Identification

• Creatine is an enzyme naturally produced by liver, kidney and pancreas (via the synthesis of the amino acids arginine, glycine and methionine) and found nutritionally in meat and fish. Creatine is stored in muscle tissues and used to produce energy for muscle cells and help cause growth.
  
  

Functions

• Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the chief source of energy for muscle cells during activity and exercise. The muscle cells take ATP and break it down chemically into either adenosine diphosphate or adenosine monophosphate and phosphate, and the breaking of the phosphate bond releases energy that the cells can use. Creatine acts by binding to free phosphates (to form phosphocreatine) and after binding to either ADP or AMP, phosphocreatine chemically transfers this phosphate group, thus quickly creating more ATP for the muscle cells to use as energy.
  
  According to researchers Susanna Törnroth-Horsefield and Richard Neutze, each day the human body uses an amount of ATP equal to its own weight, and creatine helps make this continual recycling of ATP to ADP (or AMP) and back again more efficient.
  
  

Benefits

• The pharmaceutical information website rxlist.com reports that doctors can use creatine to increase strength and endurance in patients with heart failure and with muscle wasting diseases, such as muscular dystrophy, Lou Gehrig's disease, multiple sclerosis and AIDS. Creatine has also been used to slow the effects of Parkinson's disease and to treat the ocular disorder gyrate atrophy.
  
  The BBC has reported experiments that show creatine's ability to boost mental performance by supplying the brain with more energy. Subjects in these studies taking creatine performed better in both memory and computational tasks.
  
  

Athletics

• Bodybuilding.com reports that athletes and bodybuilders take creatine to enhance muscle growth and improve performance. Creatine causes the muscle tissues to store excess water, which makes them appear larger. Athletes in many sports take creatine to give their muscles more energy during workouts and competitions. Creatine's ability to quickly deliver energy to muscle cells enables athletes to train longer and harder, improving strength and performance over time.
  
  

Warnings

• The pharmaceutical website drugs.com indicates that there a number of conditions where individuals should not take creatine. Creatine negatively effects of the actions of a number of drugs (see full list in resource one), and users taking prescription or over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) should not take this drug because the use of creatine and NSAIDs will put extra stress on the kidneys. Drugs.com reports that creatine's effects on infants or fetuses is yet unknown and advises expectant and nursing mothers to consult a physician before use.
  
  

Dangers

• Drugs.com advises individuals taking creatine to drink extra fluids, as creatine can encourage dehydration, muscle cramps, reduced blood volume, and electrolyte imbalances. Users have also reported allergic reactions to creatine that range from swelling in the lips, tongue and face, to labored breathing, closing of the throat and hives. Some individuals taking creatine have also experienced kidney dysfunction that resulted in decreased urine volume.