What is creatine used for?

If you're a regular in the sports world, you've probably read that word somewhere between workouts! Coming from the Greek "kreas" meaning "meat" and being seen as the most well-known amino acid, find out what creatine is, what it's used for and what benefits it provides.

What is creatine?

Discovered in 1832 by the French-born chemist by the name of Michel Chevreul and recognized for its physiological properties in 1847, creatine is a non-essential amino acid. (Don't know what it is? Read our BCAA article for more details!) It's derived from 3 other amino acids: arginine, glycine and methionine. Three of your organs make it: the liver, kidneys and pancreas. Creatine travels through your bloodstream to different parts of your body, including your brain, heart and skeletal muscles. Moreover, it is easily found in your diet if it is rich and varied. Creatine is for example present in:

a) Fish

- Herring contains 7 to 10 grams per kilo

- Salmon contains 4.5 grams per kilo

- Cod contains 3 grams per kilo

- Tuna contains 4 grams per kilo

b) Meat

- Pork contains 5 grams per kilo

- Beef contains 4.5 grams per kilo

c) Other

- Cherry contains 0.02 grams per kilo

- Milk contains 0.1 grams per kilo

Beware. The way you cook these foods can vary the amount of creatine they contain. Also, vegans and people on a vegetarian diet are strongly advised to use creatine-rich supplements since the foods containing the most creatine are fish or meat. Even if you are not concerned, you would have to eat an average of 1 kilo minimum to fulfill an adequate creatine level, which turns out to be quite complicated...

Once consumed, creatine largely ends up in your skeletal muscles by being synthesized in the pancreas, liver and kidneys. However, it is helpful to know that a large increase in creatine levels does not store in your muscles. Indeed, various biological mechanical processes that regulate this kind of storage make it impossible.

The benefits of creatine

Mainly intended for athletes, creatine has various benefits. The first being that it promotes the ratio of your muscles to your fats since it promotes water retention in your muscles. Moreover, it allows the improvement of certain neurological disorders. Creatine is also known for its contribution in adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a very complicated word to say that it is energy; it thus makes it possible to improve your physical performances only if they are of short duration and high intensity. Otherwise, if you're working on endurance, creatine is not recommended since it increases the risk of dehydration and cramps.

How many of them are there?

Creatine comes in different types:

Creatine Monohydrate: Primarily sold in powder, liquid or tablet form, this is the most common form and known to be safe. It contains 88 percent pure creatine.

Anhydrous creatine: It is almost similar to creatine monohydrate but is more concentrated since it contains 95 percent pure creatine.

Creatine magnesium: Thanks to magnesium which is a trace element, it protects creatine in the stomach which facilitates its absorption.

Tri-creatine orotate: Combined with orotic acid, which is an acid precursor, this creatine increases the level of carnosine, another amino acid used to regulate the acidity level in muscle cells.

Creatine malate: It forms a duo with malic acid that plays a role in energy metabolism.

Ethylester hydrochloride: It is more absorbable than the others since it passes through the walls in your body more easily.

Creatine Phosphate: Made of phosphate, it was designed to be superior to "conventional" creatine but this has never been proven. It contains 60 percent pure creatine.

Creatine Citrate: Combined with citric acid, it plays a major role in your energy metabolism. However, it contains "only" 40 percent pure creatine.

Creatine Gluconate: When combined with glucose, this creatine allows for better absorption through insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas.

And how do we use it?

"Commercial" creatine is a synthetic derivative of a chemical reaction between different elements. Thanks to this, it is sold in different forms. Among these, it exists in liquid, tablet or powder that is why there are different ways to consume it that are unique to you. (Footprints, equipment etc.) However, there are some good things to know.

First of all, it is recommended to consume 2 to 3 grams of creatine per day while drinking a minimum of 2 liters of water to avoid dehydration. In addition, it is important to know that too high a dose of creatine consumed can be toxic to the kidneys, heart and liver but can also cause hypertension.

Then, creatine consumption and exercise are complementary because if you don't exercise during this period, you won't gain mass but weight.

Finally, according to a Canadian study, creatine should be consumed before or after your workouts to increase the transport of molecules to your muscles. Knowing that it also provides energy, it depends if you want to promote recovery to performance.

In a few words

Creatine is an amino acid that is recommended to all people who practice a sport in an intensive way with short duration and who wish to climb a level physically speaking. Supplements rich in this molecule will help you avoid eating kilos and kilos of meat and are a good alternative if you are on a diet. It exists in different forms but creatine as it is, has two big benefits: it improves your sports performance and promotes the ratio between your muscles and your fat. To get them, it is important to know its risks by learning about its contraindications and personal case.