Sports Nutrition

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You want more strength and better definition. You want to feel power as you perform and see results in the mirror. So you lift weights and workout rigorously, pushing your body's limits. But, you're still not achieving the top-notch results you crave. It could be because your body needs additional nutrients -- including creatine -- to perform better.

When you lift weights or engage in other high-intensity exercise that tests the strength of your muscles, they exert ATP, which is biochemical energy. Your body produces ATP from phosphocreatine that's stored in the muscles until it's needed. That comes from creatine, a natural substance your body creates two grams of daily and that comes from common foods such as red meat and certain fish. But that just covers the basic amount that everybody needs on a routine basis. As an athlete, you demand more than the basics out of your body, so you need more creatine. Plus, since you workout regularly, your body's creatine demand is already higher because ATP is not stored in large amounts in the body, and it can be depleted quickly during intense workouts.

Think protein is just for bodybuilders? Think again. Protein is critical for building cells and promoting lean muscle mass, which is the body's furnace where calories are burned. The more lean mass you have, the more calories you can burn. Protein is also needed for the growth, maintenance and repair of cells, including those in muscles. It's also important for immune function and for the production of enzymes, hormones and DNA. Your body produces protein from amino acids, but strenuous activity can lower the supply of these nutrients needed for building muscles. If you don't replenish your supply of amino acids, the rebuilding process will suffer.