Creapure® creatine monohydrate powder

Pay Attention to Quality

Unlike the proteins or carbohydrates used in Protéalpes products, creatine is a compound produced through chemical synthesis—and this applies to all creatines available on the market.

It is therefore essential to ensure safe consumption by verifying the complete absence of byproducts or impurities resulting from the manufacturing process.

While nearly all brands claim high purity, the Creapure® label remains the only one to guarantee purity that is truly controlled and documented batch by batch. Many creatines are produced outside the European Union, particularly in China, with incomplete traceability: it is therefore important to verify the product’s origin, manufacturing conditions, and packaging before making a purchase.

Note:

A weight gain of approximately 1 to 2 kg may occur at the start of the regimen, due to intracellular water retention in the muscles, which is entirely reversible once supplementation is stopped.

After stopping creatine intake, muscle reserves return to their baseline level within 4 to 6 weeks.

Mild and temporary gastrointestinal discomfort may occur. These symptoms are significantly reduced by dividing the daily dose into 2 or 3 doses, taking it with meals, and limiting foods high in fiber during this period.

No evidence of adverse effects has been found with long-term creatine supplementation (up to 4 years) at appropriate doses in healthy individuals.

**Contrary to popular belief, creatine does not directly cause gains in muscle mass and strength. It allows for more effective training with heavier loads, thereby indirectly promoting muscle mass gain by improving the quality of the workout.
Individuals with the lowest muscle creatine stores, such as vegetarians, show the greatest potential response to supplementation.

Long-term use

Although studies have shown that continuous creatine use over several years, even at doses of up to 30 g per day, is considered safe, we recommend taking it in 4- to 6-week cycles, interspersed with breaks of at least equal duration.

Increasing the dosage

Increasing the dose beyond the recommended protocol does not produce additional effects. The dose-response relationship is not linear, and the optimal maintenance dose is 3 g per day.

Important information and warning

Taking dietary supplements is part of a healthy lifestyle. Dietary supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet. Keep out of reach of young children. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose. Do not use in cases of kidney or liver failure, or during pregnancy. If in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Creatine is a compound found naturally in muscle cells. It is obtained from food, mainly meat and fish, but the body is also able to synthesize it from the amino acids arginine and glycine.

*Its role is to provide energy during short bursts of maximum intensity exercise. The rate of energy production from creatine is very high, but muscle reserves remain limited: they can support approximately 8 to 10 seconds of maximum intensity exercise without supplementation.

Creatine monohydrate is a dietary supplement that increases these reserves and improves performance during high-intensity exercise¹˒²˒³.

Documented benefits include improved maximum power performance¹˒²˒³, maintenance of sprint performance during or at the end of endurance exercise¹˒⁴, a neuroprotective role and support for rehabilitation after injury or concussion¹˒⁵˒⁶˒⁷, as well as improved muscle recovery¹.

The principle that diet should always take precedence over supplementation applies to creatine as it does to any other supplement. However, diet alone cannot sufficiently increase muscle creatine stores to reach the levels necessary for a real performance benefit.

Muscle absorption of creatine is optimized when combined with carbohydrate intake, due to the effect of insulin on muscle uptake. Early protocols recommended large amounts of simple sugars, but subsequent studies have shown that a meal combining protein (50 g) and carbohydrates (50 g) produces the same effect.

Creatine is taken as a course of treatment. It is recommended to take it after exercise or during main meals, i.e., those that provide significant amounts of protein and carbohydrates.

Creatine supplementation is only relevant in specific contexts. Outside of the situations described below, it is not necessary and is not recommended.

It may be considered in the context of repeated intense efforts¹˒²˒³, typical of team sports or racket sports, where high-intensity sequences follow one another during the same match or session.

It is also recommended for disciplines involving sprints¹˒⁴, i.e., short- to medium-duration events where sprinting ability directly determines performance: athletics, track cycling, rowing, kayaking, among others.

Creatine is relevant during maximum resistance efforts¹˒², such as weightlifting, bodybuilding, or physical training, where maximum strength and power are the desired qualities.

During rehabilitation¹, it can support muscle recovery during periods of immobilization or loss of muscle mass following an injury.

Finally, emerging data suggest that it may be beneficial after mild head trauma or concussion⁶˒⁷, thanks to its role in brain energy metabolism, reducing neuronal damage, and supporting cognitive recovery.

In all cases, it is essential to follow the dosages and protocols validated by scientific literature⁸, and to seek the advice of a specialized healthcare professional. Creatine should be taken as a supplement to a healthy lifestyle, regular and intense physical activity, and a varied and balanced diet.

^1Musclecreatine loading in men – by Hultman et al – 1996

^{2International}Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine – by Kreider et al – 2017

^3Effectsof creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance – by Rawson and Volek – 2003

^4CreatineSupplementation and Upper Limb Strength Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis – by Lanhers et al – 2017

^5Creatinesupplementation and endurance performance: surges and sprints to win the race – by Forbes et al – 2023

^6DietarySupplements for Health, Adaptation, and Recovery in Athletes – by Rawson et al – 2018

^7Beyondmuscle: the effects of creatine supplementation on brain creatine, cognitive processing, and traumatic brain injury – by Dolan et al – 2019

^8CreatineSupplementation and Brain Health – by Roschel et al – 2021

^{9Meta-analysis}examining the importance of creatine ingestion strategies on lean tissue mass and strength in older adults – by Candow et al – 2021

^10Effectsof creatine supplementation on memory in healthy individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials – Konstantinos et al – 2023

^11A2-yr Randomized Controlled Trial on Creatine Supplementation during Exercise for Postmenopausal Bone Health. – Forbes et al – 2023