Creatine is the most widely researched sports supplement in the world. The following was taken from a study conducted by the Exercise and Sport Nutrition Laboratory at the University of Memphis:
"Creatine is used in muscle cells to store energy for sprinting and explosive exercise. Athletes can increase the amount of creatine in muscle by taking creatine supplements. Although some studies report no ergogenic effect, most indicate that creatine supplementation (e.g. 20 g per day for 5 to 7 days) increases sprint performance by 1-5% and work performed in repeated sprints by up to 15%. These ergogenic effects appear to be related to the extent of uptake of creatine into muscle. Creatine supplementation for a month or two during training has been reported to promote further gains in sprint performance (5-8%), as well as gains in strength (5-15%) and lean body mass (1-3%). The only known side effect is increased body weight."
There are hundreds of similar studies pointing to the benefits of creatine on strength training or sport-specific training. You can run a simple search on google and find thousands of articles supporting the use of creatine as a supplement. Yes, it is true that you get a small amount of creatine in the foods that you eat, but to receive substantial results in a workout program, supplementation is required.
Now, I will say that everyone is different and not everyone could potentially benefit from supplemental creatine. However, the most reliable way of proving a product's worth is through scientific research studies, not bro science. We all know that Rogaine and Propecia are the most proven methods of fighting hair loss because of the scientific research that backs them. The same holds true for creatine. Just because someone told you that you get enough creatine in the foods that you already eat, that doesn't make it true. Haven't you ever heard that you can't believe everything you hear? That's because people run around preaching about things they really know nothing about, especially in the fitness industry.
So please read through some actual research on creatine before knocking it as a placebo.
