Creatine monohydrate is becoming increasingly popular with athletes. This dietary supplement is said to enhance physical performance. As a result, it can be found in a wide range of disciplines, from bodybuilding and running to cycling and rugby.
But is creatine really effective in all sports? Studies show that it isn't. Creatine is recommended for optimizing short, intense efforts. It should only be taken in the context of high-intensity strength training.
What's more, this form of supplementation will only take effect if the athlete meticulously follows the " dosage " suggested by the researchers. Creatine is not consumed in the same way as protein powder. To achieve their objectives, athletes must follow a number of rules.
You'll need to dose the supplement correctly, and learn a few tricks to improve assimilation. In any case, although creatine is nowadays obtained by chemical synthesis, it is technically a safe product. It is suitable for all healthy adult athletes. Like whey and protein powders, creatine should not be taken if you suffer from kidney or liver disease.
How does creatine monohydrate affect the body?
Creatine is a non-essential amino acid present in limited quantities in our bodies. We synthesize around 1g a day, which is stored in the muscles. Some foods contain creatine, but not enough to meet the needs of athletes.
This substance is used to produce energy at cellular level, notably by rapidly regenerating adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The body mobilizes creatine stored in the muscles duringshort, intense efforts. However, our creatine reserves are barely sufficient to last ten seconds or so. Hence the need for supplementation.
Creatine monohydrate has been specifically developed to saturate muscle creatine stores. This compound is designed to be easily assimilated. This supplement comes in the form of a white powder, often packaged in capsules for ease of administration.
Although other molecules are available on the market, creatine monohydrate remains the most widely used. The effects of creatine monohydrateare better documented than for other forms, since it has been the subject of numerous studies. These have demonstrated that this substance offers numerous benefits for athletes.
Among the benefits of creatine monohydrate, researchers point out that taking it improves physical strength and reduces fatigue during training. Nevertheless, creatine monohydrate can only be used to optimize performance in short, intense movements. Contrary to popular belief, its beneficial effects are not necessarily applicable to all sporting disciplines.
When should creatine be taken?
As mentioned above, creatine has been the subject of numerous studies over the years. These studies have highlighted the effects of creatine in various sports. Researchers have thus been able to identify the sports disciplines in which this supplement will be most useful.
Creatine monohydrate for high-intensity endurance sports
Creatine's role in the energy chain suggests that it is ideal for high-intensity sports. Scientists were quick to confirm this hypothesis through numerous studies (1, 2, 3).
Unsurprisingly, they showed that creatine improves muscle strength only briefly. It optimizes performance for efforts lasting less than 30 seconds. For this reason, creatine is mainly used in high-intensity sports.
These include team sports such as soccer, rugby and handball, as well as individual sports such as tennis and the many contact sports including boxing, kickboxing and wrestling.
High-level athletes decide to take creatine in preparation for a competition. By saturating their reserves in advance, athletes will be able to give their all during the high-intensity phases of a sporting event.
Some top athletes are wondering whether creatine is a doping product. This supplement is absolutely non-doping and 100% validated by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Creatine monohydrate for bodybuilding
Creatine and strength sports generally go hand in hand. Practitioners will need to mobilize all their physical strength in a short space of time. This dietary supplement is therefore well-suited to bodybuilding and other disciplines such asweightlifting and CrossFit.
This supplement will be useful when you start to stagnate. In bodybuilding, for example, it is common for the practitioner to be unable to lift a certain load after several weeks of training. Taking creatine will help you to overcome this limit and boost your progress.
The muscular strength provided by this substance will enable you to lift heavier loads or resist fatigue for longer. This additional muscular stress will again stimulate muscle growth. The result is long-term gains in strength and endurance.
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Creatine for mass gain
Firstly, creatine does not cause weight gain. Secondly, although creatine is an amino acid, it does not directly influence mass gain. In this sense, it won't be as beneficial as whey isolate, which will provide amino acids genuinely used for muscle building. But don't be fooled into thinking that this substance is useless.
Creatine provides the means to improve training volume. With the right dosage, you can increase the maximum load lifted, or increase the number of repetitions during exercise.
Since muscular development is the result of physiological adaptation, this supplement will be useful for increasing the difficulty of your workouts, and therefore the associated mass gain.
It's important to remember that training volume is essential to initiate the synthesis of new muscle fibres. If the targeted muscles are not sufficiently solicited, muscle mass gain leaves much to be desired. The creatine and whey duo is therefore highly desirable. Find out more in our article on creatine and whey.
When it comes to whey or gainers, as with creatine, the origin and quality of the product is absolutely essential for the athlete, both for his or her health and for sensations and performance. All our mass gainers are sweetener-free, additive-free, made in France, developed by a team of pharmacists and optimized for your performance.
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Good to know: creatine consumption may give the impression of rapid mass gain after the start of supplementation. The truth is, however, that water is retained in muscle tissue. The body's muscles will tend to become waterlogged. This can lead to increased volume and weight gain. This phenomenon is only temporary, and the athlete will lose this water intake once he or she stops taking the supplement.
Is creatine useful in the dry season?
Creatine monohydrate is of particular interest during a lean phase. Creatine helps maintain muscle mass by providing energy for high-intensity exercise, which is crucial when caloric intake is reduced.
What's more, the water retention it causes is intracellular and not subcutaneous, so it doesn't adversely affect muscle definition. Some studies even suggest that creatine may promote fat burning.
Creatine for endurance sports
Creatine may also have a place in endurance sports requiring athletes to sprint.
This dietary supplement will be useful, for example, during changes of pace, making it easier to accelerate, especially in a state of accumulated fatigue. Its consumption can therefore be discussed for disciplines such as swimming, cycling, or even running, depending on level.
Moreover, it has been suggested that creatine reduces the feeling of fatigue before, during and after a sprint, and that it influences recovery during training. But more medical and scientific data are needed to confirm these hypotheses.
Please note: creatine is not considered a doping substance as such, since it only improves performance to a reasonable degree, without "boosting" it beyond its natural limits.
On the other hand, it's possible that the capsules or powder you choose are contaminated with steroid derivatives, which are doping products. To leave nothing to chance, if you want to consume creatine, it's best to opt for anti-doping-certified, pharmaceutical-grade supplements.
How do I take creatine?
If you rely on word-of-mouth, you'll find that reviews of this supplement are fairly mixed. Some say they haven't felt any noticeable change, while others praise the product's benefits.
In fact, the effectiveness of this product depends on its quality and the way it is consumed. When taken under the right conditions, this supplement gives a serious boost. Fortunately, scientists have studied numerous protocols to identify the best ones.
Can creatine be taken every day? Professor Roger Harris, one of the pioneers, recommends a loading period followed by a second phase designed to maintain reserves. The question then arises of the daily dose of creatine... Initially, 5 grams of creatine monohydrate are consumed 4 times a day for 5 days. Thereafter, you need to take a daily dose of 0.03 grams per kilogram.
Professor Eric Hultman, on the other hand, maintains that the loading phase can be dispensed with, by consuming 3 to 5 g/d of creatine directly.
Depending on the objective (short or medium term), one or other of these proposed protocols can be used. Regarding the timing of intake, according to current literature, it makes little difference whether creatine is taken before or after training, the important thing being regularity and adherence to the protocol.
On this point, it is not advisable to take creatine continuously. It is preferable tointerrupt the treatment every 4 to 6 weeks. You should then stop taking this product for at least a few weeks, to preserve your metabolism.
Which creatine monohydrate to choose?
Creapure® creatine monohydrate is considered the benchmark for superior quality because it is manufactured by a unique process in Germany, guaranteeing exceptional purity of 99.99%, with no cross-contamination and impeccable traceability.
Many products on the market may contain potentially harmful impurities or contaminants.
The Creapure® label ensures rigorous quality control:
- Exclusive manufacturing in a dedicated plant in Germany
- Regular analyses to guarantee the absence of doping substances
- A total absence of additives and sweeteners
- Anti-doping certification for professional athletes
Unlike many cheap creatines of dubious provenance, Creapure® is synthesized using a patented process which eliminates all potentially harmful production residues.
This superior pharmaceutical quality translates into better absorption, fewer digestive side-effects and optimal effectiveness for improving muscle power and explosiveness during intense training.
