Before you go shopping for new supplements, it's important to have a good introduction to what the product is, what it does, and how to use it. In this post, we give a good introduction to everything you need to know about creatine !
What is creatine?
Creatine is found naturally in the muscles, and is a substance that is converted to creatine phosphate and is part of the process of releasing energy when you train explosive muscle work. By taking creatine supplements, more energy is released in the muscles, and therefore you are usually able to perform better in training and subsequently achieve muscle growth .
What does creatine do?
Creatine is not a miracle cure and not everyone gets any effect from taking extra creatine. Some people already have enough creatine in their bodies, either through diet or because the body produces higher levels. Common sources of creatine are fish and red meat. You can easily increase muscle mass without creatine, but it is a good supplement if you want to achieve results, if the starting point is that you have too little creatine in your body. It is not dangerous to have too much creatine in your body, as this is excreted in the urine. Try it out, and if you do not notice any effects from creatine, it is better to save your money on more useful things.
As mentioned in the introduction, creatine works by releasing more energy into the muscles. This extra energy helps you to be able to do a few extra repetitions and push your muscles further than they can without creatine. Many will therefore experience good effects on their training from adding this supplement.
Does creatine work for everyone?
Creatine will have little to no effect on about 30 percent of those who try supplementation. This is likely because creatine phosphate stores are already full, and therefore people are getting enough creatine through their regular diet. This means that the muscles have already stored the maximum amount of creatine.
How to take creatine
When you start taking creatine, the effect will come after taking creatine supplements for about a week, because by then the muscles have had time to be fully replenished and able to perform at their maximum. An international study by the Jorunal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that taking creatine together with whey protein helps to improve lean body mass. So if this is your goal, it can be recommended to take creatine and protein as supplements.
Another question many people wonder about when it comes to creatine is how much creatine you need daily . This supplement should be taken as a course for four to six weeks. You get the best benefit from taking the creatine right after training, and a daily dose of five grams. When the four to six weeks are finished, you should take a break of two to four weeks.
Recommended Creatine Dosage
Loading phase (5 days): approximately 5g creatine - 3 to 4 times daily
Maintenance phase (remaining weeks): 3-5g creatine daily
Warning
- If you are breastfeeding, pregnant, have an underlying illness or are taking medication, you should not use creatine.
- Always consult a doctor if you are unsure whether you can take creatine.
- May contain traces of milk.
Does creatine have side effects?
The short answer to this is no, creatine does not have side effects . However, what many people will experience is that the body binds more water, which can result in weight gain within a month. However, this weight is water weight, and will disappear when you stop taking extra creatine. Some people may also experience stomach pain and headaches when using creatine.
What kind of creatine should I choose?
You can choose between creatine powder and creatine capsules . The advantage of choosing creatine capsules is that the capsules come pre-dosed, so you don't have to measure out ingredients. This means you can easily keep the box in your bag and take one after training. The disadvantage is that the capsules often cost more. This makes creatine powder a good buy, as long as you take care to measure out the correct dose.