Creatine: what is it? What are the benefits? Is it safe? How should I take creatine, and what is the best type? This article is going to provide a complete guide to, providing you with all the facts, dispelling the myths, and answering all of the key questions along the way.
I get asked tons of questions about supplements, and which ones are the best. If I was told I could only use one supplement for the rest of my life, creatine would be number one every single time!
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What is creatine?
Creatine is often misunderstood as a protein, or in some extreme cases it has even been confused with anabolic steroids! Creatine is in fact an organic acid naturally produced in the liver that helps supply energy to the cells all over your body.
Creatine is made up of three amino acids: L-arginine, glycine, and L-methionine. Whilst these amino acids also occur in proteins, creatine lacks the complex amino acid structure to be considered a protein. If this is confusing, try to think of this like a stew. Carrots (L-arginine) are one of the ingredients that make up a stew (protein), but carrots are not a stew on their own.
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What are the benefits of creatine?
Creatine is incredibly beneficial – it enables you to train harder for longer, and as a result it increases the rate at which you can build muscle.[1] It boosts your endurance by increasing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation in your cells.
Having more ATP is like having a full tank of gasoline rather than just ¾ of a tank, and just as you can drive further in a car with a full tank, you can train harder for longer with more ATP. This does not directly increase your strength, in the same way that having more fuel in your car will not give your car more horsepower. However, it can lead to an increase in strength over time as it will allow you to squeeze out more reps, increasing the potential for muscle growth.
ATP is primarily used for energy in your fast twitch muscle fibres, making creatine the supplement of choice for gym goers wanting to squeeze out those extra couple of reps or sets, and for athletes competing in explosive events such as sprinting or weight lifting. It is not especially beneficial for slow twitch muscles – those used during prolonged periods of aerobic exercise such as long-distance running or cycling.
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How much creatine should I take?
Our bodies naturally produce creatine, primarily in the kidneys and liver. It is transported by our blood into the muscles where 95% of all creatine in our bodies is stored. We also take in creatine from the foods we eat, primarily from meat – although cooking heats the creatine molecules up and degrades it to a degree.[2] It should be noted that for this reason, vegetarians have been found to have significantly lower creatine levels than meat-eaters.
You may be wondering why you would supplement creatine if you already have all this creatine naturally? Your body can only get 1-2g of creatine daily from it’s own production and from the foods you eat, even though it can utilise up to 10g of creatine daily for ATP formation. Therefore supplementing creatine with an additional 3-5g per day will provide you with the optimum levels to get the most out of your workouts, whilst leaving a safety net to ensure you don’t put unwarranted stress on your body’s cleansing and detoxification systems.
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Is creatine safe?
Absolutely. If taken correctly, creatine is safe – after all, your body produces it anyway and it is naturally occurring in the foods you eat. As mentioned previously, we recommend supplementing 3-5g of creatine daily in order to increase your performance. In order to ensure your body remains able to produce creatine naturally, and to give your organs a rest from processing the supplement, it is recommend that you take a break bi-monthly for at least a week before restarting supplementation.
Please note if you have kidney or liver issues, or your family has a history of kidney or liver issues, it would not be recommended that you supplement creatine at all, as any potential increase in work for the kidneys should be avoided.[3]
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Should I use a ‘loading phase?’
Absolutely not! Studies have found that the so called ‘loading phases’ suggested by many supplement companies are no more than sneaky marketing strategies. Temporarily increasing your intake of creatine will achieve nothing except robbing you of your hard earned cash whilst potentially putting your health at risk! [4]
Loading phases suggest taking up to 20g of creatine daily to ‘fill up your creatine stores.’ Whilst it does take time for you to increase your body’s creatine levels by supplementation, an extreme intake of creatine will not be beneficial to either your results or to your long term health. These loading phases are seriously demanding for your body’s detoxification systems, requiring your liver and kidneys to work overtime filtering out the excess creatine.
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What are the drawbacks and side effects of creatine?
There are some drawbacks to consider when taking creatine. The chemical properties of creatine enable it to carry a large amount of water, called a hydration shell, around with it. This leads to increased water retention which can make you look soft and less defined, and can lead to an increase in body weight due to this extra water weight. This isn’t an issue in everyday life, but is something to avoid before a show or photo shoot, or even if you are going on a beach holiday and want to look your best!
Bloating can be minimised or even eradicated completely, by ensuring the creatine is properly absorbed by consuming it with easily absorbed carbohydrates. Bloating is generally caused by poor absorption leading to creatine molecules sitting outside muscle cells instead of inside.[5]
This water retention by creatine molecules also means that you should increase your water consumption to avoid dehydration, which can lead to other side effects associated with creatine such as headaches. I would recommend keeping yourself well hydrated when supplementing creatine to ensure you avoid any side effects.
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When and how should I take creatine?
As stated earlier, avoid pointless loading periods to keep your organs in good shape, and supplement 3-5g daily. Creatine, as with many other molecules, starts to break down once it is dissolved in water, so be sure to mix it just before you consume it and avoid any forms of creatine that come pre-dissolved.
It is suggested that mixing creatine with a rapidly absorbed carbohydrate such as fruit juice (grape juice is best) increases its uptake into the muscles, although up to 20g of carbohydrate is required for proper absorption. This can be halved if mixed with protein too, so for best results consume with your protein pre and/or post workout, along with at least 10g of carbohydrates.[6]
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What type of creatine is best?
Creatine monohydrate has time and time again been found to be everything you need in a creatine supplement. Other more complex forms are available but little has been found from studies backing up their claims of improved absorption or performance.[7] Save your time and money and stick with a back-to-basics plain creatine monohydrate supplement, such as those offered by MyProtein or Optimum Nutrition.
Creatine comes in many forms: powder, tablets and even in liquid drinks. Avoid the liquids as creatine will denature over time when left in a liquid. We use the powder forms as you can easily mix it into shakes and weigh it out in exact dosages.
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To conclude
Follow these steps and enjoy the performance-boosting benefits of creatine:
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Use plain & simple creatine monohydrate powder
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Supplement 3-5g daily (do not use a loading phase)
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Consume with carbs and protein for maximum absorption
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Take a break from creatine at least every other month
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Do not use creatine if you have kidney/liver problems
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References
[2] What are natural sources of creatine?
[3] Effects of creatine supplementation on renal function
[5] What Is Creatine and Should I Be Using It?
[6] Dietary supplements affect the anabolic hormones after weight-training exercise.
[7] Analysis of the efficacy, safety, and regulatory status of novel forms of creatine