Creatine phosphate (CP) is a molecule stored in muscle that yields energy when the creatine splits from the attached phosphate. This energy is used to resynthesize the small amount of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) that is available to the muscle in the initial seconds of high intensity work (think 100-yard dash or a power lift). Because greater amounts of CP in the muscle can potentially allow for those high intensity efforts to be sustained a bit longer or to be performed more effectively, creatine supplementation has become popular within the last 15 years. Some research indicates that such supplementation can improve performance in the short term and in high intensity activities, but for more sustained activities it has little or no effect because of the ATP’s great dependence on aerobic metabolism. The long-term effect of such supplementation on the human body is unknown.
Do creatine supplements improve muscular performance?
