Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid synthesized endogenously from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine, predominantly in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas, and concentrated in Skeletal Muscle where roughly ninety-five percent of the body's store resides. Its central physiological role lies in cellular…
Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid synthesized endogenously from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine, predominantly in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas, and concentrated in Skeletal Muscle where roughly ninety-five percent of the body's store resides. Its central physiological role lies in cellular energy metabolism: the enzyme creatine kinase reversibly transfers a high-energy phosphate group between creatine and adenosine diphosphate, forming phosphocreatine that rapidly regenerates ATP during brief, high-intensity muscular effort. This phosphocreatine shuttle buffers ATP availability in tissues with fluctuating energy demand, including skeletal and cardiac muscle and the brain. Creatine is also obtained dietarily from meat and fish and is widely used as an ergogenic supplement, with supplementation increasing intramuscular phosphocreatine and supporting performance in repeated short bursts of activity such as sprinting and resistance exercise. Serum creatine kinase serves as a clinical biomarker of muscle damage, rising markedly in conditions such as rhabdomyolysis and other myopathies. Beyond athletic and metabolic contexts, creatine metabolism intersects with neuromuscular physiology, cardiac function, and inherited disorders of creatine synthesis or transport, making it a recurring focus in muscle biochemistry, exercise physiology, and clinical investigation of tissue energetics.
8 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 8 articles above have been cited 34 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Creatine, linking to each citing work.