Creatine is one of the most popular ergogenic supplements taken by athletes and bodybuilders

Biocreatine’s creatine monohydrate is the highest quality, ultra pure, micronized German creatine, manufactured under GMP conditions. Creatine is one of the most popular ergogenic supplements taken by athletes and bodybuilders, with a wealth of solid scientific evidence that indicates that it improved endurance during intense exercise and that it leads to increased lean muscle gain. However, the health benefits of creatine are not limited to its actions is skeletal muscle, it also functions to enhance cognitive abilities and memory. Creatine also has neuroprotective properties, which make it a valuable tool in slowing down age related brain deterioration.

Creatine monohydrate is a natural substance in the body. It can be synthesised, mostly in the kidneys and liver, from the amino acids glycine, arginine and methionine. It is also obtained from the diet, especially from fresh meat, since the vast majority of the creatine in the body is present in muscle.

Once it is taken up by cells, creatine is converted into phosphorcreatine with the addition of a methyl group by the enzyme creatine kinase. Phosphocreatine then acts as an energy buffer by taking part in replacing of ATP molecules during times of increased energy expenditure, such as when a muscle is contracting. Phosphocreatine donate its phosphate group to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) producing ATP, which can be used to drive muscle contractions and other energy requiring cell functions. The reaction also recycles the creatine.

It is important to note that the production of ATP from phosphocreatine does not require oxygen, unlike the oxidation of glucose or fatty acids. One of the limiting factors of muscle contraction is how quickly oxygen from the lungs can be transported to muscle cells. Since the reaction with phosphocreatine does not require oxygen, ATP production in this system is not limited by the availability of oxygen. It also doesn’t produce acidic substances, unlike anaerobic respiration where the side product is lactic acid. This lowers the pH of muscle cells, producing muscle soreness, and limiting the amount of contracting muscle cells can do.

In a published ‘Position Stand’ the International Society of Sports Nutrition stated that ‘Creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergongenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes in terms of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass’. They also state their opinion that creatine monohydrate is safe if used within recommended guidelines, and that there are no scientific indications that either short- or  long-term use has any detrimental effects on healthy people.

Although 95% of the creatine in the body is found in skeletal muscle cells, the presence of the enzyme creatine kinase in many different tissues suggested that creatine might play important functions beyond allowing muscle fibres to contract for longer and with more force. This suspicion has proven correct as new roles were discovered for creatine in other systems, and particularly in the brain.

The brain uses up more energy in the body than any other organ, it is estimated that about 20% of a typical human’s energy needs are used to power up the communications between the neurons. What is more, the brain  is more restricted as to the fuels it can burn for energy. It cannot use fatty acids or amino acids, it pretty much relies on glucose or ketone bodies when it comes to producing ATP through aerobic respiration. It is no wonder then, that the phosphocreatine system, which is an alternative way of producing ATP when normal aerobic respiration does not fulfil all the needs is of great importance to brain function.

The role of creatine supplementation in enhancing brain function was demonstrated by double-blind, placebo controlled trial carried out by a team from Sydney university published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society. The study tested the effects of a 5g creatine daily supplement for six weeks on cognitive function and memory. The study found that the volunteers who took the creatine supplement scored significantly hire on tests for working memory and intelligence, than the control subjects who were given a placebo.

As well as playing a crucial role in energy homeostasis, creatine has strong anti-oxidant properties, protecting the organs, and especially the nervous system, from the damage done by free radicals and oxygen reactive species. It also appears to have anti-apoptotic functions, preventing programmed cell death, and to be able to prevent excitotoxicity, the pathological phenomenon in which  too much stimulation by excitatory neurotransmitters like glutamate, damages neurons and eventually causes neuron death. All the above roles suggest that creatine might function as a neuro-protectant. This has been confirmed, at least in mice. A study using healthy, but aged mice fed on a diet supplemented with creatine found that they lived longer, by an average of 9%, than control mice that did not receive extra creatine. Creatine also appeared to cause the mice to perform better in neurobehavioural tests. It appears therefore that creatine acts in the brain to enhance cognitive function and memory, and to protect against the aging of the brain.

Biocreatine’s creatine monohydrate is generally recognised as the most effective ergogenic supplement for improving sports performance and the gain of lean muscle mass from workouts. It is also scientifically proven to enhance mental focus, brain function and memory.  Creatine has also has a neuroprotective role and delays the mental decline due to aging. Biocreatine’s creatine is  ultra-pure, manufactured in a GMP facility, and is a safe supplement with no scientific evidence of any negative effects from short-term or long-term use. In Natural Stacks’ Biocreatine, it is combined in a complex which ensures its maximum absorption and uptake by cells, so you can obtain the full benefits from creatine supplementation.

Further Reading:

Creatine enhances cognitive function:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1691485/

Creatine has a neuroprotective function in the brains of aged mice:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17416441

The published stand of the International Society of Sports Nutrition about creatine monohydrate:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2048496/

Creatine monohydrate supplementation enhances exercise performance and lean mass gain:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9216554