Weight Loss – Creatine Supplements

Can creatine monohydrate make you stronger, faster and leaner?
The answer is a qualified…Yes!

A number of studies have proven that when creatine supplements
are used, in conjunction with exercise, significant gains can be
made in strength and endurance. It has also been shown to
improve muscle strength and decrease recovery time needed
following a work out.

Creatine monohydrate works the best for activities that require
rapid or intense effort. Activities such as weight lifting and
sprinting are examples of this type of activity. If you are
jogging or a marathon runner you may not see the same type of
results.

About 93% of all the creatine in your body is stored in the
muscles. The reason it is stored in your muscles is that it
plays a key role in providing your body with a boost of energy
it needs to perform work.

The normal energy cycle of the muscle requires a substance
called Adenosine Triphosphate or ATP to fuel it. The muscle
usually has enough ATP on board to fuel a burst of work lasting
about 6 seconds. Creatine restores the ATP to a state where it
can act as fuel for the muscle and continue the burst of
activity for about another 6-12 seconds.

A good analogy is to think of the muscle as if it were a high
performance engine. ATP is the gas for your engine and creatine
is an octane booster that allows you to get better performance
from your engine.

While the entire process is not completely understood the side
effects of creatine include bigger muscles and increased
production of muscle tissue.

This translates into more repetitions, more weight lifted and/or
the ability to sprint faster. More work equals more muscle and
more muscle equals increased strength and endurance.

Additionally, creatine has been shown to decrease muscle
soreness and recovery time needed between work outs. Obviously,
being sore can be a de-motivator when it comes to working out.

Activities such as jogging or marathon running may not benefit
as much from creatine supplementation as weight lifting. The
muscles work slower for these activities and seem to be able to
restore ATP at a rate that meets the need.

Creatine occurs naturally and can be produced by the body. It is
found in beef, pork, salmon, cod, herring and tuna. So, why not
just eat meat? There are a number of reasons. Some people prefer
not to eat meat. It is also impractical to eat as much meat that
may be required to achieve the amount of creatine
supplementation you desire. Creatine supplementation also allows
you to know the exact amount of creatine you are getting.

The normal dose for creatine is between 2-5 grams per day. For
the fastest results you can “load” the muscles by taking between
10-20 grams of creatine for approximately 5 days. Once you have
loaded the muscles you can maintain the creatine level by taking
the normal creatine dose approximately 30-60 minutes before a
work out.

The negative side effects of creatine are that it can make you
more likely to become dehydrated and if you are working out very
intensely and/or in a very hot climate this can be dangerous.
The body can lose up to 2-3 quarts of water in an hour if it is
hot enough. The key is to drink plenty of water any time you
work out.

Because it is excreted through the kidneys, and due to the
increased risk of dehydration, creatine supplements are not
recommended for people with kidney disease.

When you first start taking creatine supplements you may notice
an immediate gain of weight of between 2 to 5 pounds. Creatine
causes your muscles to store more water which seems to assist in
creating more muscle. This is a side effect that causes many
people to think that creatine is similar to anabolic steroids.
Creatine is an amino acid and does not affect the body the same
way that steroids do.

Other side effects can include injuries from stressing the
joints and muscles by attempting to work too hard. This not a
direct result of the creatine but is related to a
misunderstanding of what creatine can do for your body.

The results of creatine supplements vary from minor to
significant depending on the person using them. A number of
factors come into play that affects the outcome. Age, sex, work
out intensity and frequency as well as how much creatine store
you start with all play a part in the results you will achieve.

If you suffer from any chronic illness or are on prescription
medications for your heart, blood pressure or other medical
conditions you should always consult your medical provider
before taking creatine. This article is intended for
informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as
medical advice.

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