What Does Creatine Do?
What it does: Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that enhances the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy carrier in your muscles during high-intensity exercise. By increasing ATP availability, creatine allows you to perform more reps, lift heavier weights, and engage in more intense workouts, which can lead to greater muscle hypertrophy and strength gains over time.
1. Physical Performance and Muscle Health
More strength and power: Helps regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to fuel short bursts of high-intensity exercise like weightlifting or sprinting.
Muscle growth: Draws water into muscle cells and supports protein synthesis, leading to greater lean mass gains when paired with resistance training.
Faster recovery: Reduces muscle fiber breakdown and inflammation after hard workouts.
2. Brain and Cognitive Support
Mental energy: Supplies high-demand brain cells with cellular energy during times of stress or sleep deprivation.
Executive function: Early research shows modest improvements in memory, attention, and mental clarity.
3. General Health and Aging
Muscle retention: Helps older adults and people going through menopause fight age-related muscle loss and keep their mobility.
General safety: Standard Creatine Monohydrate is inexpensive, well-tolerated, and considered safe for healthy adults at a standard daily dose of 3 to 5 grams.