Many studies have shown that if creatine supplements are taken, in conjunction with lifting weights, some very good gains can be made in strength and muscular size. It has also been shown to decrease recovery time during workouts

Creatine works the best for rapid or intense sports sessions. Weight lifting and sprinting are types of activity where creatine does its best. If you are a marathon runner, creatine may certainly not be for you.

93% of all the creatine in your body is stored in the muscles. It plays an important role in the body's energy production by providing you with a boost of energy needed to perform a heavy lifting workout.

The energy in the muscle needs a substance called Adenosine Triphosphate or ATP to fuel it. Muscles usually have enough ATP for a burst of exercise lasting for no longer than 6 seconds. Creatine restores the ATP store so it can act as fuel for the muscle, so it can continue the exercise for another 6-12 seconds.

Try to think of the muscle as if it were an engine. ATP is the gas for the engine and creatine is an octane booster that allows that engine to perform better.

Going back to the body again, it will mean more repetitions and more weight lifted. More weight lifted means more muscle mass and more muscle mass means a greatly increased strength and endurance.

Creatine has the ability to decrease muscle soreness after a heavy workout as well as decrease recovery time needed between workouts.

Joggers and marathon runners are not going to get the same benefit from creatine supplementation as weight lifters will. That's because the muscles work at a slower pace for these kind of activities and the muscles are able to restore ATP at a rate that meets the needs for these workouts.

Creatine is a natural substance and it is produced by the body itself. It is also found in all kind of meat and fish. So, why not just eat meat or fish? There are many reasons why not just doing this. Many people are not meat-eaters. It is also nearly impossible to eat as much meat needed to get the required amount of creatine. Supplemental creatine will also allows you to know the exact amount of creatine you are getting.

For optimal performance, the suggested dose for creatine is between 2-5 grams per day. There are a few negative side effects of creatine, you can become dehydrated and if you are working out in a very hot gym - this can be dangerous. The body can lose up to 2-3 quarts of water in only one hour if it is hot enough. So you have to drink plenty of water during your workout!

Creatine is excreted directly through the kidneys, and because of the increased risk of dehydration, creatine supplements are not recommended for people with any kind of kidney disease.

When you take creatine supplements for the very first time, you may see an immediate gain of weight of between 2 to 5 pounds in as little as one week. That's because your muscles will store more water and carbohydrate which seems to assist in creating more muscle mass. This effect causes many people to think that creatine is similar to anabolic steroids, which is far from the truth! Creatine is a free-form amino acid and it does not affect the body the same way that steroids do.

Some other side effects include injuries from working the muscles too hard, but this not a direct result of the creatine supplementation, but is more related to the misunderstanding of what creatine can do for your body.

If you do suffer from any chronic illness or are on prescription medications for your heart, blood pressure or other medical conditions you should always consult your medical provider before supplementing creatine.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Supplements -------------------------------------------------------