The Science Behind Creatine

One of the few supplements that has truly stood the test of time, is the often misunderstood creatine. Creatine is great for increasing strength and endurance, and thus, muscle mass. Creatine is a naturally occuring amino acid, however, our body does not synthesize a great amount of it, so supplementation can be highly beneficial. Basically any creatine supplement forms creatine phosphate in muscle cells, where it provides an additional phosphate molecule. This phosphate molecule is used by the body to transform ADP into ATP ( which we primarily use for energy) . What this relates to for us is extra muscular energy in the gym - which means we can push heavier weights for longer ; this of course leads to increased muscle mass.Creatine use is perfectly natural and there is no substantial proof of negative side effects other than some slight water retention in some individuals. So that's basically how creatine works! Now onto which form of creatine to choose.

Nowadays when you go to the supplement shop though its not as easy as just buying some basic creatine - you're presented with a choice between dozens of different forms of creatines all claiming to provide the best results in the shortest time. The key difference between these creatines is the newer forms have esters attached to supposedly make you absorb more of them - but in reality there is no reason to not buy plain old Creatine monohydrate - the cheapest and most researched form available. The 2 other forms of creatine that I would recommend are Creatine ethyl ester and kre alkalyn which do not give as much water retention as what you find with regular monohydrate - however they are subtantially more expensive than creatine monohydrate.