Creatina

Creatine Monohydrate is a metabolite that functions as a precursor to creatine phosphate (it provides a binding site for free phosphate). Once converted to creatine phosphate it provides a “high energy” phosphate molecule for ATP production. ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) is the chemical in our bodies that fuels all muscular contractions. This chain of events is known as the Krebs Cycle. Creatine’s role, coupled with strength training, influences muscular contraction, cell hydration, strength, and ultimately, long term muscular growth.

Creatine is quickly becoming one of the most widely studied ergogenic aids in sports nutrition, leading to a better understanding of what mechanism, or mechanisms, it acts upon.

Scientists now know that supplementing with creatine monohydrate provides a saturation effect in skeletal muscle. This muscle cell creatine saturation effect occurs after 5 days of “loading” (5 grams 4 times per day) with creatine monohydrate. Once the muscle cell is saturated with creatine it is easily maintained at this level with just two 5 gram doses per day.

This creatine saturation effect provides several known benefits.

1. By increasing muscle creatine stores, you provide an effective ATP buffer for prolonged muscle energy production. This allows you to train at maximum muscular output for longer periods of time. In other words, you can lift heavier weights for more reps. This increase in muscular overload leads to faster and greater lean muscle gains.

2. Increasing muscle creatine stores has a muscle cell "hyper-hydration” effect. This “hyper-hydration” effect is the result of increased creatine stores allowing more intracellular fluid into the muscle. This has a swelling effect on the muscle making it bigger and fuller.

Muscles typically are comprised of about 70% water. The “hyper-hydration” aspect of creatine may allow the muscle cell to hold 73% to 75% water effectively, making the muscle bigger in a rather short period of time. (Some individuals have reported 10 to 15 pound weight increases in as little as two weeks.)

Increasing muscle cell hydration leads to benefits in leverage for increased strength and possible reduction in lifting injuries.It is also believed that increasing muscle cell hydration may lead to greater protein accrual - solid lean muscle gains.

Beware of Fake Creatine

Unfortunately there are many unscrupulous supplement companies (a lot more than you would think) offering creatine monohydrate at absurdly low prices - in many instances prices lower than the raw material alone costs. By cutting their creatine with maltodextrin (a complex carbohydrate costing a mere 30 cents per pound) the customer is getting as little as half of the creatine the label claims. The texture and consistency of a 50% creatine / 50% maltodexdrin blend is virtually identical to pure creatine monohydrate. So this scam is literally undetectable without laboratory testing. This sucks!