Fitness and Muscle

Creatine is one of the most popular muscle building supplements on the market today and there are many different types available. When used properly, creatine can yield great results for those looking to build lean muscle or bulk up. For me personally, I have had some great gains when using creatine in the past.

As with any supplement though, it’s important to know what you are taking and how it will effect you. Here’s a guide to help you better understand creatine and decide if it’s the right supplement for you.

What is Creatine

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound, created in the liver. It is involved in the production of energy in the body and increases the availability of ATP, a molecule which stores energy in the bodies cells.

Basically this means that by increasing availabilty of ATP in the body, creatine provides the body with more energy during intense, repetitive periods of exercise eg. weight-training or sprinting. In theory, supplementing with creatine should provide you with extra energy to perform those extra few reps.

Creatine Pros and Cons

There are several benefits to creatine supplementation:

• Improved performance in short duration, high intensity activities such as weight training or sprinting
• Aids recovery after training.  It appears to reduce lactic acid, a waste product that causes muscle fatigue.
• Increase in lean muscle mass.  Creatine draws water to the muscles making them look fuller and more pumped.
• Creatine has also been suggested as another treatment for conditions which cause muscle weakness, as creatine helps to strengthen muscles.

However as with any supplement there can be side effects.  The main side effect with creatine is dehydration.  As it draws water to the muscles you need to ensure that you drink plenty of water when supplementing with creatine.  Some people also suffer from diarrhea or stomach cramps when taking creatine, so it is important to recognise how your body responds when supplementing.

Best Way to Take Creatine?

Most creatine products that you buy will advise an initial loading phase, taking it four times a day for the first four or five days, followed by once a day after that. However this is not essential and merely speeds up the process of creatine saturation in the body.

Personally I find that taking it once a day from the beginning of your cycle will yield the same results in the long run.

It is also believed that an insulin spike is needed when taking creatine, in order for it to be fully absorbed into the muscles. This is why many creatine products contain dextrose, in order to create this insulin spike.

If you buy pure creatine it may be best to mix it with fruit juice when consuming it in order to create an insulin spike. Alternatively you can follow this creatine and dextrose mix, which I have used in the past to great effect.

Is Creatine for you

If you’re looking for muscle strength, size and power then creatine may be beneficial. As a supplement for endurance sport, such as running, it is unclear as to how effective it would be. One product that I personally recommend and have used often in the past is NO-Xplode
. I have seen great gains with this particular product and there’s no need to mix with fruit juice, as it already contains the ingredients to give you an insulin spike.

As with any supplement they are not essential, but simply aid you in achieving your goals!