Creatine is an amino acid used for energy production. It is converted into phosphocreatine and stored in the muscles for when an immediate energy source is needed for high-intensity, short-duration exercises, like sprinting. While creatine supplements are popular among athletes for their potential ability to improve performance, creatine is also a naturally occurring substance made in your body and found in several animal foods.
Human Body
About half of your supply of creatine is made within your body by the liver, pancreas and kidney. Using a combination of essential and non-essential amino acids, including glycine, arginine and methionine, the kidney manufactures a precursor, guandinoacetic acid, and sends it to the liver, which converts it to creatine. The creatine is then transported to your muscles through the bloodstream.
Wild Game
The other half of the body's supply of creatine comes from your diet, particularly animal flesh. Wild game is the richest exogenous source of creatine, meaning it is generated outside the body. The USDA classifies small game as rabbit, squirrel, raccoon, beaver and alligator, while large game includes antelope, bison, buffalo, bear, deer, elk, caribou, moose, reindeer, wild boar and wild ox. Wild game birds include pigeon, quail, pheasant, emu, ostrich, wild ducks, geese and turkeys.
Meat
You can also obtain natural creatine from other sources of skeletal muscle, like lean red meat. Generally, 1 lb. of red meat contains 2 g of creatine. More specifically, 1 lb. of beef contains 5 g of creatine.
Fish
Fish is another natural source of dietary creatine. Herring, salmon and tuna all provide you with substantial amounts of creatine. Cooking can reduce the creatine content in foods, so eating safe, raw sources, like sushi and sashimi, is a way to get a given amount of creatine. Also, since fish is a rich source of methionine, eating fish provides both a direct source of creatine and an adequate supply of one of its building blocks.
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