What Are the Uses of Creatine for Athletes?

Creatine is useful for improving athletes' power, strength, and endurance; for helping athletes gain weight; and for recovering from training. Generally speaking, people believe creatine to have a positive effect, but some studies have indicated that its effects are negligible. Research conducted on the effects of using creatine for athletes has suggested that creatine can improve strength and muscle mass during intense, short periods of action, and is particularly effective when athletes take short breaks. Most of the human research has been completed in the laboratory, with no actual sporting activity measured. The studies also indicate that people around 20 years of age are most likely to feel the effects of creatine.

Every cell in the human body uses creatine for energy, in some form. The energy that powers the cell is actually stored as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and the levels of this within the muscles can be increased with phosphocreatine. Phosphocreatine is produced by the body in response to creatine in the diet. Most dietary creatine will come from meat and fish products, particularly red meat and fish such as herring. Taking creatine is an attractive prospect for athletes because it is a naturally occurring compound that is directly responsible for the energy levels of muscles.

Supplements of creatine for athletes promise to improve muscle power, overall strength, and endurance. These effects mean that one of the primary uses of creatine for athletes is for events which involve short periods of high-intensity exercise, such as weight lifting. Athletes also take creatine for endurance events such as running, because creatine is useful for replenishing the energy stores of muscles. There is also a promise of an increase in weight gain when taking creatine.

Research conducted into the effects of creatine for athletes has had mixed results, making the actual effectiveness of the supplement difficult to determine. Studies have been conducted on both humans and animals, but the human studies have mainly taken place in a laboratory, not involving sporting activity. The research suggests that creatine could be considered useful in events like weight lifting and sprinting, which require short, intense bursts of energy. This positive effect is usually only found in people of around 20 years of age, becoming much less common in older participants.

Studies have shown that creatine is unlikely to be very effective for endurance athletes. Advertisers exaggerate the effects of creatine for athletes, and users should make sure that any claims regarding improved endurance be backed up by empirical research. Many studies have been conducted into the effects of the supplement, and results are usually mixed.