what does creatine do and how you can use it

Despite the fact that creatine is one of the most researched dietary supplements, there is a lot of uncertainty about this substance.

In this article we will discuss:

• what does creatine do.
• Whether creatine is safe.
• How to best use creatine.

How Does Creatine Work And What Does It Actually Do?

Creatine increases ATP in muscle cells. ATP is the first source of energy, especially in the first 10 – 30 seconds your cells can provide more energy. As a result, it mainly has advantages for explosive sports and power sports.

So you can think of strength training, but also martial arts and athletics, for example.

And really.. For these sports, creatine really makes a big difference!

Another important property of creatine is that it improves protein synthesis. As a result, you will immediately burn more and building your muscles is also a lot easier.

Bring on your athletic summer body!

Is creatine bad for you?

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements, it has no adverse side effects and is safe to use, also in combination with other supplements.

The body produces creatine itself and you can also get it from your diet.

In practice, it is only difficult to get the optimal amount from this. The body itself produces about 2 – 3 grams per day, the optimal amount is between 5 – 6 grams per day. To get the remaining amount from food, for example, you will have to eat a large amount every day. In practice, it is very difficult to get this amount from your diet. A scoop of creatine every day is therefore a lot easier and cheaper

Do you retain liquid from creatine?

When your muscle cells store more ATP, you retain water in your muscles. This can make you heavier on the scale, but it’s in your muscles, your muscles also show a bit more and this often makes you look tighter.

Retaining moisture is often associated with looking thicker / fuller. That is also true when you retain moisture under your skin, but that is not the case in this one. Because you hold it in your muscles, you look tighter.

This is therefore no reason not to use creatine.

Do you only use creatine for muscle building or also for weight loss?

If you want to lose weight and are in a calorie deficit, the body can choose to lose fat, but the body can also choose to lose muscle mass.

By continuing to train, especially muscle-strengthening exercises, you give your body the impulse to maintain muscles, another impulse for this is to continue to eat enough proteins. In addition, creatine also contributes to this.

So even during weight loss it is definitely advisable to continue using creatine. This allows you to maintain your muscle mass and lose fat, which is exactly what you want.

In addition, you can make more muscle contractions and therefore burn more, burn more = lose more weight

How much creatine?

The optimal amount of creatine for men is around 5 grams per day and for women around 3 grams per day. More is not harmful, but it also has no additional beneficial effect.

Which form of creatine is best to use?

There are different forms on the market but the cheap form, creatine monohydrate, has the most benefits.

Creatine has no flavor, so you don’t need to take flavored creatine.

It literally tastes like nothing.

So you can choose the simplest (and cheapest form). Tasteless creatine monohydrate

When do you take creatine?

This does not matter, you can take it at any time of the day.

It often works well to take it at a fixed time, for example I take it every morning. This makes the chance that you forget a lot smaller

Is it advisable to cycle with creatine?

In other words, is it advisable to stop taking creatine periodically?

when you supplement creatine your own production goes down, but as soon as you stop it immediately starts again. even when you use it for a very long time.

so you don’t have to stop using it, you can use it daily for the rest of your life.

Should I use more creatine in the first few weeks?

When you start using creatine, you build up a mirror in your cells, as it were. If you use 5 grams per day, it will take 1 to 2 weeks before the optimal amount of ATP is present in your cells.

By not using 5 grams of creatine for the first 1 to 2 weeks, but 15 – 20 grams (divided over 3/4 moments per day), you can achieve this level sooner.

In the short term, this may give some benefit. In the long run it matters very little. You use a little more creatine, the jar will be empty a little sooner. Well, relatively speaking, it is a fairly cheap supplement, but the choice to do this lies with you. It costs a little more, in the short term it can give some benefit, it can’t hurt.

The above benefits and effects of creatine are often discussed, but there is more…

Creatine can help improve brain activity.

Brain cells also need energy, more ATP can ensure better functioning of the brain. It can take care of it