Creatine Is More Than Just A Supplement

ine is proving to be one of the most promising,levels
well researched, and safe supplements ever• reduce homocysteine levels
discovered for an exceptionally wide range of• possibly improving the symptoms of
uses.Chronic fatigue Syndrome
Although creatine offers an array of benefits,• improve cardiac function in those with
most people think of it simply as a supplementcongestive heart failure
that bodybuilders and other athletes use to gainHow does Creatine work?
strength and muscle mass.In a nutshell, creatine works to help generate
Nothing could be further from the truth. Peopleenergy. When ATP loses a phosphate molecule
who don’t follow the research on creatineand becomes adenosine diphosphate (ADP), it
are often stunned to find out how much researchmust be converted back to ATP to produce
has been done, and how many health, fitness, andenergy. Creatine is stored in the human body as
longevity uses creatine may have.creatine phosphate (CP) also called
Creatine may positively effect:phosphocreatine. When ATP is depleted, it can be
• sarcopenia (a loss of muscle mass duerecharged by CP. That is, CP donates a
to aging)phosphate molecule to the ADP, making it ATP
• improve in brain function of healthy andagain.
damaged brainsAn increased pool of CP means faster and
• modulate inflammation.greater recharging of ATP, which means more
• diseases effecting the neuro muscularwork can be performed. This is why creatine has
system, such as muscular dystrophy (MD)been so successful for athletes. For short-duration
• wasting syndromes/muscle atrophyexplosive sports, such as sprinting, weight lifting
• fatigueand other anaerobic endeavors, ATP is the
• gyrate atrophyenergy system used.
• Parkinson’s diseaseA more recent study done in 1999 found that 5g
• Huntington’s disease and otherof Creatine per day without a loading phase in 16
mitochondrial cytopathiesathletes significantly increased measures of
• neuropathic disordersstrength, power, and increased body mass
• various dystrophieswithout a change in body fat levels.
• myopathiesYou can easily conclude that creatine is not a
• various brain pathologies.wonder drug for bodybuilders and atheletes only.
• may increasing growth hormone (GH)