+38 050 933 51 60
+38 093 369 29 10Creatine Monohydrate, what is it?
Today we’ll talk about a supplement called creatine. You’ve probably heard about it a lot, and this topic might have become somewhat tiresome, but today we’ll approach it from a scientific perspective to understand who truly needs creatine and how it works.
Make sure to read to the end of the article to find out how to properly take creatine and what benefits its usage can provide.
One common mistake people make when using creatine is improper timing of consumption. Many try to take it when they feel fatigue in their legs or treat it as a supplement with magical effects for gaining mass, without considering the purpose of using creatine.
Indeed, creatine stimulates myoglobin production, promotes muscle tissue differentiation, and helps with weight gain, but only if taken correctly. Its effectiveness depends on aligning its usage with your goals and training regimen. The effect of creatine may allow you to perform, for example, 1-2 repetitions more than your previous maximum during high-repetition exercises. This results in greater muscle fiber stress, potentially more stimulation, hypertrophy, and thus greater muscle growth.
Additionally, creatine helps you recover more easily and quickly. Therefore, it’s crucial to apply creatine only to those who truly need it.
There are studies indicating that consuming creatine at doses of 5, 10, or 15 grams per day for 5 years is safe.
It’s important to understand that the creators of dietary supplements and sports nutrition often stretch the findings of various studies. Therefore, it’s always prudent to view such research with skepticism, as there is often contradictory evidence for every study.
Creatine is naturally found in many foods, primarily in red meat, red fish, and poultry.
ADVANTAGES OF CREATINE
Today, we’ll discuss the theses from the International Journal of Applied Medical Research, which conducted meta-analyses and compiled interesting facts about what creatine gives us.
Advantages:
Creatine monohydrate is the best ergogenic supplement to increase strength and endurance, and it’s a good stimulator for muscle mass gain.
Monohydrate is considered completely safe. There are no studies indicating that creatine intake is contraindicated for a healthy person. It’s considered safe to consume creatine at doses of 5 to 30 grams per day for 5 years. This dosage won’t cause any side effects in healthy individuals.
Using Creatine Monohydrate, especially in young athletes, reduces the temptations and risks of using anabolic steroids.
Monohydrate intake is allowed for both teenagers and children and is absolutely safe if it matches their physical activities.
There are some rules for children taking creatine:
Children should take Creatine under the supervision of a specialist.
Children should have a balanced diet.
Children should be informed about how to take creatine properly and should not exceed the recommended doses.
Some products have labels stating that creatine use is not recommended if you are under 18 years old. However, this is likely a manufacturer’s fiction to remove legal responsibility, as there are numerous studies showing that creatine intake is safe for both children and teenagers.
5. Among all types of creatine, creatine monohydrate is the most effective.
6. Sometimes it is recommended to take creatine with fast carbohydrates.
Indeed, taking creatine monohydrate with carbohydrates increases its bioavailability.
7. Creatine intake comes in two forms: with and without a loading phase.
During the loading phase, for 5-7 days, you should consume creatine at a dose of 0.3 grams per kilogram of your body weight daily, and after a week you can switch to a maintenance dose of 3 to 5 grams per day. You can skip the loading phase, but it will take longer to reach the desired creatine concentration.
8. There is a study claiming that a group of people took very high doses of creatine for 5 years. Adjusted for their body weight, this amounted to about 50 grams of creatine per day. Despite this, there were no negative health consequences.
In simple terms, creatine allows you to train more intensively, become slightly stronger, and improve your performance. If accompanied by proper training style and nutrition, you will progress. Unfortunately, many neglect the training style that requires the use of supplements and, naturally, they do not achieve any results.
How to take creatine correctly?
When taking Creatine, water retention occurs in the body, so some people using creatine may experience swelling in the tissues, such as face, legs, or hands. The intake scheme is actually very simple.
Many make the biggest mistake when they start taking Creatine and see tissue swelling and think they need to reduce their fluid intake. This is the biggest mistake. Under no circumstances should you reduce your fluid intake. Despite the slight swelling due to creatine intake, you should drink plenty of fluids (at least 3 liters per day).
Many also believe that creatine should only be taken before a workout.
But I can tell you for sure that you can take creatine not only before but also after a workout. Taking it in small doses (1-2 grams) after a workout will help you recover better. If your goal is muscle hypertrophy, taking 1-2 grams after a workout will assist you in achieving that goal. It’s important to take it daily, not just on training days.
Many also ask: what should creatine be taken with: water or grape juice?
It’s better with grape juice because it contains more carbohydrates. We discussed the benefits of taking creatine with carbohydrates earlier.
Indeed, the rate of absorption, effectiveness of creatine work, its efficiency, will be higher depending on what you take it with. There are sports supplements with which creatine works more effectively and is better absorbed, and there are those with which this does not happen.
WHAT TO TAKE CREATINE WITH?
Creatine is best taken with simple carbohydrates, such as juice or sweet tea. This helps improve its absorption by the body. It’s also suitable to take it with a protein shake after a workout to enhance its effect on muscle growth. It’s important to drink plenty of water to maintain hydration.
The optimal time to take it is before or after workouts. Combining it with beta-alanine or BCAA can also enhance the result.
SIDE EFFECTS OF CREATINE USE
Dehydration
Apart from swelling, a side effect of creatine use is dehydration. Despite externally appearing swollen, you may be easily dehydrated at the same time, so it’s essential to drink plenty of fluids.
Gastrointestinal Problems
A very common effect of taking creatine is gastrointestinal issues such as bloating and diarrhea. This often occurs because you are taking too high a dose of creatine, so if you experience gastrointestinal upset, I recommend halving the creatine dosage.
Cramps
Some people report experiencing cramps while taking creatine. Cramps most often occur in those who are dehydrated, so yes, cramps can occur during creatine intake, but they are caused by an imbalance in electrolytes and dehydration.
Increased Urination
Some of you also ask if it’s normal that after taking creatine you may have to run to the bathroom all night? Yes, indeed, when during the day there is a significant fluid delay in the body, especially after exercise, in the evening when your body starts to release this fluid, you simply start soaking it out.
One of the side effects is increased diuresis. Don’t forget that you still need to drink a lot of water.
Regarding its impact on male hormonal balance – it doesn’t affect it. Indirectly, it can influence due to increased workout intensity and greater stimulation of the central nervous system.
And as a result, compensatory testosterone growth may occur. Therefore, there is no direct impact, but changes and intensification of the training process can affect improvement or deterioration if hormonal balance is not restored.
Another misconception is that creatine hinders weight loss. In fact, creatine does not interfere with weight loss in any way.
Sometimes I prescribe or recommend taking creatine when you are on a low-calorie diet; it will make it easier for you to train and recover better. Although during the period you take it, you may appear more swollen and you may not see improvements. However, as they say, the main result comes at the end, when we stop taking creatine, you release water, and you will quickly see the results of your efforts and labor.
Reviews of Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine mostly receives positive reviews. Users note increased strength, endurance, and muscle mass. Many notice improved performance in workouts.
Some mention slight water retention, but this is temporary and insignificant. It’s important to follow dosage recommendations and drink plenty of water. Overall, it’s a popular supplement among athletes and fitness enthusiasts.