Question 1

What is creatine?

Accepted Answer

Creatine is an organic molecule found in our brain and muscle cells, as well as naturally in fish, meat and milk. It is made from three amino acids: L-arginine, glycine, and L-methionine. Because vegetarians and especially vegans tend to have lower intramuscular creatine storage, they may benefit the most from creatine supplementation, however, both professional and amateur athletes at all levels can benefit from taking creatine in recommended dosages.

Creatine is safe and widely studied sports supplement that is shown to improve athletic performance and boost muscle mass, strength and growth, as well as speed up muscle recovery.

Question 2

How does creatine work?

Accepted Answer

Creatine works by helping produce adenosine triphosphate - or ATP for short - which is your cells' most basic form of energy that's used for all types of processes, including muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, and more. ATP, in turn, helps increase your energy production during training, leading to improved athletic performance, increased strength, and speedier muscle recovery.

Question 3

How much creatine should I take and when do I take it?

Accepted Answer

The amount of creatine you need depends on several factors, including your diet, sports needs, and the type of creatine you are taking. It's best to stick with the recommended 5g dose of creatine monohydrate per day, although other types of creatine like creatine HCL may only require a 3g dose. Always check the bottle as most creatine supplements should have instructions for both creatine loading and maintenance dosing.

As for when you should take creatine, it's recommended to supplement shortly before or after training. Around 30 minutes maximum before or after exercise seems to be the sweet spot for many athletes.

Question 4

Does creatine have any side effects?

Accepted Answer

Studies on creatine monohydrate show that creatine supplementation is very safe to consume for most people. The International Society of Sports Nutrition writes: "There is no compelling scientific evidence that the short- or long-term use of creatine monohydrate (up to 30 g/day for 5 years) has any detrimental effects on otherwise healthy individuals or among clinical populations who may benefit from creatine supplementation." The only common side effects noted by consumers are mild bloating and water retention with some also complaining about digestive issues when taking high doses of creatine. Different types of creatine may abate these side effects or have other side effects. If you suffer from any side effects, you can try to push through them and hope they disappear as your body gets used to creatine supplements. However, if the side effects persist or you feel worse, you should stop taking them immediately and seek medical advice before proceeding with your creatine intake.

Question 5

How long is creatine stored in the body?

Accepted Answer

Once ingested, creatine will be stored for up to three hours, with 50% of a dose being cleared approximately three hours after consumption.

Question 6

Should I take creatine if I want to lose weight?

Accepted Answer

Since creatine draws water into the muscles, you may experience some water retention of around 3 to 5 pounds. However, this is only a short-term effect and one that occurs when an individual is taking a higher creatine dosage. Once you stop taking creatine, any water retention in your muscles should disappear.

So yes, if your goal is long-term fat loss, you can take creatine freely. However, if your focus is on short-term weight loss and every single pound counts, you may want to skip this supplement.

Question 7

Should I mix creatine with other supplements?

Accepted Answer

Creatine can be taken in conjunction with other supplements, provided you have consulted with your physician. Take protein powder as an example. The best time to consume both protein supplements and creatine powders is after or before a workout so this means mixing them is an ideal option. However, some forms of creatine should not be mixed. For example, mixing creatine HCL and caffeine should be avoided. You should also keep in mind that caffeine is present in many pre-workout supplements.

Question 8

Does caffeine make creatine less effective?

Accepted Answer

Before deciding to mix your supplement with caffeine, you must consult a doctor. Generally, however, most forms of creatine can be taken with caffeine only on days where you need to perform at a higher rate. According to research, caffeine has no direct effect on most forms of creatine so, in most cases, both can be consumed together.

Fitness