What Is Creatine Used For & Is It For You?

So why do people use creatine as a sports and fitness supplement? We are certainly not dealing with a newcomer to the market – it’s been in use for over 20 years now, for good reason.

Discovered, and reports of use in sports

Creatine was discovered in meat by a French scientist named Chevreul way back in 1832, and down the years a wealth of information has been established. It is present as a natural compound in your body, and is involved in producing energy.

This energy is delivered in the form of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). Creatine is made in the liver, and all but 5% of it is stored in your skeletal muscles. The remaining 5% can be found in your brain, heart, and testes (in men obviously in the latter case).

The first ‘real’ reported use in terms of being used to enhance sporting performance was anecdotal evidence in the early 1990’s. By the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta it is said that an amazing 80% of all competing athletes were using creatine.

In supplement form it has long been a favourite of weightlifters, athletes and body builders, and remains as popular today as any other performance enhancing supplements.

Who should use this type of formula?

If you are looking to boost your strength, increase your muscle size and lean body mass, and recover more quickly between workouts there is a creatine supplement for you.

What is creatine used for in terms of your muscles?

Research has shown that it can increase your fat-free body mass, it will improve your strength beyond what you would achieve without it, and will also give you additional muscular endurance.

This basically means you can be stronger and be able to go for longer in the gym. And that means you can get greater returns from your workouts.

Can it help you shed body fat?

Because it helps you to increase and keep lean muscle that is metabolically active, the answer is; yes. It is known as an ‘indirect’ fat burner in many circles.

What about ‘cycling’ with creatine?

You can use a creatine cycle – and many people do – but there are also many others who continually use it. This is to ensure they receive continuous performance benefits.

Is creatine safe for women to use?

Most certainly, and they can expect similar benefits to those described above. While the majority of women in the past have been hesitant to use creatine supplements, there is now evidence that they are starting to embrace the regular use and manufacturers are even producing brands of creatine for women.

What type of creatine is the best in terms of supplement use?

Because of the many different types of creatine available the jury is still out on this one, and may be for a very long time!

Many claim that Creatine monohydrate, which is the original form, offers better bio-availability, and gives you the best value for money, but you will certainly not get everyone’s agreement upon that. Particularly when the science boffins keep on finding ways to improve products and blend them to make them even more effective.

So what is creatine used for?

Hopefully from the above you got the muscle, strength and energy benefits that creatine supplements offer.

Just remember one thing: It won’t do it on its own. Your part of the bargain is punishing gym sessions, and sticking to the correct diet. Creatine helps you work harder at the gym to get better results, not sit on the couch and build muscle 😉

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