home
Home
phone
Search
user
Login
store 0
Cart

🏋️‍♂️ Creatine Supplements: Overview

Creatine is one of the most researched and effective sports supplements used today. Naturally found in muscles and produced in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas, creatine helps recycle ATP (adenosine triphosphate)—the primary energy currency of the body—during high-intensity activities like weightlifting, sprinting, or explosive sports.

🔬 What is Creatine?

Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid composed of three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. Roughly 95% of the body's creatine is stored in skeletal muscles. Although it’s found in red meat and seafood, supplements are ideal for achieving performance-enhancing doses.

💪 Key Benefits of Creatine Supplements:

  • Boosts muscular strength and power

  • Enhances performance in high-intensity, short-duration workouts

  • Accelerates post-workout recovery

  • Promotes lean muscle mass

  • May support brain health and cognitive function

  • Increases cellular hydration and muscle fullness

⚙️ How It Works:

Creatine increases phosphocreatine stores in your muscles, allowing faster regeneration of ATP. This helps improve endurance and delay fatigue during bursts of physical exertion.

💊 Common Forms of Creatine:

  • Creatine Monohydrate (most studied and widely used)

  • Creatine HCL (hydrochloride)

  • Buffered Creatine (Kre-Alkalyn)

  • Micronized Creatine

  • Creatine Ethyl Ester

🧪 Dosage:

  • Loading phase (optional): 20g/day for 5–7 days (split into 4 doses)

  • Maintenance phase: 3–5g/day

  • Take with carbs or protein post-workout to enhance absorption.

⚠️ Safety & Side Effects:

Creatine is generally safe for healthy individuals. Some may experience:

  • Water retention

  • Stomach cramps (if taken dry or in large doses at once)

  • Minor weight gain (due to water retention)

Hydrate well while using creatine. Long-term use has not shown harmful effects in healthy users.

🥗 Natural Food Sources:

  • Red meat (beef, pork)

  • Fish (salmon, tuna, cod)

However, food alone cannot provide the optimal creatine dose used in clinical studies for performance or muscle building.

🧘‍♀️ Who Should Use Creatine?

  • Bodybuilders & athletes

  • Sprinters, powerlifters

  • Vegans/vegetarians (who may lack creatine from diet)

  • Seniors looking for strength preservation

  • Individuals recovering from muscle atrophy

Research studies / References

arw Cannan, R. K.; Shore, A. (1928). "The Creatine-Creatinine Equilibrium. The Apparent Dissociation Constants of Creatine and Creatinine.". Biochem. J. 22 (4): 920-29. PMC 1252207. PMID 16744118. http://www.biochemj.org/bj/022/0920/0220920.pdf. Retrieved 2010-10-29.
arw "Creatine". MedLine Plus Supplements. U.S. National Library of Medicine. 2010-07-20. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-creatine.html. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
arw "Creatine". Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
arw http://www.bidmc.org/YourHealth/ConditionsAZ.aspx?ChunkID=21706. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
arw Burke DG, Chilibeck PD, Parise G, Candow DG, Mahoney D, Tarnopolsky M (2003). "Effect of creatine and weight training on muscle creatine and performance in vegetarians". Medicine and science in sports and exercise 35 (11): 1946-55. doi:10.1249/01.MSS.0000093614.17517.79. PMID 14600563.
arw "Creatine". Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
arw http://www.bidmc.org/YourHealth/ConditionsAZ.aspx?ChunkID=21706. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
arw a b "ETH ETH E-Collection: Methylglyoxal, creatine and mitochondrial micro-compartments - ETH E-Collection". E-collection.ethbib.ethz.ch. 2008-04-19. doi:10.3929/ethz-a-004636659.. http://e-collection.ethbib.ethz.ch/ecol-pool/diss/fulltext/eth15180.pdf. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
arw "L-Arginine:Glycine Amidinotransferase". Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
arw http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=602360. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
arw "Intracellular compartmentation, structure and function of creatine kinase isoenzymes in tissues with high and fluctuating energy demands: the 'phosphocreatine circuit' for cellular energy homeostasis".


arw http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1130636/pdf/biochemj00144-0029.pdf. Retrieved 2011-03-01.
arw "Intracellular compartmentation, structure and function of creatine kinase isoenzymes in tissues with high and fluctuating energy demands: the 'phosphocreatine circuit' for cellular energy homeostasis".


arw http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1130636/pdf/biochemj00144-0029.pdf. Retrieved 2011-03-01.
arw "The effects of creatine ethyl ester supplementation combined with heavy resistance training on body composition, muscle performance, and serum and muscle creatine levels". http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2649889/. Retrieved 2011-3-11.
arw doi:10.1007/s00726-011-0877-3.
arw "Creatine: is it really safe for long-term use?". Pponline.co.uk. http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/creatine.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
arw a b "Creatine: Safety". MayoClinic.com.
arw http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/creatine/NS_patient-creatine/DSECTION=safety. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
arw Lopez RM, Casa DJ, McDermott BP, Ganio MS, Armstrong LE, Maresh CM (2009). "Does creatine supplementation hinder exercise heat tolerance or hydration status? A systematic review with meta-analyses". Journal of Athletic Training 44 (2): 215-23. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-44.2.215. PMC 2657025. PMID 19295968.
arw Dalbo VJ, Roberts MD, Stout JR, Kerksick CM (July 2008). "Putting to rest the myth of creatine supplementation leading to muscle cramps and dehydration". British Journal of Sports Medicine 42 (7): 567-73. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2007.042473. PMID 18184753.
arw Poortmans JR, Francaux M (September 2000). "Adverse effects of creatine supplementation: fact or fiction?". Sports Medicine 30 (3): 155-70. doi:10.2165/00007256-200030030-00002. PMID 10999421.
arw Francaux M, Poortmans JR (December 2006). "Side effects of creatine supplementation in athletes". International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 1 (4): 311-23. PMID 19124889.
arw Bizzarini E, De Angelis L (December 2004). "Is the use of oral creatine supplementation safe?". The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 44 (4): 411-6. PMID 15758854.
arw Bemben MG, Lamont HS (2005). "Creatine supplementation and exercise performance: recent findings". Sports Medicine 35 (2): 107-25. PMID 15707376.
arw Kreider RB (February 2003). "Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations". Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry 244 (1-2): 89-94. doi:10.1023/A:1022465203458. PMID 12701815.


arw http://www.kluweronline.com/art.pdf?issn=0300-8177&volume=244&page=89.
arw Kamber M, Koster M, Kreis R, Walker G, Boesch C, Hoppeler H. Creatine supplementation--part I: performance, clinical chemistry, and muscle volume. Med. Sci. Sports Exer. 31: 1763-1769, 1999.
arw Deldicque L, Décombaz J, Zbinden Foncea H, Vuichoud J, Poortmans JR, Francaux M. Kinetics of creatine ingested as a food ingredient. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 102: 133-143, 2008.
arw R. Baselt, Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man, 8th edition, Biomedical Publications, Foster City, CA, 2008, pp. 366-368.
arw Hülsemann J, Manz F, Wember T, Schoch G (1987). "[Administration of creatine and creatinine with breast milk and infant milk preparations]" (in German). Klinische Pädiatrie 199 (4): 292-5. doi:10.1055/s-2008-1026805. PMID 3657037.
arw Wallimann, Theo; Tokarska-Schlattner, Malgorzata; Schlattner, Uwe (2011-05-01). "The creatine kinase system and pleiotropic effects of creatine" (in English). Amino Acids (Springer Wien) 40 (5): 1271-1296. doi:10.1007/s00726-011-0877-3. ISSN 0939-4451. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00726-011-0877-3. Retrieved May 8 2011.
arw Tarnopolsky M, Martin J (March 1999). "Creatine monohydrate increases strength in patients with neuromuscular disease". Neurology 52 (4): 854-7. PMID 10078740. http://www.neurology.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=10078740.
arw Klivenyi P, Ferrante RJ, Matthews RT, et al. (March 1999). "Neuroprotective effects of creatine in a transgenic animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis". Nature Medicine 5 (3): 347-50. doi:10.1038/6568. PMID 10086395.
arw Andreassen OA, Dedeoglu A, Ferrante RJ, et al. (June 2001). "Creatine increase survival and delays motor symptoms in a transgenic animal model of Huntington's disease". Neurobiology of Disease 8 (3): 479-91. doi:10.1006/nbdi.2001.0406. PMID 11447996.
arw Rae C, Digney AL, McEwan SR, Bates TC (October 2003). "Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain performance: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial". Proceedings. Biological Sciences / the Royal Society 270 (1529): 2147-50. doi:10.1098/rspb.2003.2492. PMC 1691485. PMID 14561278.
arw McMorris T, Mielcarz G, Harris RC, Swain JP, Howard A (September 2007). "Creatine supplementation and cognitive performance in elderly individuals". Neuropsychology, Development, and Cognition. Section B, Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition 14 (5): 517-28. doi:10.1080/13825580600788100. PMID 17828627.
arw Rawson ES, Lieberman HR, Walsh TM, Zuber SM, Harhart JM, Matthews TC (September 2008). "Creatine supplementation does not improve cognitive function in young adults". Physiology & Behavior 95 (1-2): 130-4. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.05.009. PMID 18579168

(0 Items)

    Total: 0.00