Effect Of Creatine on the Human Body

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The combination of its popularity and the public's lack of knowledge about creatine has
lead to several misunderstandings and misperceptions. Overshadowed by its dynamic strength
gaining capabilities, creatine’s negative effects can hinder an athlete’s well being for life.
Chevreul, a French scientist, discovered creatine in 1832. Since it’s unearthing, it has
fascinated scientists with it’s integral role in skeletal muscle metabolism. A natural substance
found in the body, creatine plays a very important part in energy production and muscle
contractions (Lipsid N.P.).
Recently, creatine supplementation has exploded onto the sports scene, attracting athletes
with the amazing results that it has produced. Some of those results include: more powerful
muscle contractions, increased explosiveness, faster muscle recovery, less fatigue, increased
muscle size, and increased weight gain (Lipsid N.P.). These factors and more are the reasons
why creatine has become the most researched supplement on the market today.
Through various research methods, scientists have come to discover that creatine is an
essential and natural substance required for energy metabolism and muscle movement.
Deficiencies of the substance can lead to certain physical muscular disorders which can be fatal
in humans and animals.
The human body synthesizes creatine from three amino acids which include glycine,
arganine, and methionine. These amino acids are components of protein. In humans, the
enzymes involved in the synthesis of creatine are located in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys.
Creatine is produced in any of these organs and then transported to the muscle through the
bloodstream. Approximately 95% of the total creatine pool in your body is stored in the skeletal
muscle tissue. The other five percent can be found in the heart, brain, and testes (Gutfield 90).
The total creatine pool refers to the amount of creatine...