Criatine isnt exactly an amino acid, but what it does is complex with free phosphorus in your muscle.
Cr + P = Cr-P (creatine phosphate)
In order for muscle to move it hydrolyzes ATP [adenosine tri-phosphate] into ADP [adenosine di-phosphate] and a free inorganic Phosphate (P). Thus:
ATP = ADP + P + muscle movement
In order to convert back to ATP (ADP does not move muscle) the ADP must be broken down by enzymes and recycled in this manner:
2x ADP = ATP + AMP (adenosine mono-phosphate)
AMP and other free ADP are recycled through oxidative phosphorylation back to ATP via Glycolysis/Kreb's Cycle/Electron Transport Chain.
However, this is slow to regenerate ATP, so your body has a 'storage' for phosphate attatched to Creatine. Since your body 'clears' free creatine, you have a somewhat set amount, but you increase it by intake of more creatine.
Thus...
ADP + Cr-P = ATP + Cr
Therefore, increasing the amount of creatine in your diet (and thus in the muscle) IN THEORY will allow you to do more work to the muscle. More work in the muscle leads to more muscle bulk and thus, more 'build'.
Its all in theory, however, and there is not a difinitive study showing a difference. However, the stuff is relatively cheap, and the psychological benefit of its intake would be significant even if there was no 'real' benefit on the cell level.
Wow... i really type too much....