Here is a three-part article on a supplement that has been gaining steam for the better part of two decades now. Its name is creatine, and on many fronts it may be of great value for your muscles. That includes your heart. In part one, I’ll introduce this natural supplement that has great potential.
Since the 1990s, creatine has been a popular supplement used mainly to increase exercise performance. In your body, creatine is made from three amino acids: arginine; glycerine; and methionine. And it’s made in three places: the kidneys; liver; and pancreas. About one to two grams are made each day. We also get another gram or so from an average day’s intake of meat and fish.
Around 95% of the creatine in your body is found in skeletal muscle. One-third of this is free creatine and the other two-thirds exist as energy-rich phosphocreatine. When your body needs energy, phosphocreatine creates ATP — that is the source of energy for all the body’s cells. Creatine also increases the rate at which muscle protein is used, making muscle fibers bigger and helping with lean body mass. Supplements of creatine could actually prevent tissue damage by strengthening the membranes around each cell.
There are many articles about creatine’s impact on exercising. But only in the last 15 years have scientists looked at how creatine might help reverse the muscle weakness and fatigue caused by so many diseases.
First off, quickly, creatine may have some potential for a variety of musculoskeletal diseases. Here’s a look at some notable results where it’s been found promising. If you don’t recognize the condition, then that’s probably a good thing:
– Spinal cord injury
– Duchene muscular dystrophy
– Hereditary muscle diseases
– Dermatomyositis or polymyositis
– Age-related loss of muscle strength and muscle mass
In part two, I’ll look at how creatine strengthens the heart and lungs.
Next Post:
This Tropical Fruit Could Protect Your Brain Previous Post:
Are You Storing Medication Safely?Tags: pancreas
