Does Creatine Help With Fitness Training?
Creatine Monohydrate is one of the most renowned supplements in the world and is used commonly within the fitness industry, the benefits have always been open to speculation, nonetheless, the majority of people have heard of it.
The dominant amount of creatine in our bodies is found in skeletal muscle, and is produced from amino acids, the process being performed in the kidneys and liver. The most common place for our bodies to find creatine is via food, meat to be exact.
What Is The Main Role Of Creatine?
Now, what’s the role of creatine in the whole grand scheme of things? Well in reality it’s a form of energy known as phosphocreatine. Which you may have heard of before in relation to the ATP-PC (adenosine triphosphate – phosphocreatine) energy system, which is our main energy source for sharp burst exercise, like sprinters and power lifters.
When phosphocreatine is depleted within the muscle, we fatigue, so theory would suggest that the increase of creatine within the body would help increase phosphocreatine output during anaerobic activity. Simply put, the increase in muscular endurance as well as strength and power.
What Are The Main Benefits Of Creatine?
Creatine is also highly water retentive, which will increase your weight, to some this is a good thing as your muscles will look ‘fuller’, but what must be remembered is that it is only water, not necessarily pure muscle tissue. A great positive however is that it’s shown to decrease lactic acid build up. This means that nasty “burn” you feel during exercise could potentially not be as intense and thus in turn allowing you to perform more repetitions.
What needs to be understood is that creatine is a natural byproduct of food, and thus in turn should not be feared like other feared supplements such as thermogenic pills etc. When dosing creatine there are numerous ways to do so and many approaches, that have been sworn by athletes.
When And How Should I Take Creatine?
Front loading is an approach which you consume a higher amount of creatine for a number of days at the start of the cycle, then ultimately reducing the amount by a large percent to maintain for the rest of the time you’re supplementing it. The effects of this are shown the saturate the muscles quicker and apparently results are to be seen faster. But you could also just start with the secondary dosage and continue from there.
Some people argue that it should be cycled, and by that meaning the supplement should be taken for a certain amount of time before performing without it for some time. The same with anything with our bodies, we quickly become accustomed to things over time, and this approach allows our body not to lose the efficacy of it. Stay fully hydrated while supplementing creatine as its at its most effective when done so.
In conclusion, creatine is a natural supplement that can be added to anyone’s training routine. However, remember, it cannot replace good training, nor dieting, prioritize on getting achieving results with those 2 initially before moving towards supplementation.
Glossary
Creatine – A nitrogenous organic acid produced in the liver, it helps supply energy cells throughout the body, in particular, muscle cells.
Skeletal Muscle – A muscle which is connected to the skeleton to form part of the mechanical system which moves the limbs and other parts of the body.
Anaerobic activity – a physical exercise intense enough to cause lactate to form.
Water Retentive/Retention – The accumulation of excess fluids in body tissues, medically known as edema. Edema can result from many different disease processes, including but not limited to diseases of the heart and circulation and kidney disease.
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