The number one question I get from beginning gym goers would probably have to be “what supplements should I take,” and “should I take creatine?” My answer for this is, it depends. Most beginners put way too much thought into supplements when they are not even doing the basics right first. Are you eating the way you should be for your goals? Are you training with intensity and following a well thought out plan? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you drinking and partying on the weekends when? If you’re not covering these bases then you probably don’t need to be worrying about most supplements. However, if you do have these bases covered then it might be worth giving creatine a shot.
What is Creatine?
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that you can get through your diet from foods like red meat and fish. It plays an important role in providing muscle the energy it needs to contract. Creatine is probably the most studied supplement that has been shown to have positive effects. There have been several studies that have shown that creatine supplementation has led to measurable increases in strength. Which has led to it becoming one of the most widely used supplements.
How Does Creatine Work?
Creatine works by increasing the availability of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in muscle cells. ATP is the primary source of energy for muscle contractions when performing high intensity exercises such as lifting weights. When you perform high intensity exercise ATP stores can be depleted very quickly. Taking creatine will help to replenish ATP faster thus increasing strength, power, and ability to recover and perform high intensity exercises.
When Should I Take It & How Much?
Some people will say that you need to do a creatine loading phase where you take up to 20g of creatine for 5-7 days then move into a maintenance phase where you take 5g per day. Personally, I skip the loading phase and just consume 5g per day. If you take it consistently every day, I do not believe the loading phase is necessary to get the benefits of creatine supplementation.
When you take it is completely up to you, as long as you take it daily. Many people consume it before training typically with their pre-workout. I like to consume it with an intra-workout drink during training. I prefer doing it this way because I mix it with EAAS, 25g of carbohydrates, and sodium. Consuming creatine with carbohydrates and sodium will aid in the uptake of creatine to the muscles. The pumps I get with this combination are amazing and I would highly recommend it.
What Type of Creatine Should I Take?
Since creatine has come to the market companies have tried to make different types of creatine claiming that it’s better for numerous reasons. There’s creatine hydrochloride, buffered creatine, micronized creatine and more. Just take the standard creatine monohydrate, it’s cheaper, and it’s the most widely studied of them all.
What Can I Expect From Supplementing With Creatine?
Many people take creatine and think they’re going to experience some crazy effects from it. This is not true. Over time you may notice some increased strength, and ability to recover between sets. However, its not going to be some transformative groundbreaking thing. This is not an absolute must have, plenty of people have gotten big and strong without it, but it may provide some benefits. There are also some people who don’t notice anything positive effects from it. The only way to know for sure is to try it and see. I personally take it because I feel it benefits to the pump I get when taking it with the intra-workout drink I mentioned above.
Hopefully this helps you determine if its worth it for you or not and clears up any misconceptions you may have had about the supplement. If you enjoyed this article and are looking for more information regarding these kinds of topics you can subscribe to my newsletter.
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