Performance Amino Acids: Creatine, Arginine, Carnitine Explained

Performance is fuel + recovery. Three compounds dominate the research and the locker room: creatine for power, arginine for blood flow, carnitine for fat oxidation and recovery.

Creatine HCL is the most absorbable form on the market. It saturates muscle phosphocreatine stores, raising the ceiling on short, explosive efforts — sprints, lifts, jumps — by 5 to 15 percent in the literature. No loading phase required.

L-Arginine is a nitric oxide precursor. It dilates blood vessels, improving oxygen and nutrient delivery to working muscle. Take it 30 minutes pre-workout for noticeable pumps and endurance. It also supports cardiovascular health and recovery between sets.

L-Carnitine shuttles fatty acids into the mitochondria where they are burned for energy. It reduces muscle damage markers post-exercise and accelerates recovery, which compounds across a training block.

Run all three. Creatine daily with food. Arginine pre-workout. Carnitine with your largest meal. Train hard, sleep hard, eat real food — the supplements amplify the work, they do not replace it.