Creatine!
The most Scientifically researched supplement in the world of supplements.
And because of this there is an incredible amount of research can guide you into getting the most out of the powder.
But there is also plenty of 'Bro Science' around creatine.
So let’s find out how to take creatine (powder or tablets), when to take creatine, dosage and loading and if it's needed.
What is Creatine?
From Examine.com (a unbiased supplement review website), Creatine is a molecule produced in the body that is used in the process of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) production in the cells of the human body. So basically what Creatine does is it produces energy in the form of ATP.
Creatine is one of the safest supplements on the market.
Due to popular confusion, people think that creatine is unsafe.
This is simply just not true.
Dosage - How much to take and when to take it.
The best form of creatine to take is Creatine Monohydrate in a powder form as the body does not have to break down a tablet coating before getting to the substance. Plus the powdered form is much cheaper and easier to dose.
One study by Wilder et al, on highly trained college football (NFL) players, suggests that ‘ any amount of creatine does not have any beneficial ergogenic (performance enhancing effect) on trained individuals, but with a 10 week cycle of creatine and a strict training regime, indivduals can experience an increase in strength and fat-free mass”.
Examine.com suggests the a loading phase can be used at around 25g a day (for the first 5-7 days) and then around 2.5g per day after that for 3 weeks or forever if you aren’t cycling.
Creatine can be take at any time during the day but most studies have shown to dose creatine before workouts. Apparently taking creatine before going to bed can lead to restless sleep.
Personally I like to load my creatine for 3-5 days and then continue to take at the recommended dosage to maintain a stable but not excessive amount.
What can Creatine do for Me?
From Examine.com, creatine is shown to have a strong impact on performance output with the supplementation into a healthy diet.
They suggest that a power increase from 12% to 26% can be seen when supplementing with creatine. This is invaluable to any powerlifter wanting to increase their big lifts or for any bodybuilder wanting to increase more weight to all their exercises.
With an increase in power, usually we can see an increase in muscle mass, so with the introduction of creatine, any person who is wanting to put on weight so seriously consider creatine before anything else.
Creatine can have a very strong influence on muscle size due to its water retention capabilities.
Muscle size is variable and different in all individuals.
Creatine can also help with endurance runners!
So in conclusion, take creatine. It won’t hurt you and you will reap some great reward from taking it. Just make sure you drink plenty of water, around 1-2L extra per day on maintenance and 3-4L when loading.
I recommend Creatine Monohydrate by Bulk Nutrients for a VERY cost effective and quality product! Follow this link for direct access to the creatine mentioned above.
You can also use my link http://bulk.li/Trent5 for $5 off your first Bulk Nutrients purchase!
So there you have it!
I hope this blog has helped you and you learnt something from it!
Trent
References
Examine.com
https://examine.com/supplements/creatine/#summary8-5
Wilder, N., Deivert, R. G., Hagerman, F., & Gilders, R. (2001). The Effects of Low-Dose Creatine Supplementation Versus Creatine Loading in Collegiate Football Players. Journal of Athletic Training, 36(2), 124–129.
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