Creatine - what you should know about it

Dietary supplements are a healthy and proven way to improve your sports performance and bring your training to a higher level. One of the best-studied supplements whose effects have been confirmed by numerous studies is creatine. Its use is intended to help build lean muscle mass, accelerate regeneration and improve sports performance. Let's see what we should know about her.  

What is creatine?

Creatine, or rather beta-methylguanidinoacetic acid, is an organic chemical compound that was discovered in 1832. Creatine has a significant impact on the functioning of the entire body. It directly affects the functioning of tendons and muscles, because it is their element. Creatine is the main component of phosphocreatine formed in the phosphorylation process, which consists in attaching a phosphate residue to the atoms of creatine chemical compounds. The process takes place with the participation of creatine kinase, an enzyme found in our body. The resulting phosphocreatine is used to use the stored energy for protein synthesis, i.e. for muscle growth and regeneration. Creatine consists of three essential amino acids for the body. These are methionine, arginine and glycine, which means that the composition of creatine resembles that of protein. The main place of creatine storage in the body is the muscles (as much as 98% of creatine is in the muscles). The remaining part (approx. 2%) can be found in the liver, kidneys and brain.  

Types of creatine

Creatine is one of the most popular supplements, so it is not surprising that we can distinguish many types of this supplement. Some differ from each other to a greater extent, while others are very similar to each other. The same applies to various blends, which are a collection of several types of creatine. So what are the most common types?  

Creatine Monohydrate

For starters, the most popular type of creatine, i.e. monohydrate. This is by far the best solution for beginners and also the cheapest form of creatine. In practice, it is a combination of water molecules with creatine molecules into one molecule. The monohydrant increases strength endurance, maximum strength, increase in lean body mass and accelerates regeneration. Independent studies have shown that the monohydrate is a very quickly absorbed form of creatine. However, it shows some retention capacity.

Creatine malate

Creatine malate is the second most popular type of creatine. It is created by combining three (sometimes two) malic acid molecules with a creatine molecule. The main difference between malate and monohydrate is solubility - malate dissolves better and is distinguished by greater chemical stability. Malate (malic acid) complements the action of creatine, because it is involved in energy transformations. The generally accepted rule says that malate causes slightly smaller mass gains, but the gained kilograms are much "cleaner", i.e. they are muscles.

Kre-alkalyn

Another type of creatine was created to reduce the amount of creatine that transforms into an inactive form, i.e. creatinine. Buffered creatine monohydrate is distinguished by the fact that we can use it in much smaller amounts and count on the same results. In addition, this version of creatine is supposed to cause the retention of much less water. There have also been no cases where Kre-alkalyn has caused stomach problems. In practice, however, there is not enough evidence to say that it is the best form of creatine.

Creatine citrate (tri-creatine citrate)

In the case of citrate, the finished product is obtained by combining three molecules of citric acid and one molecule of creatine. The substance does not differ significantly in its properties from other types. So it helps in building pure muscle mass, increases endurance and improves athletic performance.

Creatine stack

so-called creatine stacks are combinations of different forms of creatine. They often also consist of a substance that accelerates the absorption of the substance by the muscles. The formula often also contains vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals and herbal extracts. Creatine level promotes hydration of muscle cells and inhibits catabolism.

Creatine Matrix

The creatine matrix is ​​also a combination of several types of creatine. The exact composition depends on what the manufacturer used. The main task of creatine is to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), i.e. an intracellular energy carrier. Many people claim that combining different types of creatine can significantly improve its performance, but there is no real evidence for this (apart from individual opinions).

Creatine hydrochloride

Creatine hydrochloride is a substance created after mixing creatine molecules and hydrogen chloride molecules. It is commonly believed that creatine HCL has the lowest water retention. However, it all depends on the body and preferences. The hydrochloride is also distinguished by an intense sour taste.

The effects of using creatine - what gives and how does creatine work?

Creatine is recommended as one of the most effective supplements. Numerous studies have proven that creatine can accelerate the regeneration of muscle fibers and even the healing of wounds and bruises, because it accelerates the synthesis of proteins that affect not only muscles, but all tissues. Creatine also helps in the fight against oxidative stress and in the oxidation of tissues. An important advantage of using creatine is its proven effect on improving strength and performance in training. Regular use of creatine improves the so-called. muscle pump, which makes the muscles more efficient and full. A set of such advantages makes creatine a supplement for everyone. It can be used by both people who only occasionally engage in sports, as well as professional athletes, for whom even a minimal improvement in form is very important. Creatine supplementation supports the body in building muscle mass and in post-workout regeneration. The most important feature of creatine, however, is its anabolic effect - which is the main reason why we use creatine. Research shows that creatine actually helps build lean muscle mass. In order to count on optimal results, however, we must remember about a few important issues.

How to use creatine?

Creatine is one of the most commonly used supplements, which gained its popularity many years ago. So it should come as no surprise that countless myths have arisen around the use of various forms of creatine. Older gym adepts may remember the once popular phases of creatine saturation and loading, cycles and half-cycles, and other modes of creatine intake. The current trend is much simpler. It is said that you can use creatine without interruption in one, constant dose every day at any time of the day. It also doesn't matter much whether we take creatine in the form of tablets or powder. Application? Creatine can be taken without any damage to health both on training and non-training days.

How to dose creatine? Daily dose of creatine, how much to take a day?

Information about the dosage of a specific form of creatine is usually provided on the package label. In some cases, there are differences in dosage depending on gender and personal needs. Women usually have slightly less muscle tissue than men, so a portion of up to 3g will definitely be enough to benefit from the supplement. For men, the dose can be increased to 5g. It is also worth bearing in mind that a large amount of creatine is supplied with food, and its surplus is excreted from the body without being absorbed.

What to take with creatine?

It is difficult to determine with unwavering certainty whether there are substances that improve the effect of creatine. However, it can be assumed that some of them can actually help to strengthen its effects. Some studies show that when creatine is taken with WPI or WPC protein and carbohydrates, the insulin spike can improve its potency. It can also be assumed that absorption is improved by alpha-lipoic acid, sodium and BCAA. Creatine is not worth taking with meals that contain a lot of fat, because it sometimes leads to slowing down and impaired absorption.

Is it worth taking creatine?

Of course! Creatine is one of the best-studied dietary supplements that has irrefutable evidence for its action. It can be used as an addition to help increase the intensity of training and the appearance of the figure. When taking appropriate doses, we can also be convinced of the lack of risk of side effects. Creatine can be found in the home of most people who are serious about training at the gym and practicing other sports, which perfectly shows how effective and popular the supplement we describe is. The effects of taking creatine appear depending on the body. However, it is impossible to specify the exact period when we will start to feel the significant effects of using the new supplement. However, you can safely expect that the results will be very good.

Creatine and side effects

If we take the right doses, there is no risk of experiencing side effects. By following the manufacturer's instructions, we can use creatine for a long period of time without interruption. The only problem may be taking too large single doses. However, these will not be very serious problems. In fact, in most cases, an "overdose" of creatine will manifest as abdominal pain, nausea, and mild dehydration. In extreme conditions, it can lead to diarrhea.

Starting to use creatine is a natural decision after a certain period of training in the gym. The choice of the type of substance in most cases does not matter much (although not without exceptions). The most important thing is regularity and, of course, adding creatine to diet and training.

So what kind of creatine should you choose?

The choice is simple, choose the highest quality supplements that have been repeatedly tested by independent sources.