Creatine is a natural component (nitrogen-containing carboxylic acid), constantly present in muscle tissue. He is a participant in energy metabolism and stimulates the work of muscles - that is why the use of creatine for training is beyond doubt.
What is the use of creatine?
In the process of evolution, nature provided man and animals with such physical abilities that are necessary for survival. Creatine is produced by the liver and kidneys, it is present in the muscles of humans and animals in order to maintain energy metabolism within the framework of necessary needs - this is its purpose and main benefit. Normally, a person in the body contains 100-140 g of creatine.
The mechanism of creatine work is this: when a molecule breaks, energy is released, which causes the muscles to contract. Depletion of creatine stocks leads to a reduction or termination of muscle contractions. To replenish the reserves of creatine, you must include meat in the diet. However, in order to get creatine in the amount that athletes need, you need to eat a few kilograms of meat and fish a day, which is not very useful for the body. Therefore, among athletes, nutritional supplements with creatine are popular.
The benefits and harm of creatine in sports
The purpose of creatine in sports is to increase muscle power for the most intense loads, increase stamina and reduce the time required for recovery after training. In addition, thanks to the use of creatine, there is an increase in muscle mass. Another plus of creatine is that water when used in tissues does not accumulate than can not boast of steroids and cortisol. Applying creatine, the athlete can gain about 5 kg of muscle mass in 2 weeks.
Side effects when taking creatine are found in about 5% of those who use it. To get rid of unpleasant symptoms, stop taking the medication. The main percentage of cases of side effects are individual intolerance and allergy . They are expressed in the form of rashes, redness and itching of the skin, irritation of mucous membranes. In some athletes, creatine causes the appearance of acne.
If the drinking regime is incorrect, creatine can cause dehydration, seizures and spasms, in which case you need to increase the amount of water you drink. It is desirable to reduce the volume of salted, pickled and spicy food, otherwise there will be swelling. It is undesirable to take creatine with people with high acidity, because digestion can be seriously affected.