What is Creatine?
[[File:Creatine2.png|thumb|Chemical structure]] [[File:Creatine-from-xtal-3D-bs-17.png|thumb|Ball and stick structure]] '''Creatine''' is a combination of three [[non-essential]] [[amino acids]]. These are [[methionine]], [[arginine]] and [[glycine]]. Creatine is used to produce [[adenosine triphosphate]], ATP. ATP is the [[energy]] of the [[human body]]. Creatine is already in the body as a natural substance and in some food (for example [[beef]]). The body changes creatine to [[phosphocreatine]]. It is then stored as energy in the [[Muscle|muscles]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Diseases & Conditions: A-Z Fact Sheets > Creatine|url=http://www.bidmc.org/YourHealth/ConditionsAZ.aspx?ChunkID=21706|publisher=Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center|access-date=29 November 2013|date=August 2013|archive-date=28 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128035754/http://www.bidmc.org/YourHealth/ConditionsAZ.aspx?ChunkID=21706|url-status=dead}}</ref> The energy systems of the body are: [[aerobic]], [[lactate]] and phosphocreatine. Most of the creatine is used in the lactate system and the phosphocreatine system because these two systems need more energy than the aerobic system. They also take a part of the energy from the production or the absorption of creatine. == Effects on the human body == When someone eats creatine it can increase the size of their muscles and increase the amount of [[protein synthesis]]. The increase comes from the [[water retention]] of [[Cell|cells]] that store creatine. For [[protein synthesis]], it is not entirely known, but creatine can help with the recovery of muscle.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Cooke|first1=Matthew B|last2=Rybalka|first2=Emma|last3=Williams|first3=Andrew D|last4=Cribb|first4=Paul J|last5=Hayes|first5=Alan|date=2009-06-02|title=Creatine supplementation enhances muscle force recovery after eccentrically-induced muscle damage in healthy individuals|journal=Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition|volume=6|pages=13|doi=10.1186/1550-2783-6-13|issn=1550-278