Creatine has become a staple for many bodybuilders as well as fitness enthusiasts for a host of reasons. Firstly creatine is credited with boosting energy as well as increasing muscle size, two appealing benefits to anyone in fitness.

In addition, the creatine interacts with cell receptors to increase the volume of the cell, making you bigger. Finally, when you have pushed yourself to your limits and your body is feeling the punishment, creatine helps with the recovery time. Creatine is an invaluable supplement.


Brands of Creatine




There are many, many brands of creatine on the market:

•    Body Fortress
•    LifeExension
•    MuscleTech
•    GNC
•    Natrol
•    AST Sports

Differences in Creatine
All of these brands provide basically the same benefits however what may vary are the price points, familiarity and loyalty you feel to a brand, the choice of pill or powder, and lastly the flavor you prefer.  Creatine comes in vanilla, chocolate and even berry tropical fruit flavors to please anyone's taste.

How Creatine Works
Creatine helps to actually create more muscle because you have more energy therefore you can work harder when you train. It also provides the muscle a mechanism for retaining water which is the requirement for the synthesis of the protein and increasing the muscle's ability to synthesize glycogen, which it then uses for energy. Creatine will also benefit the muscle by helping to repair the tears that occur in muscles while training. Creatine is an invaluable supplement.

Creatine seems to be preferred by weight lifters over endurance athletes. ATP is used as a primary fuel source for short bursts of power and so the application to intense weight training is obvious however the benefits are not as obvious for an endurance athlete. Runners for example use the aerobic system which requires slow sustained energy and therefore may not want the explosive power benefit. Creatine has also been associated with weight gain which is also not beneficial when you are training for long distance runs, triathlons or 150 mile distance bike rides.

Creatine is found naturally in the body and we can get it from our food choices. Red meat is the best source of creatine but many people these days are concerned with some of the risks associated with eating too much red meat therefore a supplement is preferred. This is such a safe addition to your diet that the FDA has classified it as a supplement, and getting FDA approval is certainly no easy feat!