Performance Boost and Other Benefits of Creatine
By Paul Rothbart
Bodybuilders and powerlifters are familiar with the supplement creatine. It usually comes in a powdered form and is dissolved in a liquid, often a power milkshake. Creatine is natural and completely safe. It does help build bigger muscles and increase strength. There are other ways that taking creatine can boost athletic performance. Here are some of the benefits.
It Accelerates Muscle Growth
When it comes to building muscle quickly, there is no supplement more effective than creatine. Taking the supplement while training for a short 5-7 period has been shown to increase lean muscle mass significantly. Research in which participants engaged in a 6-week training regimen had half of them taking creatine and the other half not. The creatine group averaged 4.4 pounds more muscle mass gain than the other group. Creatine also helps boost performance in the gym that allows for more intense workouts.
It Aids Cells in Producing Energy
The molecule adenosine triphosphate (ADP) is vital to the body's cells' function and ability to create energy. ADP production is dependent upon the body's levels of phosphocreatine. Creatine supplements build up the stores of phosphocreatine triggering greater production of ADP. The result is that muscle cells produce more energy allowing for longer workouts of greater intensity. This can also help with performance in sports.
It Can Improve Exercise Performance
By increasing the production of ADP, thus providing more energy, there are several aspects of exercise performance that are boosted by creating. Muscle mass and strength are two of the obvious ones, but endurance, resisting fatigue, sprint speed, ballistic power, recovery time, and even the performance of your brain are also increased. Essentially, every factor that contributes to exercise performance is boosted by creatine supplements, enabling you to get your very best workouts.
It May Help With Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder that is caused by insufficient levels of the neurotransmitter, dopamine, in the brain. Low levels of dopamine can cause brain cells to die. This is what causes Parkinson's symptoms such as tremors, impaired speech, and loss of muscle function. Research involving mice inflicted with the disease has found that creatine prevented 90 percent of the dopamine loss typically linked to Parkinson's Further research must be conducted to study the effect on humans. People with Parkinson's often train with weights to counter the loss of muscle function and strength. Taking creatine can improve the effectiveness of those workouts, thus helping slow the disease.
Those who train heavily with weights have been known to take all kinds of supplements. Some are dangerous and even illegal. The use of creatine is very common. This completely safe supplement has many benefits for the average person as well as for the professional athlete.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Annapolis, Md.