What does creatine do?

The studies on Creatine suggest that it is a safe supplement, which can be taken for a short duration. Smaller long-term studies have not found any negative effects as of yet.

High intensity athletes take Creatine for the marginal added performance it may give to the athlete. Most of the world athletic associations do not consider taking this supplement as a doping vehicle.

Creatine helps to increase muscle mass, but has a mixed benefit for the athlete depending on their sport. Cyclists find a slightly better performance level while runners and swimmers could not see any real change. There is evidence that taking the supplement will help a person gain muscle mass.

A person taking Creatine should drink more water than usual as the muscles become accustomed to having more water content. Athletes that did not do this found they were subject to more muscle cramps.

If the goal is to add mass to the body and weight, then Creatine will help this happen. If the goal is a better athletic performance then taking Creatine may or may not be of any benefit.