From Source to Supplement: What Creatine Is Made From

Creatine is a big deal in sports nutrition, famous for boosting athletic performance and muscle strength. But how is creatine made, both naturally in our bodies and in labs? Let's break it down.

How the Creatine Supplement is Made

The creatine you find in supplements is usually creatine monohydrate. This type of creatine is synthesised in a lab to mimic the body’s natural processes.

This production starts with a fusion of sarcosine (a glycine derivative) and cyanamide (organic substance).

These two chemicals are mixed and create creatine monohydrate, the most common creatine supplement you’ll see. Check the steps below:

• Sarcosine and cyanamide are dissolved in water and heated under carefully controlled conditions.
• The creatine is then separated from the liquid, purified, and dried of impurities after the creation is done.
• When creatine is purified in the end, the vast majority of it is then turned into powder.
• From here, this powder can be sold on its own or combined with other ingredients to make flavoured goods or create other forms of creatine-based supplementary products.

This part of the process is completed by strict quality control to make sure that the creatine created is pure so that it is efficient and safe for usage.

It is important that the finished product is checked for quality and strength before it is packaged and sent out to people who will be consuming it.

Want to know more about using creatine safely? Check out our article on creatine monohydrate safety.

How Your Body Makes Creatine

Your body is like a little factory, efficiently producing creatine through a series of biochemical reactions.

• The process begins with two amino acids: glycine and arginine.
• These amino acids are combined in the kidneys to form a compound called guanidinoacetate. This is the first step in the creatine production process.
• The guanidinoacetate then travels to the liver, where it undergoes a critical transformation.
• Here, S-Adenosyl methionine (SAMe) plays a vital role as a methyl donor, converting guanidinoacetate into creatine.
• This conversion is facilitated by two key enzymes: arginine amidinotransferase (AGAT), which initiates the process, and guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT), which completes it.
• Once synthesized, creatine is released into the bloodstream and transported primarily to muscle cells, where it serves as a crucial energy reserve, particularly during short bursts of intense physical activity.

This process ensures that your muscles have a steady supply of creatine, supporting energy production and overall performance.

Where Creatine is Stored

Most of your creatine—like 95% of it—chills in your muscles. Think of it as your muscles' secret weapon.

Normally, muscles have about 120 mmol of creatine per kilogram of dry muscle, but if you take supplements, you can bump that up to 160 mmol/kg.

Creatine isn't just a muscle thing, though. You also have small amounts in your liver, pancreas, testes, and kidneys.

Every day, you lose about 1-2% of your muscle creatine, so you need to get 1-3 grams daily from food or your body's own production to keep things balanced.

Eating a mixed diet gives you about half of your daily creatine needs, with the rest made by your liver and kidneys.

Want to know more about how creatine works with other parts of your body? Check out our articles on creatine and liver and creatine in human body.

Foods Packed with Creatine

Creatine is a natural powerhouse for energy, especially when you're pushing your limits. Your body can whip up creatine from amino acids like glycine, arginine, and methionine, but getting it from food sources is also crucial.

Meat and fish are your best bets if you want to load up on creatine through your meals.

These numbers show that chowing down on meat and fish can seriously up your creatine game.

But if you're a vegetarian or just not into these foods, you might need a little help from creatine supplements. Curious about that? Check out our guide on creatine supplementation.

What Creatine Does for Your Muscles ?

Creatine has been studied a lot, and it’s clear it can boost muscle performance. It can bump up your muscle creatine stores from around 120 mmol/kg to about 160 mmol/kg, which helps you perform better during exercise.

Here’s what you can expect:

1. More Muscle Strength and Power: Creatine is like a quick energy shot for high-intensity activities. It increases phosphocreatine levels in your muscles, helping you push through fatigue. This is great for things like weightlifting and sprinting. For more on how creatine boosts muscle strength, visit creatine per body weight.

2. Better Endurance: By keeping fatigue at bay, creatine helps you go harder for longer. This is especially useful for endurance sports.

3. Bigger Muscles: When you combine creatine with resistance training, you can see significant muscle gains. This happens partly because creatine increases water content in muscle cells and boosts protein synthesis.

4. Improved Glucose Tolerance: Some studies suggest creatine can increase muscle GLUT-4 content, which helps with glucose tolerance and could be beneficial for people with metabolic issues (WebMD)

Understanding how your body makes and uses creatine can help you make smarter choices about your diet and supplements. For more tips on creatine supplementation, don't miss our detailed guide on creatine supplementation.