Creatine: common health benefits, supplements and the correct dose

If you look at the path to supplement at the local pharmacy, you will probably find different forms of creatine such as tires, powders, capsules and even drinking mixtures. This is because creatine is A popular fitness supplement For those who want to gain muscles, strength and strength while improving productivity. It is also naturally made in our bodies and helps our muscles with energy production when we work.

Although creatine can be found in less quantities in foods such as salmon, chicken, beef and pork, many people take supplements for fitness benefits. Do you know, however, that creatine can have other effects on your mental and physical health? To learn more, we talked to experts about the benefits of creatine, effects on weight, results and how to choose the right supplement.

Creatine benefits for your overall health

Although creatine is popular in the fitness space, it has other advantages that the average person can also benefit from. For example, creatine can help recover injuries, improve the skeletal muscle, and have been shown to have a positive effect on the brain.

Jenna Stagland, a Registered nutritionistA specialist in sports dietetics and an important advisor, says: “The most recently studies have shown that the daily dose of creatine can increase brain creatine levels by 6%.” Part of this can be attributed to Increase Phosphocratin In the brain when taking creatine, which can help reduce cognitive neurological diseases. Phosphocratin is a substance created by our skeletal muscles that serves as a buffer To maintain an energy form created by cells called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

Stagland adds that creatine may even have Positive effect on your mental healthS “It has been found that when there are smaller amounts of creatine and phosphocratin than white substance in the brain, more severity depressive episodes appear,” she said. Therefore, the intake of creatine can increase this white matter and, as a result, improve your mental state.

Creatine has been shown to have an effect on mood, according to Strangland, promoting brain energy levels, especially for women. “The females have Lower Creatine Stores in the Brain – About 70% to 80%- compared to men, especially in the frontal lobe, so this is an area in which females particularly benefit from taking creatine every day, “she said. The clean brain lobe is known to control mood, knowledge, memory and emotion. Supplementation with creatine can have a positive effect on this part of the brain.

How to choose a creatine supplement

As you can imagine, the supplement market is flooded with different products, many of which are dubious. This is because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate nutritional supplements for efficiency or safety. You will encounter three different types of creatine in the supplement store: creatine monohydrate, creatine ethyl ester and creatine hydrochloride. Of the three Creatine Monohydrate, the most popular version has proven that it helps people achieve their fitness goals.

Although creatine is a popular and well -known supplement, it is still important to be cautious when choosing one. Chris Arseno CoachesHe advises: “I recommend consumers to look for a brand that has been reputable and tested for third parties when choosing creatine.”

Stangland says the ingredient section should only read creatine monohydrate and no other preservatives, supplements, binders, etc. should be mentioned. You will find creatine monohydrate, or in powdered or capsule form, flavored or unfiled, in your vitamin store, so you can choose based on your preferences. Other forms include creatine gum and drink mixtures.

How to get creatine to support your fitness goals

Another thing you need to be careful about a container with creatine is that one serving is 5 grams. “In the serving size, you want to see that a serving is a 5-gram spoon so that you can adequately heat the recommended dose,” Stagland said.

How much you need to take will also depend on your own goals. For example, if your goal is to build strength or muscle profit, Arsenault recommends that you take at least 3 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate. She adds: “For optimal absorption, I strive to 20 grams divided into four daily intakes of 5 grams in combination with carbohydrates and proteins.”

If weight loss is your main focus, you can follow the above mentioned instructions. “Creatine can help maintain muscle mass while limiting calories, but listen to your body, as you know it best and adjust as needed,” Arseno said. For example, some people may experience bloating and want to reduce the dose. On the other hand, if you do not notice a difference in your “pump”, you may want to increase the dose.

Weight gain

In some cases, a common side effect is weight gain. However, weight gain is caused by temporary retention of water, which ultimately disappears.

“In the early stages of the creatine supplement there is a slight increase in the total body water when creatine stores in the muscles,” Stangland said, adding, “Studies show that this is not a long -term side effect, and even after a creatine workout for five to 10 weeks, studies show no increase in the overall water.”

The good news is that this is shown only shortly or during the first few days of creatine charging phase at 20 grams per day. Stagland said that after these first days, the total body water returned to its normal state and did not show a total weight gain due to the addition of creatine.

Keep in mind to drink your recommended daily water intake when complementing creatine.

Who should avoid creatine?

Although creatine is a well -studied supplement and it is generally safe to take, if you do not have basic conditions, some people should be cautious before adding it to their diet.

Arsenault advises people with liver disease or edema to first talk to their doctor before taking creatine. “This is because creatine is naturally made in the kidneys and liver,” she said. In addition, if you are pregnant or breast -feeding, you should also consult your doctor before supplementing it.

How long do you take creatine before you see results

As with any supplement, creatine will not work overnight. Stangland recommends taking it for at least four weeks to see real changes. “This period of time shows an increase in creatine levels in the brain and/or an increase in creatine levels in the muscle for improved strength and strength,” she said.

Keep in mind that you may already get some creatine in your diet, as it is a naturally found substance in animal proteins such as red meat, chicken and seafood. However, Stangland points out that in order to get enough creatine from the food, one has to eat two pounds of steak or two and a half pounds of salmon every day.

If you do not see any changes by picking up creatine, you may be what is called: Non -sponge. “A person may be irregular because of their biological profile if they have high levels of creatine before starting a supplement lower than the average fat-free mass and a lower type 2 muscle fiber,” Stagland said. Other circumstances where you may be irresponsible include if you have used creatine for too long or creatine levels in your muscles no longer increase as much as at the beginning.

Other circumstances where you may be irresponsible if your diet is already severe in animal protein. “This means that they already receive enough creatine for optimum performance and have a high level of output level,” Arseno said.

Bottom line

At the end of the day, creatine is a supplement and it should not be the only thing you focus on when working for your fitness goals. Instead, treat it as a tool that can help you achieve them. After all, a healthy diet, a balanced lifestyle, adequate sleep and exercise will regularly help you have long -term success, regardless of your goals.