Creatine could easily be the greatest dietary supplement available for performance. It has decades of research and is one of the most extensively studied and validated nutritional aids for athletes. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition- "Creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes in terms of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training." It's hard to ignore a statement like that.
Creatine is naturally produced by the body and is found mostly within muscle cells. Supplementing with creatine increases stored levels of phosphocreatine that the body can later use to produce more ATP. With more available ATP on tap the more energy stores muscle tissue can pull from, leading to higher performance during exercise.
Creatine works to support athletic performance in multiple ways. It can increase water content of muscle cells, boosting cellular hydration and the volumization effect. Combined with increasing stored ATP creatine can enable more exercise volume and work load.
Majority of studies surround body composition, muscle growth, strength, and anaerobic power gains. Compared to placebo, creatine increases muscle fiber growth, adaptations, and lean body mass. Similar studies show improved response to strength training increasing one rep max and weightlifting performance compared to placebo.
Not only will boosting phosphocreatine stores help support physical performance, it might also help support brain health as well. Creatine plays an important role in brain function. Some research indicates the brain requires a high level of ATP when performing demanding tasks. Supplying the brain with adequate levels can allow for optimal function.
The most heavily studied and researched form of creatine is creatine monohydrate. There are other advanced forms available on the market that claim improved benefits, but research seldom backs these claims up.
With all these benefits it's easy to see why creatine is one of the most popular and effective dietary supplements available.
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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.