Creatine is known as the most researched and studied supplement in the athletic performance & body building world. It's a naturally occurring element, and is found in all skeletal systems, both human and animal. In its purest form, it was discovered in 1835 and was first proposed as a performance enhancing substance in 1847!!!
Most of our Creatine intake is actually natural in nature. All Protein sources, Fish, White Meat & Red Meat, all contain large amounts of Creatine. Creatine is actually more available in the skeletal structure, and in countries where Bone Marrow is a delicacy, Creatine is actually found in higher amounts in the native blood samples.
Our body also uses some of the amino acids, arginine, glycine and methionine, that are taken in through protein digestion to form Creatine to support natural muscle growth & performance. The liver, kidneys & pancreas all contribute in forming natural Creatine in the system.
Once Creatine is produced in the digestive system, it then needs to be converted to PhosoCreatine or before it can be used as a performance enhancing substance. PhosoCreatine is creatine bonded to phosphate group. Without the phosphate, which it obtains from your internal system, it is dormant and will not aid the person taking it.
Once Creatine is bonded with the Phosphate group, it then is transported into the muscle cell through special transporter molecules expressed on the muscle surface (causing muscle volumizing). As the Creatine passes into the muscle cell, they bring sodium & water molecules along with them. Sodium is a powerful energy component in cells, and when muscles become strained sodium is necessary for continued energy use. This is the performance enhancement you are looking for. If the muscle has more energy due to more sodium being available, then it will become more useful under stress and allow for more extreme exertion of the muscle.
Once the muscle exertion has stopped water is then used to recycle the PhosphoCreatine & flush the system of the by products that are produced during exertion.
Because water is absorbed readily into muscles with the sodium that is pulled into the muscled during Creatine intake, other cells are deprived of water, causing them to retain the water that is needed for function. This is the negative side effect known as "bloat." This side effect is minimized if water intake is increased to compensate.
Once the Creatine has been used, it is converted to Creatinine, a toxin that the body can not used, and is filtered through the kidneys and flushed through urination.
2% of your bodies Creatine is converted to Creatinine naturally every day. Creatinine is stored in the kidneys for a short time before being flushed. Build up of Creatinine can block the filtering of other substances in your system, causing horrible side effects, including renal failure & septicemia or blood poisoning.
Because Creatinine is a toxin and unwanted in the body, it can cause cramping, gastrointestinal problems & diarrhea. If you experience these symptoms while supplementing Creatine in any form, there are causes and fixes for these symptoms. I will cover these in future articles.
Next up - Types & Dosages
Tags: Creatine, Kre-alkalyn, Creatine Monohydrate, Creatine Ethyl Ester, CEE, Kidney, Powder