Benefits of Creatine
One of the many benefits of creatine is that the body needs creatine for energy. It is a compound that is found in the liver in the form of ATP or adenosine triphosphate. Creatine is also known as creatine citrate, creatine monohydrate and creatine phosphate.
What is Creatine?
Creatine is one of those substances that we get from our food and our body is able to make it on its own. This is important because the creatine that is found in red meat and fish usually gets destroyed during the cooking process.
The body makes creatine from other substances such as L-arginine and L-methionine which are amino acids that are found in animal protein. It’s important to note that in order for the creatine to move into the muscles it needs insulin.
Should I Take Creatine Supplements?
There has been a significant amount of research done showing that the benefits of creatine improve athletic performance during activities that are high intensity and short in duration, 
such as sprinting or even weight lifting. It is due to the fact that creatine kicks up the production of ATP, which provides a burst of energy to the muscles.
Research also suggests that creatine may help decrease muscle fatigue because it lowers the amount of lactic acid that produced by the muscles.
The benefits of creatine is most popular among bodybuilders and athletes because it offers the same effect steroids do without having negative side effects. While some organizations question the ethical implications of allowing the use of creatine, many have yet to ban the use of the compound.
Creatine facts have shown to increase lean muscle mass and strengthen muscles. This could be due to the fact that creatine draws water to the muscles. However due to inconsistencies in the studies that have been done, more research is still needed. Further studies are necessary to find out what is considered a safe dose and what the benefits of creatine truly are.
Are There Harmful Side Effects of Creatine?
In one analysis called the Cochrane Collaboration where 12 trials were done, they found the creatine had a number of notable adverse side effects, such as: diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, decrease appetite, muscle cramps and weight gain.
Since creatine draws water into the muscles and away from other organs and areas that need the water, it could also 
cause dehydration.
The safety concerns do not stop there; creatine could also damage the heart, liver and kidneys. They have also found that use of creatine may cause wheezing, coughing and other asthmatic symptoms in certain people.
If you have McArdle’s disease, are pregnant, nursing or have kidney disease you should not take creatine. Creatine that is available as oral supplements may be metabolized into a toxic by-product called formaldehyde which could lead to cell damage, damaged blood vessels and DNA molecules.
Many people reap the benefits of creatine however if you are considering taking a creatine supplement it is advisable that you talk with your doctor first. They can advise you as to whether or not it can cause any individual risk to you.
