User:MSCnutritionco

'''UNDER THE MICROSCOPE – WHAT IS CREATINE?

Understanding the benefits of Creatine'''

Creatine is an organic compound that is produced naturally in the body from the amino acids Arginine, Glycine and Methionine and that is also found in Synthesis, Maximise and Regenerate.

The main role of Creatine in the body is to aid energy production by increasing the level of Phosphocreatine present in skeletal muscle. Phosphocreatine is a metabolite used to generate, circulate and replenish Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), otherwise known as the ‘energy currency’ of the cell.

During short bursts of extremely intense exercise, the concentration of ATP in the muscles is depleted within a matter of seconds. Creatine plays a vital role in the very first stages of energy replenishment before the body is able to draw upon its glucose and fat reserves for fuel. If more Creatine is available, then more Phosphocreatine can be formed in the body and more ATP can be generated, which allows for muscle contraction to be sustained for a few more valuable seconds.

Creatine is used by athletes from a wide range of power and speed disciplines who want to gain lean muscle mass. Through the process of cell volumisation, Creatine is able to transfer extra fluid from the bloodstream into the muscles, causing them to inflate. This results in harder, fuller and heavier muscles and, more importantly, serves as a stimulus for muscle hypertrophy (enlargement).

Research has shown that Creatine is the most effective ergogenic (performance-enhancing) nutritional supplement currently available to athletes for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training.