What is creatine?

  Creatine is one of the most well-researched and effective supplements on the market. It contributes to rapid energy production and regeneration during intense and energy-demanding activities, and also provides cognitive benefits.

 About Creatine

     Creatine is produced by the body from amino acids, primarily in the liver and to a lesser extent in the kidneys and pancreas. Its primary function is to provide energy during high-energy demands, such as physical or mental activity. It stores energy in the form of phosphocreatine, which donates phosphate groups to ADP, regenerating ATP. ATP is the body's main energy carrier.

     Creatine is found naturally in some foods, primarily meat and fish. Today, athletes and fitness enthusiasts often consume creatine in the form of a powder supplement or capsules.

What are the benefits of creatine?

     The main benefit is to improve strength and power production during intense activities. When creatine is used in these types of activities it also contributes to the formation of fat-free mass, this is due to its action on ATP, which allows improving the intensity and volume of training period by period, in other words it does not act magically, it is necessary to plan progress and receive that small and slight benefit on ATP, but in any case if this planning is not done creatine will not act on fat-free mass.

     Few studies have been done on cognitive performance, but it has been found to have some good benefits, such as reducing mental fatigue and improving performance during demanding cognitive tasks. It may also help to mitigate the negative effects of sleep deprivation and traumatic brain injury. Creatine may also improve working memory, particularly in individuals with lower creatine levels, such as vegetarians and the elderly.

Get advice from me

What are the side effects?

     If consumed while dehydrated, this supplement may cause stomach cramps. Exceeding the recommended dosage or having low tolerance may result in diarrhea and nausea. For those with low tolerance, it's advisable to divide the daily dose into smaller, more frequent intakes.

Is creatine safe?

     It has been attributed dangers, because creatine has been mixed with other products, in this case it was not creatine that was mixed with other components, the truth is that there are few cases that register problems with pure creatine, and in general it has been due to supraphysiological doses and lack of hydration. Although people with reduced kidney function should be cautious with its use, since it can alter some values.

Recommendations on creatine

     Creatine is safe and has been shown to increase energy production, which indirectly supports training progress and muscle growth.

     Another benefit of creatine is cellular hydration, which involves water being drawn into cells. This is crucial for energy availability and regeneration and is one of its primary advantages. It's often mistakenly confused with subcutaneous water retention, leading to the misconception that creatine causes fluid retention. However, these are two distinct processes.

     Due to its effectiveness, safety, and affordability, creatine is considered one of the best supplements for improving body composition and performance.

     Its effects can be enjoyed at any stage of the athlete or enthusiast's life, as these benefits are beneficial at every stage.

How to take

     There are different forms of creatine, with monohydrate being the most affordable and effective option. Micronized creatine monohydrate is another possibility. When choosing creatine, look for the "Creapure" seal, which ensures purity. Make sure the product contains only creatine without any additives. Check the label to confirm that it's in powder form, not capsules.

     Creatine monohydrate works by saturating cells with creatine. This means that to experience its benefits from supplements, you need to saturate your cells with more creatine than your body naturally produces. While a loading phase of 20 grams of creatine per day for 4-5 days can accelerate this process, it's not necessary. It will only make your supplement supply last shorter and won't significantly impact your performance or how you feel. So, don't think of the loading phase as a magical or essential step.

     3 to 5 grams/day works well for most people, mixed with water, a shake, or whatever you like.

Get advice from me

What is the best way to take creatine?

     The timing of creatine intake is irrelevant, as I mentioned, it works through saturation, so taking it before or after training won't affect its availability. Therefore, take it daily at a time you won't forget, even on rest days, and there's no need to interrupt its consumption; you can take it anytime.

Creatine Tips

•      It can be taken at any time, there is no need to have a cycle, loading phase or time your consumption.

•      Creatine benefits all types of activity or sport.

Summary

     Creatine is a form of performance enhancer, nootropic, muscle builder, and pseudovitamin. Its functions are muscle gain (in context) and exercise, anti-aging, longevity, cognitive function, and brain health.

     It is also known as creatine monohydrate, creatine 2-oxopropanate, a-methylguanidinoacetic acid. It should not be confused with creatinine, cyclocreatine, creatinol O-phosphate.

     When creatine is supplemented at least one hour before sleep, it may cause restlessness, but this is not something that happens to everyone.

     Cellular hydration can lead to overall body weight gain, again due to hydration within the cell, which is nothing to worry about.

If you want to see the studies I used for this analysis, you can go to the website: https://examine.com/supplements/creatine/

Get advice from me