Nutritional supplements are products taken orally that contain a "dietary ingredient" intended to supplement the diet. They are meant to be included with your healthy diet and not be substituted for a healthy diet. These supplements may include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, and metabolites. They come in many forms, including powders, capsules, concentrates, tablets, extracts, gel caps, and liquids.

Creatine Supplements

Creatine is touted as being a wonderful supplement that can assist your bodybuilding to help you get more gains. Whether this is the case, seems to sometimes depend on the person using it.

But there is still ongoing debates in science and research as to how effective it really is. As the creatine supplement is popular among athletes that want to gain muscle mass and improve their performance, there is an ongoing debate surrounding the use of creatine supplements today. Most research has shown that creatine is safe to use, however you should always consult your doctor before starting to take creatine supplements. Yet, there is still a debate over the incidence of muscle cramping which may result as a side-effect of creatine use. Some of the common and minor side effects associated with intake of creatine include stomach upset and gastrointestinal distress. There are possibly other unknown negative side effects associated with creatine, but due to a lack of research there isn't much available.

Creatine was first identified in 1832 by French scientist and philosopher, Michel Eugene Chevreul, who named it after the Greek word for flesh, kreas. Creatine supplements are always evolving coming onto the market in forms that manufacturers claim improve their results. Following the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, creatine received great mass media attention when it was discovered that a number of the athletes had used it as a supplement.

Along with protein supplements and vitamin supplements, some weightlifters like to supplement with creatine. There is a belief among bodybuilders that creatine supplements may help with exerxises that require strength or quick bursts of anaerobic power.

The human body mainly synthesizes creatine in the liver, using parts from three amino acids, namely arginine, glycine, and methionine. Around 95% of creatine is stored in the body's muscles, with the rest being stored in other areas of the body. But do you really need a creatine supplement? After all, if the human body produces enough creatine for muscle growth and survival, that should be good enough, right?

The first major benefit of creatine is to aid the rebuilding of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is used to power your muscles while lifting weights. Since your muscles get extra energy when you take creatine, you can push your workout a few reps further, therefore increasing the likelihood of a muscle mass gain. Scientific research has dictated for years that creatine supplements need time to be properly absorbed into the body.

In addition to this first benefit, creatine also serves to pull more body water volume into the muscle cells, creating a fuller feeling of firmness in the muscle belly, which looks and feels good to the person using it. If you are on creatine, you may notice a weight gain as creatine has a volumizing effect and draws water and various other nutrients to muscle cells. Be cautioned, though; when you stop taking creatine, you will lose much of this water-weight.

Lifters, trainers, and dealers swear by the many benefits of using a creatine supplement. But you may not even need it. Many people say to just eat healthy. Salmon meat is a great source of lean protein, amino acids, creatine, and essential fatty acids, and therefore is is the perfect food for someone looking to gain lean muscle mass and burn fat. Use your common sense and use your brain and you too can see how creatine, when combined with a proven training program, can help you build bigger muscles fast. If you take creatine and begin experiencing any serious negative side effects such as chest pains, it is recommend that you stop taking it immediately and consult a physician.