What is creatine?

Creatine monohydrate is a naturally occurring acid found primarily in red meat, particularly beef and fish. However, while we can get it from our natural food sources, to see the performance-enhancing benefits we must consume it in larger doses, which is why creatine is such a popular and effective supplement among athletes, bodybuilders, and other sportspeople. Creatine is made from a combination of three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine, and is therefore nitrogenous. Maintaining a positive nitrogen balance is important to promote muscle growth and development through regular sources of protein which can then be broken down into the essential amino acids needed for repair, recovery and growth.

How does Creatine work?

The use of creatine monohydrate as a supplement source has been shown to significantly increase creatine concentration in skeletal muscle, where it is stored as creatine phosphate. In skeletal muscle, it releases phosphate to fuel anaerobic activity (short bursts of powerful movements, such as running), where the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecule uses that phosphate to fuel certain cellular and metabolic functions.

ATP is broken down into adenosine diphosphate (ADP), where it loses one of its phosphate molecules, providing energy to power cells during exercise. When ATP stores are depleted, the performance levels and intensity of our workouts will drop. Creatine phosphate helps restore ATP, so creatine increases performance, strength, and power. Athletes and gym users looking to increase strength will benefit the most from creatine. Athletes like Linford Christie, Sally Gunnell and Colin Jackson in the early 1990s were the first athletes to see real results from using creatine and since then more and more athletes have used it as a safe, legal (considered 100% legal by the World Anti-Doping Agency) way to strengthen and improve your performance.

Research by Becque et al. (2000) demonstrated that a 20% increase in biceps strength was achieved after 6 weeks of creatine supplementation compared to a 10% increase in those who did not take creatine as effectively—double the gain.

There is a lot of science behind creatine that I have not covered here because I have tried to keep it as concise and easy to understand as possible. All you really need to know is that yes, creatine works!

Main benefits

• Creatine increases the fluid content of muscle cells and well hydrated muscle cells are more anabolic.
• It can move glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells, increasing energy and promoting an improvement in body composition.
• Significant gains in mass are often reported within the first week of use, as research has shown that creatine increases satellite cell activity, which promotes muscle building.
• Muscle growth occurs because the cross-sectional area of ​​muscle fibers increases in size, which shortens the levers and, as a result, makes you stronger.
• Creatine may allow you to perform one additional repetition of a specific weight during your set and/or allow you to add an additional exercise at the end of your session before your muscles become too tired to continue.
• Creatine has even been shown to boost cognitive function, slow down the aging process of the skin, and prevent muscle wasting.

Side effects?

There are some anecdotal reports of digestive problems from creatine, but these are extremely rare cases. In fact, I have been using creatine for the past 10 years and have never experienced any problems with it other than gaining size and strength!

Negative side effects of creatine have been studied, but no significant changes were found in serum metabolic markers, serum electrolytes, blood lipid profiles, red and white blood cell hematology, muscle and liver enzyme efflux, or quantitative urinary markers. and qualitative renal function. However, if you suffer from kidney problems, it is recommended not to take creatine.

How to take creatine

Creatine needs to be taken with patience, it’s not a steroid so it won’t produce massive muscle gains quickly, however it is used in small doses (eg 5g or 1 tsp before your workout and the same after), and in Paired with a healthy diet, plenty of sleep, and the right form of exercise, it’s one of the supplements you can take that will give you that extra bit to help your performance, your body’s appearance, and recovery time.

Research has shown that dextrose and alpha lipoic acid can enhance creatine uptake, and recently fenugreek extract has been shown to do so as well. Dextrose enhances absorption, so it makes sense to take creatine after workouts when this carbohydrate spikes insulin levels and helps replenish glycogen.

Contrary to popular belief that creatine needs to be cycled, it actually doesn’t. Typically, creatine supplementation involves a loading phase, 20g per day divided into 4 servings, for 5-7 days, followed by a maintenance phase (5g per day) for a particular training phase, such as 6 weeks. Recent research has suggested that the loading phase is simply not necessary, although this has not been fully proven, so while some nutritionists now say that a loading phase should not be used, others still strongly support it. The key is to be patient and do what you think works best for you. During a loading phase, many athletes take creatine four times a day with a carbohydrate such as dextrose due to the increased absorption in skeletal muscles.

When I take creatine, I like to use it before and after my workouts by taking 5g in my post-workout protein shake. If you use a pre-workout formula like PhD V-MAX Pump, you can get your creatine automatically, as it contains creatine along with BCAAs and beta alanine to promote strength and muscle gain. If you don’t, you can use another 3-5 g with water. On days I’m not working out, I just take 5g in the morning with a protein shake. You need at least 75ml of water for every gram of creatine you consume and about 3ml of water for every gram of carbohydrate so that it can be stored as glycogen in your muscles.

Creatine comes in the form of tablets and powder. I think the powder should be used as a preference simply because it can get into your bloodstream faster and can easily be taken with other supplements like Dextrose in a protein shake before and after your workouts. It can usually be purchased in 250ml/500ml or 1kg packs. You can find 6 of our recommended creatine supplements at the top of the page.