Going gaga over GAA?

GAA is guanidinoacetate, which you may know only indirectly as the precursor of creatine, which everybody knows. Why root around in creatine's past, one might ask? Well, if you are one among the 30 percent of creatine users who have gotten no or only poor results from that supposed builders of better bodies, then GAA might hold some promise.

One of GAA's great claims to fame is that it seems to enhance creatine and glucose uptake by muscle cells, which might be a good thing if the problem is that your body has not been getting all the creatine you've been giving it. On the other hand, GAA might help if you've reached the natural limit of what creatine can do for you. Be warned, however, because GAA has been shown to raise homocysteine levels in some people, and that is a risk factor for heart disease. There's a "GAA Survey" being conducted by Muscle & Fitness, so if you are self-medicating, send your observations (no tissue samples, please!) to MuscleFeedback@muscle&fitness.com.

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