Creatine is a popular topic among athletes and fitness enthusiasts. From seasoned athletes to casual gym-goers, creatine monohydrate is celebrated for its ability to enhance strength, promote muscle growth, and support recovery due to its ability to enhance performance and overall health. But how do you know if creatine is the right supplement for you? Here’s what you need to know about creatine and its benefits.
What is Creatine?
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found primarily in your muscles, with smaller amounts present in the brain, liver, kidneys, and testes. In muscles, creatine is converted into phosphocreatine, a form of stored energy that helps fuel intense physical activities.
While the body produces creatine, it can also be obtained from food sources like red meat, poultry, fish, and dairy. Additionally, creatine supplementation is a popular way to boost the body’s creatine levels, enhancing both athletic performance and recovery.
Of the many types of creatine supplements available, creatine monohydrate powder is the most widely used. Its popularity can be attributed to being the most researched form, with well-documented effects and safety. It is also one of the most affordable options compared to other forms like buffered creatine and creatine hydrochloride.
Supplementing with Creatine Monohydrate Powder
Creatine monohydrate is a beneficial supplement for those looking to elevate their workout routine. Some of the benefits of supplementing with it include:
Muscle Growth
When you start to supplement with creatine monohydrate, the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) increases, which is an essential energy source for muscles. The body’s reserves of phosphocreatine also increase with the supplementation. This rise in ATP and phosphocreatine levels promotes muscle growth while also improving strength and performance.
Increased Strength
Extra energy in the body’s cells leads to increased strength on the gym floor. When paired with regular, intense training, higher amounts of ATP and phosphocreatine allow muscles to contract with more force and intensity, resulting in longer-term strength improvements. Furthermore, fatigue during workouts is minimised, allowing you to workout at higher levels for longer periods of time without becoming exhausted or energy-depleted.
Enhanced Recovery
Supplementing with creatine monohydrate has been shown to significantly aid muscle recovery by replenishing the body’s ATP (adenosine triphosphate) stores more quickly. During exercise, muscles rapidly use up ATP, leaving them depleted and fatigued. Creatine monohydrate helps to restore ATP levels, allowing muscles to recover faster and prepare for the next workout.
This faster recovery can reduce muscle soreness and help prevent injuries associated with overuse or muscle strain. Additionally, creatine has been shown to aid in reducing inflammation and muscle damage markers, promoting a more efficient recovery process.
Improved Brain Function
Like muscles, the brain needs a steady supply of energy, especially during periods of intense concentration, learning, or stress. Creatine helps by replenishing ATP levels in the brain, providing a quick source of energy to support cognitive processes.
Improved mental performance can lead to better focus during workouts, enhanced mind-muscle connection, and more effective training sessions. Additionally, creatine’s potential to reduce mental fatigue and support mood can make it easier to stay motivated, helping individuals maintain consistency in their fitness routines.
Best Way to Take Creatine Monohydrate Supplements
You can take creatine monohydrate powder with water or juice. Mixing it with warm water or tea facilitates the dissolution process. Although the supplement dissolves more slowly in cold water, it is as effective as when dissolved in warm water. You can use a shaker bottle to help break up the powder and ensure it dissolves more thoroughly.
Creatine is more easily absorbed by the body’s muscles when insulin is present; therefore, it makes sense to take it with sugary drinks, such as grape juice, or with a meal. Creatine, however, should not be taken with high amounts of simple carbs.
The way to supplement with creatine is by following a loading strategy at the beginning of the training program and then moving to a maintenance dose.
Loading Phase
During the creatine loading phase, you take a larger dose of the supplement to improve your creatine storage as soon as possible. This will help you see faster results in the gym, leading to increased long-term growth and performance.
The standard creatine loading method is to take 20g during the course of 5-7 days.1 This will ensure that your creatine stores are fully replenished, allowing you to begin adding more reps and sets to your gym sessions.
While loading allows you to start seeing results sooner, the several dosages throughout the day require careful planning.
Maintenance Phase
In the maintenance phase, creatine is taken only once or twice per day, making it more convenient for increasing creatine storage. This method also helps minimise the side effects associated with the loading phase. These include excess water retention and stomach discomfort.
However, it will take longer to improve your creatine levels in the maintenance phase, meaning you won’t notice an improvement in your training or performance right away.
A common maintenance dose would be 3-6 g per day. Supplementing in this manner will increase your creatine levels in about 28 days.
How to Choose a Creatine Monohydrate Powder
The market is packed with creatine monohydrate supplements, making it difficult to know what to choose. Here are some tips that you can use to choose a quality option.
Look for Certified Products
Dietary supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA. Third-parting testing is used by some manufacturers to demonstrate the purity, quality and safety of their products. You can consider visiting the brand’s website to find out if they have certifications from trusted organisations.
Read the Label
Creatine monohydrate supplements are sometimes combined with other ingredients to enhance absorption, boost energy levels or support overall athletic performance. However, many prefer it without added ingredients. With pure creatine, you have complete control over the dosage and know exactly how much creatine you’re consuming without interference from other substances. This is particularly useful if you’re following a specific dosing plan, such as a loading phase where precise amounts of creatine are essential.
Check Dosage Recommendation
When choosing a creatine monohydrate powder, aim for a dosage of 3-5 grams per serving. This amount is supported by research as effective for enhancing muscle strength and performance. Regularly consuming this dosage helps improve workout capacity, making it ideal for athletes and fitness enthusiasts focused on strength and endurance gains.
Creatine monohydrate is a proven, effective supplement for those looking to improve their workout performance, increase strength, and recover faster. Whether you’re an athlete or a fitness enthusiast, supplementing with creatine can support your training goals. That said, considering all of the aforementioned factors will help you find an effective and safe supplement for your fitness goals.