Much has been said about this dietary supplement, both good and bad. And for reasons. In this article we will find out what creatine is and its benefits.
What is creatine used for?
It is a dietary supplement that is as widely used in the bodybuilding world as isolate or whey. In fact, it is an amino acid derivative naturally found in meat and fish. It is mainly found in the body and muscle fibers.
The body knows how to synthesize creatine from methionine, arginine and glycine.
The diet provides 1g of creatine per day (a pound of red meat contains 5g; cooking destroys some of the creatine in the diet). To maintain its reserves, the body makes the rest of the creatine up to about 2g per day. This endogenous synthesis is ensured by the kidneys, the liver and the pancreas. Creatine is found in 95% of skeletal muscle.
Why Do We Gain Weight From Using Creatine?
Creatine molecules have a high affinity for water and increase hydration of muscle cells, resulting in an increase in their volume. The muscles therefore appear swollen, but in reality there is only an excess of water (cell volumization). We are talking about muscle water retention, which is different from subcutaneous water retention.
Creatine does not create new muscle fibers, but allows for more intense workouts.
What are its benefits?
- Rapid energy renewal to increase and accelerate muscle growth.
- Helps speed recovery.
- Allows an increase in metabolic waste.
- Improves the ratio of muscle mass to fat mass.
- Improves physical performance in activities that require brief and intense effort, but is not very effective for endurance sports.
- Helps to increase muscle strength (increase between 5 and 15%).
Creatine is an instant energy boost. The more reserves the muscles have, the better they can regenerate their ATP. If you are not exercising, there is no point in consuming it, the same goes for beginners because their body cannot absorb it.
Is creatine a doping agent?
Creatine is not a doping agent. It is currently completely legal and its use is not prohibited. Creatine is a dietary supplement approved in France and by sports authorities such as the IOC and sports federations.
how to take it
Creatine monohydrate requires careful dosing. Its consumption is quite complicated, but that does not mean that it can be dangerous for the body.
- For bodybuilding practice: 3 g one hour before a training session or 3 g in the morning after getting up
- For endurance sports: 3 g after one session
Creatine is generally consumed with a sugary drink for optimal effectiveness. The insulin surge caused transports creatine to the muscles. The most important thing is to follow the intake protocol every day for 3 to 4 weeks hoping to feel the effects.
- To avoid dehydration of tissues other than muscles, it is recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water per day. People with diabetes or kidney problems should avoid taking creatine.
- 2 Consuming large amounts of caffeine can negate the beneficial effects of creatine on exercise performance. Overdose can cause muscle cramps, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea.
Do you have to do cures?
You can take creatine year-round, whether you’re cutting or fitnesstogethering. You can «load» and take creatine per cycle, but most practitioners take 3 to 5g of creatine daily. However, it is still advisable to do cures 2 to 3 times a year. Once maximum creatine retention and reserves are filled (about 1 month), the benefits will not increase even if you continue to take it. The excess (creatinine) is then excreted through the urinary tract.
What form is it in?
In the form of soluble or semi-soluble (the cheapest form), in tablets, in capsules (the most convenient form), in wafers, in liquid form. You can find creatine monohydrate in pharmacies and of course in all nutrition stores.
In summary, creatine improves performance, explosiveness, and power, and allows for gains in strength, power, and size. In the short term, gains in strength are followed by increases in body weight associated with water retention. So we can lose everything by stopping consuming creatine. Over the long term, however, the strength gain allows you to train harder and slightly prolong a big effort during a short-duration, intense exercise.
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Article written by Fitness Together
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