Creatine is one of your body’s natural energy sources for muscle contraction. Many athletes take creatine supplements to increase strength and improve recovery. Answer: Creatine is often called an amino acid. But technically it is not one of the 20 amino acids that are the building blocks of all proteins. Our bodies can make creatine from three other true amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. Creatine may enhance athletic performance. Creatine itself can be phosphorylated by creatine kinase to form phosphocreatine, which is used as an energy buffer in skeletal muscles and the brain. A cyclic form of creatine , called creatinine, exists in equilibrium with its tautomer and with creatine . Aside from improving muscle growth and strength, creatine has other benefits in bone health, memory, muscle recovery, and heart health.
