Wat is creatine

When I first started out in bodybuilding I used to ask a lot of questions around the gym, especially about supplements. One question I could never seem to get a solid answer to is what is creatine. Guys who had been going to the gym for years and had been using creatine for years could never tell me exactly what creatine was or where it came from.

This article hopefully will quickly and simply answer the question what is creatine without confusing everyone with science talk. Many people including my wife think it is a kind of steroid. This could possibly come from it's appearance which is white powder or little capsules mainly, It took a lot of explaining and internet surfing to convince her otherwise.

Creatine is naturally produced in the body from 3 amino acids arginine, glycine and methionine. This is done mainly in the liver and kidneys. We also get creatine from food or to be precise meat. Around half of our stored creatine actually comes from food. We store up to 95% of our creatine in our skeletal muscle. The creatine is taken from the liver and kidneys through our blood and deposited in areas with high energy needs such as muscles and the brain.

Creatine supplements are usually used by athletes who need to increase muscle mass. Usually these athletes use there muscles in short bursts of power such as weight lifters and sprinters. Fitness is because the creatine helps us produce these short bursts of power more effectively. Taking around 3 times the amount that can be taken from a high protein diet. Studies have shown that a human take up to 3 grams a day risk free.

Creatine can also be used to fight against some diseases such as Parkinsons disease, muscular dystrophy, Mcardles disease and Huntington's disease. Taking to much creatine can be harmful to the liver and kidneys. Bodybuilders usually take it in 3 stages loading, maintenance and washout this is a rather outdated way of taking creatine. It is widely regarded that 3 grams of creatine a day is the right way to go.

So there you go next time you hear the question what is creatine, you will be able to give a believable answer and help some other newbie bodybuilder along the way. You will probably be able to explain it to some of the more seasoned guys in the gym as well.