Sucess From Creatine Essay, Research Paper

Success From Creatine

Many people in athletics avoid using creatine monohydrate because they do not

know much about it. They are convinced that something that can help athletes achieve

such great results cannot be good for the body. This is not true if the supplement is taken

correctly. Creatine is an excellent supplement. It is one of the only products on the

market that has been proven to significantly enhance athletic performance in the areas of

power, strength, and muscle mass. Creatine makes muscle cells retain water, then flushes

out acid buildup when the muscles are used. This hydration process increases the amount

of work individual cells can do and also aids in the recovery of muscle cells. Many

people believe creatine supplements should be treated the same as steroids and banned

from all sports. They assume creatine is not natural, harmful to the body and unfair in

athletic competition.

Often, it is said that creatine supplements are unnatural. Nothing could be further

from the truth. Most people do not realize the human body produces creatine. It is an

amino acid made in the liver and stored in muscles. It can also be obtained by certain

foods in the diet. Milk, steak, and fish are the best sources of creatine. The daily

recommended minimal dosage of this amino acid is about two grams. If dietary creatine

is increased, it will augment the amount of stored creatine which will help athletic

performance. Without the correct amount of any of the twenty amino acids, the body will

not function to its fullest potential.

Although scientists have known of creatine for over one hundred years, studies on

it have only been going on for the last decade. They have found it to be virtually

harmless with very few drawbacks in their research. The most significant being abuse of

the supplement. One example of this is to consume too much over a long period of time.

Some researchers fear that this could make the body stop producing creatine, then the

body would rely only on the supplement. This is why creatine supplements should be

taken in cycles. Another form of abuse is to ingest too much at one time. It is hard for

the body to breakdown the granular substance, but if plenty of water is consumed this

should not be a problem.

Many people believe that creatine supplements give athletes an unfair advantage

and compare them to steroids. These supplements are most definitely an advantage, but

not unfair. Even though the supplement may have similar results to steroids, it is only an

amino acid and part of a healthy diet. The results one gets from using creatine come from

long hard hours of training, not just taking the supplement.

Many people avoid using creatine for different reasons. If they would research the

facts or try it for themselves, they would come to the conclusion that it is an excellent

supplement. Not only will creatine supplements increase athletic performance, but they

will help muscles recover from strenuous workouts faster. No matter what kind of

training is being done, creatine supplements can help achieve better results.