. It is also found to speed up the recovery of energy. It delays fatigue significantly. It promotes lean-muscle mass and reduces muscle wasting in post-surgical patients. It is also believed to help heart patients by increasing their exercise capacity, reducing heart spasms and thus increasing heart function.
