Muscle Mass and Performance Extremely popular with athletes involved in sports that depend on strength, speed, and power. Creatine is a substance found naturally in the body and is produced by metabolic processes to power muscles. Why you may require nutritional support: All athletes, cyclists, long distance runners or gym goers or those undertaking any activity that requires stamina and endurance. During repeated bouts of high intensity exercise.

Creatine has been shown to be effective at increasing lean muscle mass, muscle strength and athletic performance, enabling you to train harder for longer. Particularly effective at boosting performance during repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise. When muscles are in use, the compound adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is broken down into two other compounds - adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and inorganic phosphate. This process produces your body's cellular energy, which, among other things, powers the muscles.

Creatine is marketed as "nature's muscle builder" and "the most legitimate sports supplement around." Professional and amateur athletes alike are gobbling up this ergogenic aid, to increase their strength and performance. Creatine supplementation is claimed to increase muscle power by playing a role in the transfer of energy to help the muscle contract. Supplement labels state that "creatine is converted to phosphocreatine, which is important for short energy bursts such as sprinting and weight lifting" and that "depletion of phosphocreatine can result in muscle fatigue and fading muscle power." Claims are also made that supplementation increases muscle body mass.

Health-food stores sell creatine supplements in capsules, chewables, and powdered form, the most popular being the powder. One teaspoon of powder contains 5 grams (g) of creatine monohydrate. The recommended daily dose is 1-2 teaspoons dissolved in 8 ounces of water or sweetened beverage. Manufacturers and distributors suggest a five- to seven-day loading phase with intake of 10-20 g (2-4 scoops) daily to fill up the muscle. The maintenance phase of 5-10 g/day is recommended before and/or immediately following a workout. This protocol is claimed to increase creatine muscle stores by 20-50%.

The body's pool of creatine can be replenished either from food (or supplements) or through synthesis from precursor amino acids. Dietary sources include beef, tuna, cod, salmon, herring, and pork. The normal dietary intake of creatine is 1-2 g/day, although vegetarians may consume less. Dietary creatine is absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream. If the dietary supply is limited, creatine can be synthesized from the body stores of the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine. The kidneys use glycine and arginine to make guanidinoacetate, which the liver methylates to form creatine, which is transported to the muscle cells for storage. It is also stored in the kidneys, sperm cells, and brain tissue.

The maximum amount of creatine the body can store is about 0.3 gram per kilogram of body weight. The creatine content of skeletal muscles averages 125 millimoles per kilogram of dry matter and ranges from about 60 to 160. Approximately 60% of muscle creatine is in the form of PCr. Human muscle seems to have an upper limit of creatine storage of 150 to 160. Athletes with high creatine stores don't appear to benefit from supplementation, whereas individuals with the lowest levels, such as vegetarians, have the most pronounced increases following supplementation. Without supplementation, the body can replenish muscle creatine at the rate of about 2 g/day.

Other areas of research include therapeutic uses of creatine to help patients with muscle wasting caused by disease states such as muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Small-scale preliminary studies show some gains in strength may be possible for these patients, which could improve their quality of life. One study of 81 patients with various neurologic diseases found that giving 10 g/day of creatine for five days, followed by 5 grams for another week, increases their muscle strength by about 10%. Large-scale studies should be done before recommendations are made to such patients.

CreaPure is available in 250g and 500g re-sealable foil pouches

Warnings:

Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking any medications, please consult a doctor before use.

Discontinue use and consult a doctor if adverse reactions occur.

Not intended for use by persons under the age of 18.

Keep out of reach of children. Store in a cool, dry place. Do not use if seal is broken or missing.

This information is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any ailment.