creatine

creatine, (C₄H₉N₃O₂), a popular, legal, over-the-counter dietary supplement that athletes use during training and in preparation for competition. It is an amino acid that occurs naturally in the human body, where it is made in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys and stored mainly in muscle tissue. It is also found in sources of protein such as meat and fish. The average daily human intake of creatine from nutritional sources is about one gram per day.

Creatine is not a steroid or stimulant but has been known since the early 1900s to have ergogenic (performance-enhancing) properties. It became widely available and popular as a supplement in the early 1990s. Creatine is typically used to gain weight and muscle mass and to enhance strength training. It appears to be helpful by improving performance in short bursts of intense exercise, such as bench press or sprint cycling. It has no benefit on endurance in aerobic exercise. There has also been speculation suggesting that creatine supplementation may even help in improving mental performance.

The mechanism by which creatine supplementation improves athletic performance is not exactly clear, although there are several theories. Creatine seems to help athletes recover from vigorous exercise. The body uses creatine to make phosphocreatine, which acts as a buffer to keep up the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the fuel used by the muscle during exercise, and the by-product is adenosine diphosphate (ADP). Creatine, among other things, essentially helps regenerate ADP back to ATP, thus replenishing the muscle’s energy stores. There can also be weight gain and increased muscle mass with creatine use, up to several pounds per week. Some proportion of that is likely due to water retention.

Creatine, in the monohydrate form or creatine ethyl ester (CEE), is available as a sports drink powder or in a capsule form. There are no universally agreed-on dosing or duration schedules, but many athletes cycle creatine use, using it for three months at a time followed by a month without creatine use. The optimal time to take creatine is immediately after a workout, combined with a drink with a high glycemic index (e.g., fruit juice or a commercial sports drink).

Short-term use of creatine is considered safe but can still have potential side effects. The most common side effects are bloating, diarrhea, and muscle cramping. These effects can be minimized by staying well hydrated. Creatine does not seem to adversely affect kidney function but is not recommended for athletes with preexisting kidney disease. Because there is a lack of research in the pediatric population, creatine is not recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine for athletes under 18 years.