Creatine supplementation is a hugely popular and effective way to support muscle strength. This has been shown in many studies, when used alongside a healthy, protein-rich diet and regular strength/resistance training. Our bodies naturally produce creatine from amino acids. In turn, creatine helps to make a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This substance is our bodies' main source of energy for muscle contractions. 95% of our bodies' creatine is stored in the cells of our muscles, and if our levels of creatine are low then the production of ATP is significantly reduced and our energy can be dramatically decreased. Without energy, we can't perform well during exercise, and without adequate resistance exercise our muscle tissues cannot go through the process of tearing and rebuilding. It is this process that increases muscle mass over time. Aside from creatine supplementation, the factors that affect our bodies' creatine storage levels include natural food sources of creatine, how much muscle mass we have, how much we exercise, and the levels of protein and certain hormones like testosterone we have.

How does creatine help you to build muscle? Increasing the production of ATP is creatine's primary function during high-intensity exercise. However, there are several other ways that creatine helps us to build muscle. Increases cell signalling, which aids muscle repair and growth. Raises levels of certain hormones ,which support muscle growth. Reduces muscle breakdown, by reducing protein breakdown. Reduces levels of the protein myostatin, which can slow muscle growth. How effective are creatine supplements at supporting muscle growth? Many studies have looked at the effectiveness of consuming additional creatine through supplements, and found this to be effective for muscle building and strength. These positive results are subject to the participants also following high-resistance training routines, and the effectiveness is compared to those who follow similar training exercises without supplementation. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) describes creatine supplementation as the most effective nutritional supplement currently available to athletes for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training.

There are also other potential health benefits of increasing your creatine stores. As a small percentage of creatine is stored in the brain, an increase in creatine storage can protect against neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Creatine supplementation has therefore been studied as a possible therapeutic agent for such diseases. Do you really need to walk 10,000 steps a day? Are you wearing a device like a smartwatch to track your steps? If so, the goal of 10,000 steps a day may have become a bit of an obsession. But is focusing on this number the best way to improve your health? We ask an expert whether all this counting is really doing us any good. Is creatine bad for you? Creatine supplementation has received some bad p1.jpg&dl=1">