It´s been always there and it may always be there: the polemic about the usage of dietary supplements. There are those who are all for them and there are the ones who are against it – including some professional in the physical education and health fields.

I am adept to the use of some supplements but against indiscriminate use or overuse. Here in Brazil the health organization called Anvisa has allowed the use of creatine and caffeine (by professional athletes only, may I add), so that´s the main theme of today´s article.

Creatine is a supplement which that provides extra energy to a very specific phase of training. Meaning: high-intensity efforts during your exercise routine, such as sprinting, weight lifting, tennis disputes and wrestling. Athletes who need going through such processes are the ones who benefit from supplementation (they need more energy than usual while undergoing those extreme moments in order to score an ace and win the competition, for example).



How does the creatine molecules work in the human body?
The main energy producer in our body is a molecule called ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which releases energy after its rupture. This leads to the formation of ADP (adenosine diphosphate) that can be considered a less energetic version of ATP.

Okay, I know it´s a bit confusing, but bare with me and I´ll get to the point, I promise! Let´s keep going.

Unfortunately our body has a very limited supply of ATP (which lasts only a few seconds), and this molecule needs to be regenerated if the exercise goes on for longer. One of the ways our body uses to regenerate ATP is by using another molecule called phosphocreatine (PCr). Creatine is, then, used by our body in order to produce the required amount of ATP during those high intensity exercises for a short period of time (the time necessary for you to finish your match or training session).

Basically, the goal of the phosphocreatine is to ´share´ its phosphate atom to ADP, so that it will form ATP which will later split and release the energy needed to continue the exercise. Creatine prolongs the time of exercising, which is not normally possible. No one knows what causes increased body mass associated with creatine, though. There is evidence that creatine stimulates the production of proteins, with no extra body fat gain, which is good in terms of athletic performance.

But remember: there is no magic pill! Every supplement will only work properly if combined with a planned diet and a good training program which should be followed with diligence and commitment. Otherwise, do not waste time and money with them, they´ll be useless. Talk to a professional, ask the opinion of someone who understands about it and who can give you hints on the right doses and stuff.