Creatine is one of the most widely used sports supplements, and it has been studied in sports science for many years. Studies have shown that it can not only help improve sports performance in a short period of time, but also promote muscle growth and adaptation. However, as more and more research on it is done, scientists have found that it is not only suitable for fitness enthusiasts. It also has certain value for women’s health and the elderly.
This article will explain what creatine is, its benefits, how it works, its types, and more. It will also provide a complete science-based guide.
The scientific definition of creatine
Creatine, with the chemical formula C₄H₉N₃O₂, is scientifically known as N-methylguanidinoacetic acid. It is an amino acid derivative naturally present in the human body. It plays an important role in muscle and nerve cells, helping to provide energy. The discovery of it can be traced back to 1832, when French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul first extracted and identified this compound in skeletal muscle. Its name “Creatine” comes from the Greek word “Kreas”, which means “meat”, reflecting the abundant presence of it in animal muscles.
The 4 Main Types of Creatine
Common types of creatine include creatine monohydrate, creatine phosphate, creatine hydrochloride, and compound creatine .
Creatine Monohydrate is the most common form of it and the most widely studied form. It can store more ATP, thereby improving performance during high-intensity exercise. It can store more water, which can lead to weight gain.
Creatine phosphate: This is an energy reserve substance used to maintain adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels during high-intensity exercise.
Creatine hydrochloride has a smaller content per serving, but is more powerful and does not cause the body to store water. It is the first choice for people who like lines and pursue muscle precision, and want to increase strength at the same time!
Compound creatine: This type generally contains two or more creatines (such as creatine hydrochloride and creatine monohydrate), and adds functional ingredients.
How Does Creatine Work?
The human body relies on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to provide energy for various movements. It is stored in the body’s proteins, fats, and glycogen. All of these must be converted into ATP to function. However, the amount of ATP stored in the human body is very small. During exercise, ATP is quickly consumed, and it can quickly resynthesize ATP to supply energy.
The main working principle of it is to increase the body’s creatine phosphate reserves by 10-40%. At the same time, it also increases muscle cell volume and muscle fiber hypertrophy. Creatine phosphate is one of the three major energy supply systems in the human body, and its responsible interval is short-term (10-15 seconds) high-intensity exercise. Therefore, the most standard function of it is to imtprove the performance of high-intensity repetitive exercise.
7 proven core benefits
Improve energy metabolism
It can increase the level of creatine phosphate in muscles, may also play a role in protein metabolism, and improve high-intensity exercise performance in young healthy men and women. Even for people who do not exercise, it is helpful to a certain extent.
Delay muscle attenuation
Creatine supplementation for the elderly can generally help fight sarcopenia. Even for the elderly who do not perform resistance training, It can increase lean body tissue and muscle strength, thereby preventing falls.
Neuroprotective effect
Elderly people with cognitive decline have lower levels. Some new studies have found that creatine may help improve cognitive function or slow down the rate of cognitive decline.
Improve athletic ability
Supplementing with creatine can help improve performance and ability during exercise because it acts as an energy boost. If you can run faster or lift heavier weights, your body will become stronger, ultimately improving your fitness levels.
Speed up recovery
Supplementing with creatine can also help with recovery after a workout. Creatine monohydrate, the most easily replenished form of creatine, increases the amount of fuel available for exercise. Having more fuel on hand can help exercisers perform at a higher intensity. Applied physiologists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that this mechanism helps with recovery between training sessions.
Improve cognitive function
In addition to its physical benefits, it also has function in improving cognitive function (the ability to think and learn), which helps improve brain function.
More importantly, creatine supplementation is associated with cognitive advantages in tasks that rely on the frontal cortex, such as learning, memory, and attention. Moreover, a study published in Neuroscience Biobehavioral Reviews by psychologists at Tufts University in the United States showed that taking it can reduce mental fatigue in healthy adults.
Reduce fatigue
Creatine can reduce symptoms of fatigue and tiredness by providing your brain with extra energy and increasing dopamine levels. In a 6-month study in patients with traumatic brain injury, those who supplemented with creatine experienced a 50% reduction in dizziness. Additionally, only 10% of the subjects who supplemented with creatine experienced fatigue, compared to 80% of the control group.
How to supplement creatine? ( Best dosage plan)
Dosage and timing: Creatine is used in two phases: a shock phase and a maintenance phase. The shock phase is 5-7 days, 20 grams per day for 5-7 days. Then transition to 3-5 grams per day for maintenance. Studies have shown that taking about 20 grams of it per day for about 6 days can quickly fill the muscles with it. However, they also found that taking only 3 grams per day for 28 days can achieve the same effect for a longer period of time.
A large amount of carbohydrates combined with creatine can actually increase the retention of it in the muscles. Although there has not been a lot of research on this argument, it is believed that it is related to the interaction with insulin. So when supplementing, you can use it with some carbohydrates. The simplest way is to choose juice to mix it.
Food sources vs supplements
There are two main sources of creatine: one is through dietary intake, especially meat and fish. The other is through self-synthesis in the body, about 1 gram of it is synthesized every day. After it enters the blood, it is transported to the muscles through the bloodstream for storage. About 95% of it is stored in skeletal muscle. The remaining 5% is distributed in other tissues such as the brain and heart.
As for supplements, real and effective creatine supplements are still worth buying. There are many different types of it on the market, but you only need creatine hydrate. Because it is the most stable form of it, it will not degrade during normal digestion, 99% is absorbed by muscle tissue, and it is very cheap.
Choose a good supplement, you should consider whether the manufacturer has oem odm services and custom supplement nformulation.
FAQ
Does creatine have side effects?
For most people who are in good health and use it at an appropriate dose, it is highly safe. If used in excess, some adverse reactions may occur, such as facial edema in a small number of people, stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, etc.
Who should not use creatine?
Do not use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Don’t use if you have bipolar disorder. Do not use if you have poor liver and kidney function, as it may worsen symptoms. If you have Parkinson’s disease and take it, avoid using caffeine at the same time. Studies have found that this may accelerate the progression of the disease.
Does creatine weight gain go away?
Weight gain or increase is often caused by muscle water retention, so taking supplements is often accompanied by a small increase in lean body mass and total body weight.
Summary
In summary, creatine, as an amino acid derivative naturally present in the human body, plays a key role in the energy supply of muscles and nerve cells. It quickly regenerates ATP for high-intensity exercise through the ATP-CP system . This can increase energy supply, prolong exercise time and reduce fatigue.
It also promotes muscle cell hydration . It may help muscle growth when combined with high-intensity training, while improving muscle activation efficiency and force output by enhancing nervous system function.
In terms of supplementation methods, there are different strategies such as loading period, maintenance period and progressive supplementation . You can choose according to your personal needs and goals. Scientific and reasonable supplementation is of certain significance to improving athletic performance.
