Creatine

Many people have asked me what is creatine, is it a pill, protein, do I need it?? Well your body makes creatine so yes you need it .Creatine monohydrate is a non-vitamin nutrient manufactured by the body in the liver and kidneys and stored in muscle tissue.Creatine helps replenish your cell's reserves of energy. With higher energy reserves, you are able to work out longer and with more intensely. Creatine is already make naturally inside your body, but there are supplements that you can take if you wish to up your levels. So what are the benefits of creatine? Creatine helps aid in muscle recover, more ATP production in muscle cells which means more energy is available for muscular contractions, reduced lactic acid buildup and if your goal is to appear bigger the appearance of the size and shape of your muscles even within the first week of taking it will be noticed. Creatine supplementation also may improve our serum cholesterol levels And of course there are some side effects! Stop taking any creatine supplements if you experence and of these: gastrointestinal distress, dehydration, muscle strains, muscle tears, and also blood pressure flux. 

However not everyone needs to take creatine supplements!! I do not recommend just anyone taking them, this is my opinion! People that would benefit from taking creatine supplements would be athletes that their performances are  characterized by short bursts of intense physical activity. These can consist of sprinters, soccer players, hockey players, weightlifters, and even baseball players, just to name a few!

There are a couple varieties of creatine supplements that you can take. There are 3 main types of creatine supplements. If you ask me they are not all equal in value though!!

• Creatine monohydrate is by far the most common form of creatine found in supplementation. It is composed of 88% creatine and 22% water. Most research studies use this form of creatine because it is the most widely used form of creatine.
• Creatine phosphate is another form that is composed of 62.3% creatine and 37.7% phosphate. The thinking behind this form is that it is the form that your body uses to actually power itself, since creatine on its own will not work. It has to be bounded to a phosphate group. One disadvantage to this form is that you get only 623 milligrams of creatine per gram taken. Also very expensive!
• Creatine citrate is yet another form that is supposed to be much more water soluble and thus is easier to mix with water and taste better. However, there is only about 400 milligrams of creatine per gram of creatine citrate.  

 You HAVE to work out when taking a creatine supplement!! Like I stated before taking supplement for creatine is NOT for everyone!!!!!
 I hope this helps everyone understand a little more about creatine!! If you have any questions please ask!! 

Jillian