Several people at the gym that I go to say that creatine supplements will increase the size and strength of my muscles. Is this true?
Creatine is certainly one of the hot supplements among fitness enthusiasts. A growing body of evidence exists to suggest that taking creatine supplements may improve a person’s ability to perform short-term, intense exercise. All skeletal muscle tissue contains creatine, and dietary creatine is found in meat and fish. During exercise, a portion of the muscle’s creatine is depleted. Creatine phosphate plays an important role in resynthesizing ATP during short bursts of high-intensity exercise. Creatine supplements have been shown to increase the total creatine content (creatine and creatine phosphate) of muscle on an average of 20-30 percent. Several studies suggest that ingestion of 20-25 grams of creatine monohydrate per day for 5-6 days improves muscular performance during activities that require high levels of strength and power (e.g., weight lifting, sprinting). Sufficient evidence exists to state that, under certain conditions, creatine supplementation can enhance performance in a
