Supplement Spotlight - Creatine

Creatine has been on the supplement market since 1992. For those looking to build muscle, it's one of the most searched and researched supplements available. Creatine is an organic compound derived from amino acids that is found naturally in the human body. Almost all of the creatine found in your body is found in your skeletal muscles, with a small bit found in your heart and brain. Besides the creatine that is naturally created in our bodies, it can also come from out diet. Red meat is a highly concentrated source of creatine as are many varieties of fish. 8 oz of meat will net about 1g of creatine so to get the most out of creatine, you may need to supplement.

How Does Creatine Work

Creatine lets you workout longer and or harder by increasing the amount of energy available in your muscles. It lets you knock out a couple more rep or put up a little more weight. Basically it’s muscle fuel. Since you can do more work, either in weights or reps, it helps you build lean muscle. Creatine also volumizes your muscles, allowing them to take on more fluid. This additional fluid allows nutrients and proteins to be processed more efficiently, helping your muscles grow and repair more easily.

The Benefits of Creatine

As I mentioned, creatine helps your muscles do more work. The more your muscles work, with proper nutrition, the more lean muscle you can build. With more lean mass, you will most likely improve your strength as well as your muscles’ endurance. More strength and endurance can also lead to better power and performance in aerobic activities such as jumping and sprint intervals. Another added benefit of additional lean muscle mass is reduced body fat. Again with proper nutrition, you may be able to work harder in the gym. The harder you work the more calories you burn. More calories expended leads your body to use up existing energy stores to keep you going. Fat is often that store that gets burned. The additional cell volume has also been shown to increase metabolism. It seems that a properly hydrated cell is more metabolically active.

Creatine Dosage

A common question people have when starting a creatine supplementation regimen is how much to take. There are lots of varying opinions out there ranging from 3 to 15g per day. I think it depends on your size, body type, goals, and preferences. For conversion’s sake, 1 teaspoon or creating is about 4.5 g. Personally, I supplement with about 6-8 g per day and I’m 5’9” and 155 lbs. I take about 1tsp with my pre-workout drink and another tsp with my post-workout drink. Make sure to watch the ingredients in your drinks. Many pre and post workout supplements may already have creatine in them, and you want to account for that.

Creatine loading is another popular concept. Although I’m sure there may be a benefit to some, it’s not something that I’ve ever tested out. A loading phase of 15-20 g per day may help you get the full benefits quicker, but if you’re planning to make fitness a long-term lifestyle choice, I don’t see the need to rush it.

Creatine cycling is another populate topic. Many people agree that a 2 month on 1 month off cycle is appropriate; new studies suggest that a long-term maintenance plan will continue to yield benefits. If you are going to cycle with a program like P90x or P90x2, I recommend cycling on for the final 2 months of the program where you are really into full swing.

What Kind of Creatine

There are tons of creatine supplements on the market. Creatine monohydrate is the most popular and cheapest, and is my preference. The 0 calorie unflavored powder I get mixes great in any liquid. And, you can get enough for a few months for under $10. You can also find them stacked with other potentially beneficial ingredients like amino acids but I have those all covered elsewhere in my nutrition stack. A newer, popular variety is Kre-Alkalyn. It’s a pH buffered variety that is supposed to allow for better absorption which means a lower effective dosage. The pH buffering also means that it shouldn’t have to be cycled.

Side-Effects of Creatine

As a supplement, creatine has been on the market for 20 years. Because it is so popular, it has been scientifically studied quite a bit. The science shows that for a normal, healthy person, there aren’t any ill effects. There is no evidence that is causes muscle tears, kidney damage, or dehydration as long as it’s being used properly. It’s also just as safe for women. Also remember that creatine helps your cells retain more fluid. Fluid has weight to it. Don’t be surprised if the scale moves up a pound of two due to the additional fluid as you start your regimen. As with any supplement, be sure to consult your doctor before starting a creatine regimen.

Hopefully you’re now more informed about creatine, its function, how to take it, and what the risks are. Take this information and decide if creatine is right for you.