Is Creatine Ergogenic?
The term “ergogenic ” is derived from the Greek phrase and in relation to sports performance it implies “any means to enhance energy utilisation, including energy production, control and efficiency”12. Creatine phosphate has phosphate group transfer potential over 100% greater than glucose and over 40% greater than ATP itself and that is why it is so popular with athletes8. Oral creatine supplementation can increase muscular PCr concentration up to 20%. It acts as an ergogenic aid due to the following reasons2: • Higher PCr concentration in skeletal muscle for enhanced anaerobic ATP production during maximal exercise13; • Enhanced resynthesis of PCr during recovery periods between short bouts of maximal exercise, and • Increase myofibrillar protein synthesis resulting in muscle accretion14 Oral creatine supplementation is potentially ergogenic only for activities that have a high anaerobic component and for the endurance events that involve intermittent burst of anaerobic activity. In
