All About Creatine

All About Creatine

 


Creatine is one of the safest, most researched supplements on the market. It is NOT a steroid. Creatine is synthesized mainly in the liver by the use of parts from three different amino acids - arginine, glycine, and methionine. 95% of it is later stored in the skeletal muscles. Vegetarian and vegan clients may struggle to consume enough of these aminos through food, so it is a great choice for those dietary lifestyles as well. However, even our omnivores could benefit from a boost!

Creatine exists in a steady state with a similar compound named creatinine that can be measured in lab tests as a marker of kidney function. It is passed out of your body in the urine. This means your body must release stored creatine each day to keep normal levels, the amount depending on your muscle mass. Although creatine is created naturally in your body, you must keep up your levels and do so through your daily diet. You must push your hydration when supplementing with creatine so you are appropriately excreting the waste via urine.


What are the potential benefits of taking creatine supplements?

Research shows that taking creatine supplements may:

  • Improve your exercise performance.

  • Help your recovery after intense exercise.

  • Prevent and/or reduce the severity of injury.

  • Help athletes tolerate heavy training loads.

  • Increase your fat-free muscle mass during training.


Possible Drawbacks:

  • GI distress (gas and diarrhea- rare)

  • Water weight gain- since this supplement draws water into the muscles, some users can expect to see an increase on the scale. If you are cutting weight, we can cycle off this supplement until you shift back into maintenance. It is also great to use during a bulking phase.


Not appropriate for:

  • People with kidney disease, high blood pressure, or liver disease.

  • People under 18 years of age (not enough research)


How to take creatine:

Creatine works best when combined with a simple carb source such as juice (which will also mask its natural acidity). The sugar in the juice will temporarily raise your insulin levels, which will aid in the absorption and uptake of the creatine. 

To load or not to load: We suggest doing 5g /day (1 scoop) with no loading phase. Some people cycle on and off, 6 weeks on, 8 weeks off. There is little evidence that healthy people who are on minimal meds/enhancements, need to cycle off.

You can also take it as part of your intra workout “cocktail” and we suggest the following:

Gatorade powder (10-20 grams-will count towards your carb macros) + Beta-Alanine  (3-5 grams-no macros) + creatine (5 grams-no macros) + ice/ and or water to taste


Brands we Suggest (Affiliate Discount Links Supplied)

Muscle Feast  click to receive 10% off

Driven Nutrition-Use code: “AMERICAN MEAT”

MORE Resources

Great youtube video clip with Drs. Layne Norton and Peter Attia discussing the benefits of creatine supplementation.


 
Shebnem Ince