Creatine - what is it?

Creatine – what is it?

Creatine is a chemical found naturally in the body. It's also in red meat and seafood. It is often used to improve exercise performance and muscle mass.

Creatine is involved in making energy for muscles. About 95% of it is found in skeletal muscle. The majority of sports supplements in the US contain creatine.
People commonly use creatine for improving exercise performance and increasing muscle mass. It is also used for muscle cramps, fatigue, multiple sclerosis (MS), depression, and many other conditions.

Creatine effects

Creatine increases the body’s ability to produce energy rapidly. Creatine exists naturally in your body and helps fuel your muscles, which is why some people take it as a supplement to boost their performance in the gym.

Energy: Creatine serves as a supply of cellular energy for muscles. It increases the levels of phosphocreatine (PCr) in muscles that is used to regenerate ATP (energy for muscle contraction), immediately preventing energy crisis that can occur after demanding workout.

Muscle Strength & Endurance: Creatine increases blood flow to your muscles and helps to boost strength and physical performance.

Sprint ability: Creatine is known to give bursts of energy particularly during high-intensity activities like sprinting, weight lifting.

Recovery: Daily usage helps to suppress the formation of lactic acid, thereby mitigating and preventing muscle cramps. It decreases recovery time and maximizes performance. Creatine is commonly used to prevent disuse atrophy in injured athletes.

Fatigue Resistance: Creatine enhances resistance to fatigue during repeated bouts of high-intensity contractions. For sports involving running, creatine can be used to increase anaerobic running capacity.

Is it safe?

Creatine use is allowed by the International Olympic Committee and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Creatine is likely safe for most people. Doses up to 25 grams daily for up to 14 days have been safely used. Lower doses up to 4-5 grams daily for up to 18 months have also been safely used. Creatine is possibly safe when taken long-term. Doses up to 10 grams daily for up to 5 years have been safely used. Side effects might include dehydration, upset stomach, and muscle cramps.

What are the best forms of creatine?

Some forms of the supplement are indeed better than others.

If you’re going to add a supplement in, make sure it’s creatine monohydrate. A lot of other supplements out there will have a lot of junk that you don’t need, and they’ll be much more expensive.

One category to watch out for: "pre-workout" supplements that advertise that they contain creatine. Surprise: Many of these supplements do not contain the minimum amount of the nutrient proven to be effective.

Powder is the way to go. Studies show that liquid creatine and creatine ethyl ester (CEE) are unstable and break down in your blood system. Don’t bother with them.

You’ll know the powder is of poor quality if it’s hard to dissolve and there’s residue at the bottom of your glass after you drink it. You want the powder in your muscles, not in the glass. If this happens, try a different brand.

And pills? While they're effective, you often have to take a ton, especially during the creatine loading phase, in order to hit an effective dosage. If you love taking pills, go for it. For everyone else, powders seem to be the best bet.

In conclusion, it needs to be said that Creatine has been used for more than a century, and hundreds of studies support its safety and effectiveness.

It also provides many benefits for muscle and performance, may improve markers of health, and is being used in medical settings to help treat various diseases.

Creatine is one of the cheapest, most effective, and safest supplements available.

20.07.2022