Benefits and Nutritional Information of Creatine
Build muscle size and strength
Improve performance in high-intensity activities
Delay muscle fatigue during exercise
Enhance muscle recovery after strenuous training. Enhance bone mineral density, which helps protect against osteoporosis. Improve heart function in people with congestive heart failure
Nutritional information of creatine:
The protein content is negligible, so most creatine supplements are comprised almost entirely of pure creatine powder or “micronized” power. A typical daily serving of a good quality creatine supplement might contain the following amounts per 100 grams: -Creatine Monohydrate: 125-150g -Creatine Anhydrous: 89-96g -Creatine Citrate: 40-50g -Creatine Ethyl Ester(CEE): 35-40g -Creatine Malate: 26-30g -Creatine Pyruvate(Kre-Alkalyn): 20-25g
Benefits of Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation Creatine is found in various foods throughout the world, mostly in animal protein. This chemical is naturally occurring in the human body, but approximately 95% of it is stored in skeletal muscle.
Creatine supplementation can have a beneficial impact on athletic performance for most individuals by increasing their working capacity during high-intensity activity with anaerobic glycolysis as its main metabolic pathway. It will help increase energy production and decrease fatigue so you can go harder longer.
Supplement Facts:
1 dose has 5 grams of micronized Creatine Monohydrate. Does each dose contain the following: -3000mg of Calcium-500mg of Phosphorus -1500mg of Magnesium Other
-Bodybuilding Supplementation -Endurance Sport Preparation How much should I take? The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for creatine monohydrate supplementation varies by US government guidelines as follows: Males 14+ years old – 130 mg/day Females 14+ years old – 120 mg/day Pregnant or Lactating +14 years old – 160 mg/day
Creatine Benefits:
1. Build muscle size and strength:
Creatine is the most popular bodybuilding supplement in existence. It is used by nearly every pro, amateur, and aspiring athlete for its ability to provide significant increases in lean muscle mass. Scientific studies have proven that creatine supplementation increases the total creatine content of the skeletal muscles by about 15%. This results in an average increase of 5-15lbs in your first month of use.
2. Improve performance in high-intensity activities:
During short bouts of maximum physical effort (3-5 min), ATP (energy) supplies are depleted rapidly, with phosphocreatine contributing up to 40% of expended energy requirements.
By supplementing with creatine monohydrate before exercise, you can delay the onset of ATP depletion by increasing the phosphocreatine storage in your muscle cells. This will allow you to perform at maximum intensity for a longer period of time, which may enhance endurance performance.
3. Delay muscle fatigue during exercise:
It has been demonstrated that creatine supplementation can reduce skeletal muscle fatigue under certain conditions (i.e.: high-intensity training). Creatine is stored within the cell, but it is also found in the blood where it can donate a phosphate molecule to ADP (an immediate precursor of ATP) resulting in an 8% increase in the ability to produce energy (ATP availability). Because of this, creatine supplementation has been shown to significantly improve power and muscular endurance by 5-15%.
Side Effects There are several side effects associated with creatine monohydrate supplementation. Most of these are mild and temporary, but they include:
Gastrointestinal disturbances include diarrhea, cramping, nausea, and vomiting. Bloating Irritability Muscle cramps Diarrhea Muscle strains Weight gain Precaution Creatine monohydrate is very safe for most people when used at recommended levels. However, there are some individuals who may be at risk due to specific medical conditions or the use of certain drugs/medications.
If you’re not sure about your current health status regarding the use of creatine supplements it’s a good idea to check with your doctor before taking any new supplement including this one. Pregnant or nursing women should not use this supplement. Creatine may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman.
This is due to the fact that creatine affects the expression of genes involved in skeletal muscle growth and development. People with liver problems should also avoid using this supplement since creatine will further tax an already overworked organ.
Further, check with your doctor to ensure that any other medications you are taking won’t interfere with creatine metabolism via competitive inhibition (blocking absorption).
Creatine tablets:
Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid found mainly in the skeletal muscles. Creatine phosphate provides energy to muscles by replenishing ATP, the cellular fuel used for short bursts of energy such as lifting weights or sprinting.
Creatine can be obtained from foods like meat and fish or it may also be formed in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. Creatine monohydrate is sold in capsules usually containing micronized creatine powder.
Micronization is a procedure that reduces an ingredient into smaller particles to improve its dissolution rate and bioavailability. Some people prefer micronized creatine powder because it has been shown to dissolve faster in liquid than regular creatine monohydrate. However, micronized creatine is more expensive than regular creatine monohydrate.
Creatine benefits for men:
Creatine supplements are sold as a dietary supplement to improve athletic performance and as a body-building aid. Whereas some evidence suggests that creatine may help athletes such as weight lifters who require short bursts of energy, there is no convincing evidence that creatine supplements can enhance sports performance in people who do not need short bursts of energy for sporting purposes.
Creatine is converted to phosphocreatine (creatine phosphate) in the body and serves as an important reserve of energy:
1. during activities requiring brief but the intense muscular effort (such as weight lifting or sprinting)
2. during activities requiring moderate but prolonged muscular effort (such as long-distance running).
3. during exercise if the working muscles do not receive enough oxygen to produce energy aerobically, at which point the anaerobic energy system will predominate.
When to take creatine:
Proper use is crucial in maximizing the benefits associated with creatine monohydrate supplementation. Creatine should be taken within 30 minutes prior to exercise or when an individual plans on participating in any type of weight training session involving high-intensity activity.
How does creatine work:
Creatine works by increasing the availability and transport of energy throughout the body’s cells:
1. the first step begins with creatine binding to a phosphate molecule, resulting in creatine phosphate (which can readily donate its phosphate molecule to ADP to form ATP)
2. the second step involves converting one molecule of ADP into one molecule of ATP and freeing up a phosphate molecule (which binds to creatinine) for reuse; this is often referred to as rephosphorylation
3. the third step is to convert ADP back into ATP for use during the first step of glycolysis (which releases energy from glucose).
Creatine dosage:
Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and best-tolerated form of creatine for athletes interested in increasing muscle mass, strength, or athletic performance. However, dietary supplements containing several other forms of creatine exist. Creatine monohydrate capsules typically provide ~5 g (1 teaspoonful) of creatine monohydrate (micronized), whereas tablets may provide 7–10 g (about 2 teaspoonfuls)- much more than the typical dietary intake from food (~1–2 g/day).
The usual dosage for improving exercise performance in adults is a loading dose of 0.3 g/kg body weight (maximum 5 g/dose) given four times daily for 2 days followed by a maintenance dose of 0.03 g/kg body weight (maximum 3 g/day) for the duration of the supplementation.
Potential drug interactions:
Few interactions between creatine supplements and medications have been reported. Creatine supplements are claimed to interact with tetracyclines but may alter the anticoagulant requirements of warfarin. Creatine is often touted as benefiting many other conditions such as congestive heart failure, asthma, and COPD but may have no effect on these conditions.
Benefits of creatine hydrochloride:
Creatine HCL is a highly soluble form of creatine that gets its name from the hydrochloric acid it’s bound to. The addition of a hydrogen atom turns a carbon atom into a hydroxyl group, which in turn increases the solubility of creatine, making it more readily absorbed and less likely to draw water into your muscle cells.