Creatine is one of the most popular and widely researched natural supplements. The majority of studies have focused on the effects of creatine monohydrate on performance and health; however, many other forms of creatine exist and are commercially available in the sports nutrition/supplement market. Regardless of the form, supplementation with creatine has regularly shown to increase strength, fat free mass, and muscle morphology with concurrent heavy resistance training more than resistance training alone. Creatine may be of benefit in other modes of exercise such as high-intensity sprints or endurance training. However, it appears that the effects of creatine diminish as the length of time spent exercising increases. Even though not all individuals respond similarly to creatine supplementation, it is generally accepted that its supplementation increases creatine storage and promotes a faster regeneration of adenosine triphosphate between high intensity exercises. These improved outcomes will increase performance and promote greater training adaptations. More recent research suggests that creatine supplementation in amounts of 0.1 g/kg of body weight combined with resistance training improves training adaptations at a cellular and sub-cellular level. Finally, although presently ingesting creatine as an oral supplement is considered safe and ethical, the perception of safety cannot be guaranteed, especially when administered for long period of time to different populations (athletes, sedentary, patient, active, young or elderly).
All this has persuaded me to start experimenting with creatine again. 1 teaspoon / 5 g a day at the moment....
12 comments:
I've been using the NOW brand from Amazon for several years, comes out to around $10 a pound, it lasts forever. Really the only reason I still take it is I never run out of the stuff.
Is there any difference between tablets and powder? I guess dosing with tablets is more accurate and comfortable.
I've been experimenting with it recently too. Trying it with sodium bicarbonate as mentioned over at SuppVersity. 1 tsp baking soda + 5g creatine washed down with some water.
Is 5g going to be enough? At 0.1g per kg of bodyweight that means you should be 50kg.
I ask because I'm around 70kg and have always used 5g when using creatine - perhaps I should be using slightly more?
Ondrej - no difference. Some people struggle with the powder, and take pills. Really though, it's tasteless, so you can easily combine it in any kind of shake you take (protein, etc).
Anonymous - be careful with the sodium bicarbonate. It can cause gastric distress. More here: http://www.reddit.com/r/AdvancedFitness/comments/rwhxe/supercharging_creatine_with_baking_soda_study/
Tom - 5g is more than enough. As the recommendation is 3-5g, you should be fine.
Chris,
brand recommendations?
Thanks for the post.
Bryce
Interesting..I just considered creatine supplementation because of Eat Stop Eat, then 2 articles here and 25 percent discount at the supplier I trust...ordered 300 pills. (it's czech company so probably of no use for others)
Brands ?
No idea - I've just gone for the basic creatine monohydrate from MyProtein which is pretty cheap in bulk
Maybe one form to avoid? http://mobile.nutraingredients-usa.com/On-your-radar/Product-claims/Creatine-supplement-makers-at-loggerheads-over-new-study
Chris, I've been a follower of your blog for sometime now and enjoy your efforts and appreciate your insights. Your decision to give creatine another whirl coupled with the amount of articles about the substance published recently on your site and through other channels has convinced me to give this supplement a chance. Granted, I am skeptical of the supplement industry as most products seem to show limited efficacy and the claims made sound similar to those of a snake oil salesman.
However, I am willing to follow your lead in this endeavor and experiment with creatine myself.
My questions for you are 1) are you supplementing with creatine? Creatine monohydrate? or a "micronized" form of either? 2) Are you doing a loading phase: 20 g/day for 5 days, 10 g/day for 10 days, or 3-5 g/day for ~ 1 month? 3) Are you going to cycle on and off (i.e. 2 months on, 2 weeks off)
Thanks.
Xander
Thanks
I am just using a basic Creatine Monohydrate as I say above with a link to the product. I'm not doing a loading protocol just a heaped teaspoon / 5g or so each day. I'll take a week or two off after a couple of months.
My creatine monohydrate just arrived. Starting today, 5g/day...review after 60 days when my tablets run out:-)
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