Creatine
Creatine is a natural substance that is present in several different types of meat such as steak or fish. If you regularly eat meat, it is likely that you probably take in about 1-2 grams of this compound per day through your diet. Through supplementation, a person is able to take in much more than this, say 5-10 grams per day. The most common form of supplementation is creatine monohydrate. This supplement is very useful if you are serious about training and building a better body for several reasons. For example, the substance improves power and performance during high-intensity exercise, promotes more rapid recovery from such exercise, and it is also known to raise energy levels fairly significantly. Scientifically speaking, creatine assists in the creation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy molecule used by the body. One of the main reasons why the supplement is so effective is that it increases water retention by muscle cells, creating an environment that is conducive to protein synthesis and muscle growth. Also, not only does the supplement increase a person’s lean body mass by promoting muscle growth, but it has also been shown to trigger fat loss among its users as well. While results will vary greatly from person to person, many people will gain upwards of 5 pounds or more during the first week of use.
Safety
Due to the effectiveness of the supplement, some people seem to equate it with steroids or other dangerous performance enhancers. The fact remains that creatine is a naturally-occurring substance, however. It is for this reason that the compound should not and could not be banned by any major sporting organization; anyone who ate meat would test positive for the substance and athletes would essentially need to be banned from eating meat. The only real negative effect of creatine use is the possibility of dehydration, which of course can easily be avoided with adequate water intake. As previously mentioned, the supplement causes water to be drawn into the muscle cells, which could potentially lead to a shortage of fluids in other body tissues if enough water is not consumed to make up for this. This is especially true if you are training in a warm, humid environment. Becoming dehydrated while training can be dangerous; such a condition can lead to heat exhaustion or excessive muscle cramping. So to avoid this, drink up! You will want to take in about 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight or more- this will vary from person to person. Carry a large water bottle with you at work or at school- and especially when you are working out- and you will be able to easily avoid this potentially negative side-effect. Warning: Also important to note is the fact that since creatine causes water to be drawn into the muscle cells, the workload of the kidneys is increased during creatine supplementation. As a result, those with kidney problems would be wise to avoid using this supplement and should consult a doctor before making any decisions.
Loading
When beginning to use the supplement, many people often wonder whether they should perform a loading phase or not. During a loading phase, a person will take in about 20-30 grams of creatine for 5-7 days; 5-10 grams are taken per day for maintenance thereafter. The goal during a loading phase is to completely saturate the muscles with the compound in the beginning and then to maintain this condition afterwards. While a loading phase can definitely be effective- causing a person to gain 5 pounds or more within their first week of supplementation- it is not absolutely necessary. Some people may skip the loading phase altogether and simply begin by taking 5-10 grams daily. Studies have been done on the effectiveness of both strategies and most have found that after about 4-6 weeks, both those who performed a loading phase and those who skipped it were at about the same point in terms of gains. So if you are eager to see some immediate results, go ahead and perform a loading phase but if not, don’t worry about it since in the long run, it won’t make a huge difference. It is ultimately the consistency of use that will determine whether a person will make gains with creatine.
Timing
Is it better to take the supplement before or after a workout? In short, the best answer seems to be both. Taking the supplement before a workout is definitely important since it is generally a good idea to have some creatine present in your bloodstream while you are working out. The compound is known to remain in the blood for about an hour to an hour and a half. After it is ingested, it can take about 45 minutes for it to actually be absorbed into the bloodstream; it is after this time has passed that the substance will remain in the blood for another 1-1.5 hours. It is not a bad idea to consume creatine immediately after a workout as well. Following an intense training session, you will be in an anabolic state with blood flowing to your tissues and your muscles feeling “pumped”. By taking the supplement at this point, the substance will easily reach your muscle tissue and promote faster recovery. So if you are going to take 10 grams of creatine per day when training, split this amount up by taking 5 grams before and after your workout for best results.
How Much to Take?
As mentioned earlier, the general recommendation for creatine intake is to consume about 5-10 grams per day. During a loading phase, a person may take in around 20-30 grams for a short period of time in order to saturate the muscles with the supplement. After that, more is not necessarily better. If you take in more than you need to, the compound will simply be converted into creatinine (the break-down product of creatine) and removed from the body through the urine. Your best bet is to simply follow the guidelines on the label of your product for best results in terms of dosages. The intake recommendations will vary among different products based on the ingredients. A lower amount will be suggested if you are using regular creatine monohydrate, while a higher one may be recommended if your product contains other added supplements. Also, on days when you are not working out, a much lower dosage is usually prescribed- usually only about half of what you would consume on workout days is all you need.
Cycling
When taking the supplement, some people like to cycle it. Creatine is naturally produced by the body and if you are constantly supplementing the compound year-round, there is a possibility that the body can become too reliant on these supplements and thus less efficient and producing creatine naturally. The same holds true with almost any other supplement that contains naturally-occurring compounds. Cycling creatine is largely done based on personal experience and preferences- there is not a whole lot of research that has been done on this subject and therefore there are no real guidelines available. After using the supplement for 2-4 months or more, many people will simply discontinue its use for 2 weeks to a month and then resume using it once again. When starting to use the supplement again after a break, you may wish to perform a short loading phase in the beginning (see “Loading” above).
Advanced
While regular creatine monohydrate remains the most commonly used form of the supplement, a new form- known as creatine ethyl ester (CEE)- has become popular in recent years. CEE products usually contain other useful supplements as well, such as branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and are said to have a better rate of absorption than standard creatine monohydrate, thus making them more efficient at increasing strength and muscle mass. Although these products may be slightly more expensive, many people find them to be well worth the price if you are really serious about training and taking your results to the next level. If you are just beginning, you may want to stick with regular creatine monohydrate and evaluate your results but if you are ready to progress to the next level, click
here
to read more about CEE and other advanced supplementation options.
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