Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that is produced in your kidneys and is primarily stored in your skeletal muscles to be used for energy production, particularly during exercise. Creatine is manufactured and sold commercially as a performance-enhancing supplement and is often combined with other compounds to increase its effectiveness. Creatine malate is a form of creatine that combines the creatine compound with malic acid, which is reported to enhance its solubility and uptake into your muscles. Creatine malate has four main effects on your body: energy production, muscle hydration, lactic-acid buffering and protein synthesis.
Energy Production
Creatine malate helps your body produce chemical energy more efficiently. When your muscles are contracting, especially during exercise, a chemical called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, is broken down, which releases energy for your muscles to perform work. When all of the ATP is broken down in your muscles, you will be unable to continue exercise. Creatine malate helps restore ATP after it has been broken down, prolonging your ability to continue producing energy during exercise -- which can increase the duration and intensity of your workouts.
Muscle Hydration
Creatine malate pulls water into your muscles, a process known as myofibril hydration, or muscle hydration. For every molecule of creatine that is stored in your skeletal muscles, several molecules of water are stored with it. By saturating your muscles with water, they will temporarily look larger, an effect that will diminish once you stop taking creatine malate. An increase in water retention in your muscles may leave less water available for the rest of your body, increasing your risk for dehydration. Drinking adequate amounts of water while supplementing with creatine malate may help reduce your risk for developing dehydration.
Lactic-acid Buffering
Lactic acid is a natural byproduct of your muscles performing work that causes the burning sensation you feel in your muscles while you are working out. The buildup of lactic acid can cause you to slow down or stop muscle contraction due to the pain associated with an increase in muscle acidity. Creatine malate may be able to slow the rate of lactic-acid buildup in your muscles through a process called lactic-acid buffering. By slowing the rate of lactic-acid buildup, you can prolong the duration and intensity of your workouts.
Protein Synthesis
After a workout, the proteins in your muscles have broken down and must be repaired to cause muscle growth. This requires the creation of new muscle proteins, or protein synthesis. Creatine malate may increase the rate at which your muscles are able to create new proteins, which is an essential part of the recovery process. As a result, you may be able to recover more quickly from an intense workout due to an increase in the rate of protein synthesis in your muscles.
References
- "Journal of Hyperplasia Research"; Creatine: A Meta-analysis; J.D. King; 2005
- "Human Anatomy and Physiology"; Elaine N. Marieb; 2004
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