| Creatine monohydrate can rightly lay claim to being | | | | creatine per day for four to seven days. At the end |
| the most popular and arguably most effective | | | | of this phase maintenance involves a regular intake of |
| bodybuilding supplement currently available. The | | | | 5 to 15 grams per day. The other method is more |
| beauty of creatine is that it is 100% natural and | | | | gradual in that it skips out the loading phase and |
| occurs in many foods so it's unlikely to be banned | | | | simply involves supplementing with 5 to 15 grams per |
| from any sports or competitions. | | | | day for an extended period. |
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| Let's first establish what creatine actually is. In brief, | | | | Two questions remain to be answered - does it |
| creatine is produced naturally in our bodies to help | | | | work and is it safe? Creatine has undoubtedly been |
| supply energy to the muscles. It is produced in the | | | | proven effective in recent years - over twenty |
| liver, pancreas and kidneys before being transported | | | | scientific studies have concluded that creatine can |
| in the blood to our muscles. It is then converted into | | | | increase energy levels and result in enhanced |
| phosphocreatine which is a powerful metabolite used | | | | strength, endurance levels and recovery rates. As a |
| to regenerate the muscles' ATP source of energy. | | | | training aid it therefore has many merits. In terms of |
| | | | safety, no study to date has shown creatine to be |
| From a bodybuilder's perspective, creatine can | | | | anything other than safe, provided manufacturers' |
| significantly increase lean muscle mass quickly, | | | | instructions are followed. |
| improve performance in high intensity exercise, raise | | | | |
| energy levels and speed up recovery rates. Creatine's | | | | There is a bewildering range of creatine supplements |
| ability to raise energy in muscles is due to its muscle | | | | on the market so subsequent articles in this series will |
| protein synthesizing action whilst reducing the | | | | examine the relative merits of the most popular and |
| breakdown of protein. This happens because creatine | | | | effective forms. In the meantime, you can find out |
| has the effect of super-hydrating muscle cells with | | | | more by visiting the site listed below.Richard Mitchell is |
| water. It also improves muscle growth adding size | | | | the creator of the website that provides guidance |
| and strength to muscle fibers. | | | | and information to athletes at all levels of |
| | | | bodybuilding experience. Go to Creatine Supplements |
| Creatine is normally taken in two ways. The first | | | | to learn more about the issues covered in this article. |
| involves loading the muscles with 20 to 30 grams of | | | | |