Creatine helps build muscle and increases athletic performance. It can also, however, cause a few negative side effects. Creatine is naturally occurring biochemical compound in the body, present in both men and women. Creatine affects men and women in the same way by providing energy to the muscle tissue.
Creatine
Creatine is a combination of three amino acids, glycine, arginine and methionine. Creatine is not a lab-produced product as these are all naturally occurring amino acids. The body produces creatine and uses it as energy to fuel the body for most physical activities. Around 95 percent of the body's creatine is stored in skeletal muscle and is obtained through various food sources, especially meat.
What It Does
Creatine converts adenine di-phosphate, or ADP, adenine tri-phosphate, or ATP. ATP is the body's main source of energy and is responsible for transporting chemical energy within the cells for metabolism. Through increasing ATP formation, creatine provides the body with increased energy, particularly for short, intense bouts of exercise such as high jumps, sprints and powerlifting. Creatine does not, however, have any advantages for endurance athletes such as cyclists and marathon runners. Creatine is controversial within professional athletic circles due to its performance enhancing ability. The French Agency of Medical Security for Food says creatine goes "against the spirit of sportsmanship and fair competition."
Benefits
Apart from athletic performance, creatine may also have a number of other benefits. Creatine reduces levels of triglycerides in the blood, thus helping to breakdown excess fat stores. It can also help with patients suffering from congestive heart failure helping them to exercise for longer periods of time and gain lean muscle mass. Creatine can also help patients of muscle dystrophy by helping to increase muscle mass and strength.
Safety Issues
Creatine can have several negative side effects. These can include weight gain, muscle cramps, muscle strains and pulls, stomach upset, diarrhea, dizziness, high blood pressure, liver dysfunction, and kidney damage. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, however, "most studies have found no significant side effects." Consuming creatine may also cause your body to stop creating its own natural stores.
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