The Advantages of Creatine

Unlike many other bodybuilding supplements the advantages of creatine are well documented Creatine has been rather spoil in the level of attention it has received since showing up on the mainstream bodybuilders’ radar around a decade ago.

 The best recorded results were found to be in increasing absolute strength (measured by one rep bench press) and also the number of reps performed with a 70% maximum weight. Also, performance was enhanced on maximum power output on short burst 6-second cycling sessions. This suggests one of the advantages of creatine is that sprinting or any athletic activity where short burst power is required would benefit from supplementation.  

Will it increase lean muscle mass?
The majority of studies report that creatine supplementation increases lean bodymass. This occurs whether the participants in the studies exercised or not. However, greater increases were observed in individuals undertaking a weight training program. Typical results from studies show that during the ‘loading phase’ of creatine supplementation increases in musclemass of between 1-3kg can be expected. During a 12 week cycle of supplementation...  

Gains of around 4-5kg can be expected.
Much has been speculated on whether these muscle gains are ‘genuine’ or ‘real’ when the processes involved in creatine synthesis involve water to be drawn into the muscles.  

Is this not simply water retention?
Well, studies show that initially this may be the case… however, with longer term supplementation, over a month or more, the advantages of supplementation show up and the gains in muscle mass have been found to be greater in the group supplementing than in the control groups – and both groups had the same water retention.

 An answer may be found when you look at the process at work when creatine supplementation increases the concentration of Phosphocreatine in the muscles. Water is drawn into the cells, increasing muscle fiber thickness by around 15%.

This stretches the cell membrane and is thought to trigger an anabolic (protein synthesis leading to lean tissue growth) reaction at this point. Researchers have found that in resting conditions and at high dosages, Creatine enhances Growth Hormone (GH) secretion, The same response as intense exercise which also stimulates GH secretion.

The same researchers felt that the effects of creatine on GH could be viewed as one of creatine's anabolic properties leading to the lean mass and strength increases observed after supplementation. Here is some more on the the advantages of creatine.....Or see more creatine facts here.........