Creatine, a natural substance, is found in many foods including meat and fish. It’s also produced by your body, but at much lower levels.
It is one of the best-studied supplements, and studies have shown that it can increase strength and improve exercise performance. It is safe and effective for the majority of people, but you should be aware of a few things.
Strengthening and increasing muscle mass
Creatine, a non-essential, protein-like substance, is produced by the body naturally from three amino acids: methionine, Glycine, and Arginine. It helps recycle adenosine, triphosphate or ATP which provides energy for muscles during high intensity exercise. During sprinting for example, you can only produce ATP for 8-10 seconds. Creatine increases the availability of ATP by increasing your body’s stored form, known as phosphocreatine. This helps you refuel faster and recover from intense exercise more quickly.
Many studies have shown that creatine can boost muscle strength, power and overall athletic performance. It is most effective in young adults, who may benefit from increased muscle mass and improved skeletal structure. It also enhances muscular endurance, and can help you get more reps done in the gym.
Taking creatine powder can also increase muscle size through a process called muscle cell volumization. This occurs when creatine pulls the water from outside of the cells into the cell. This increased volume causes the cell to stretch. This is believed to initiate muscle growth over the long term and protein synthesis.
There are many types of creatine supplements. These include creatine monohydrate (CM), creatine ethyl ester (CEE) and creatine orotate (CRO). CM is the most researched and most widely used supplement for increasing muscle mass and improving athletic performance. The ethyl orotate form is different from CM, as it has additional chemical modifications to make it easier for the body absorb.
In one study, Herda et al [68] gave untrained young men either CM or a polyethylene glycosylated version of CM for 30 days. They measured changes in the maximum repetitions (1-RM) of leg press and chest presses, as well as muscular endurance. The CM group showed significant gains in strength and endurance. However, the polyethylene glycosylated form did not have a similar effect.
Helps with weight loss
Creatine is not proven to help you lose fat directly, but when used as directed it can have a positive effect on your muscle mass and performance during exercise. As you build muscle, your resting metabolic rate increases. This helps you burn calories more steadily, even when not exercising. Creatine is also a great way to improve your performance during high-intensity exercise and workouts such as sprinting, weightlifting, and jumping.
Creatine has many benefits. It is a great tool for weight loss. It can improve your performance during exercise and reduce the strength loss that is often associated with dieting. It also helps you burn more calories while exercising and even at rest.
Creatine is available in powder, pill and energy drink forms. It is typically taken with water. You can purchase it at supermarkets, drug stores and nutrition shops without a prescription. You should combine it with a healthy eating plan and regular resistance training to get the best results. Studies suggest that resistance training can boost your metabolism and help you build more lean muscle. You should aim for resistance training twice or three time per week, lasting 30 minutes or longer. Try weightlifting, pilates or yoga.
Helps with mental focus
Creatine, a naturally occurring amin acid, is found in the muscles and brain. It increases your body’s production adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency for your cells. ATP is required for the brain to function, as well as your muscles. Creatine increases ATP levels in your brain, which improves cognitive functions like attention and memory.
In one study creatine monohydrate supplementation increased ATP in the prefrontal cortex and decreased depression scores for patients with major depressive disorders. Other studies have shown that creatine can increase the effectiveness of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors for people with depression or anxiety. Creatine also helps to improve mental focus, by promoting neurotrophic factor and improving the function of neurons.
Creatine has been shown to improve cognitive performance in periods of mental fatigue and sleep deprivation. It can improve random movement generation, verbal and spatial recall, choice reaction time, static balance, and mood after 24 hours of sleep deprivation compared to placebo. These studies were conducted on people who had low levels of creatine. More research is needed to determine if creatine can have similar effects in healthy individuals.
Additionally, a number of studies have found that creatine can increase the speed of learning in children with senile Alzheimer’s disease. These improvements are probably related to creatine’s ability to increase protein synthesis, and transcription factor activation. Creatine has also been shown to reduce amyloid beta-trimers in the brain.
Help with recovery
Creatine aids in recovery by allowing muscles to regenerate more energy. It also protects muscle damage caused by intense exercise. This makes it a great supplement for athletes who regularly do high-intensity workouts. According to research, it can even reduce the pain after exercise.
Creatinine is naturally produced by your body, primarily in the liver, pancreas and kidneys. It is also found in foods like meat and fish. The majority of the creatine that you consume is used by your muscles where it is converted into a compound known as adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). This is an energy source that keeps your muscles going when they get tired.
When ATP levels are depleted, fatigue begins to set in, and you lose the ability for short bursts, such as sprinting or tossing a baseball. When you have a lot of creatine in your muscles, it’s easier to keep going and increase your endurance.
Many studies have shown creatine supplements to improve performance in sports such as weightlifting and running. In some cases, participants in the study saw a 10% to 20% improvement in their performance. These improvements can result from increased muscle mass, power or endurance or both.
