Creatine for Athletes

Creatine is a compound that’s involved in the production of energy in the body, in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Creatine is naturally created in the liver using amino acids. Most creatine is stored in skeletal muscles, while a small part is found in the brain and heart. Creatine is a protein molecule.  Creatine tablets and drinks are created to give a concentrated amount to athletes for a better performance. Creatine is supposed to enhance an athlete’s performance in quick intense activities, like sprints or weightlifting.

Creatine increases the availability of ATP because it contains a lot of phosphates. The phosphates combine with ADP to form ATP. The more ATP in the body means the more fuel for the muscles. Creatine also helps to increase your muscle size by volumization. Volumization is the process of pulling fluid into the muscle cells and thus increasing their volume. People using creatine can gain weight like this.

Creatine can work for both men and women, but men are more likely to show improvement in strength and sprint events and increases in fat-free mass than women. It is unsure if creatine helps with long distance aerobic activities. Athletes who use creatine for training can have better results due to being able to have more intense training. It is unsure if there are any long term effects of creatine, but none have been discovered yet.

Benefits of taking creatine are increased athletic performance during intense quick work. Users feel more powerful, and have much more energy during workouts. Another benefit is an increase in muscle mass and strength. There are no known major side effects but several small side effects of taking creatine are cramping of muscles, stomach aches, and occasional diarrhea.

Creatine is legal in sports and most athletes in professional and collegiate level sports use them, including some high school athletes. 

All in all, creatine is a great legal way to bulk up and enhance your performance.