Creatine supplementation in strength-power sports

Abstract

The exogenous ingestion of creatine (Cr) is typically used as a performance enhancing (ergogenic) supplement because it is known to improve performance in muscular strength and power activities, enhance short bursts of muscular endurance, and allow for greater muscular overload in order to improve training effectiveness. Creatine has become one of the most popular ingested nutritional supplements due to its potential enhancement of athletic performance. Creatine is primarily located in skeletal muscle and plays a pivotal role in cellular bioenergetics, specifically towards the reformation of a molecule essential for muscular contraction, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The vast majority of research indicates that high-intensity, short duration, and repeated exercise bouts are the most effective modes of exercise that can be enhanced by creatine supplementation. Oral creatine supplementation has been shown to provide numerous benefits, including increases in lean muscle mass, muscular strength, and enhanced performance in various athletic capacities. The creatine transporter is a protein that mediates the entry of creatine from the circulation into the muscle cell. © 2008 Humana Press.