Creatine and its benefits – core fitness

Creatine is the number one supplement to increase performance in the gym. Studies show that muscle mass, strength and exercise can increase. In addition, it also offers a series of healthy benefits, such as protection against neurological diseases.

Creatine is considered dangerous and with multiple side effects, but these statements are not supported. In fact, it is one of the most studied supplements, with a remarkable safety profile.

This guide explains everything you need to know about creatine.

What is creatine?

Creatine is a substance that is naturally found in muscle cells. It helps muscles to produce energy during high intensity exercises or weight lifting.

The use of creatine as a supplement is a common thing for athletes and athletes to develop muscle mass, increase strength and improve how to perform exercises.

From a chemical point of view, it divides many similarities with amino acids. The body can produce it from glycine and arginine amino acids.

Some factors influence body creatine deposits, including meat intake, physical effort, muscle and hormonal level levels such as testosterone and IGF-1 (insulin growth factor 1) or insulin growth factor 1 (a hormone).

About 95% of the body creatine is stored in the muscles, in the form of phosphocreation. The remaining 5% is kept in the brain, kidney and liver.

When this quantity is integrated, phosphocreation deposits increase. This is the form of energy stored in the cells, helping the body to produce different energy molecules increased ATP calls.

ATP is often called the body’s energy currency. When there is more ATP, the body can perform the exercises during training.

Creatine also changes some cellular processes that increase muscle mass, strength and improve recovery.

How does creatine work?

There are several ways through which creatine can improve health and athletic performance.

In high intensity exercises, its main role is to increase phosphocreation warehouses. Further deposits can therefore be used to produce plus ATP energy source for increase in intensity exercises.

Creatine can help develop muscle mass and through other horses such as:

• It increases the dose of work: allows a much larger total work volume in a single training, which is essential to increase long -term muscle mass

• It improves cellular signaling: integration can increase cellular signaling through satellites, where signals to muscles help to repair and increase a new muscle mass

• Develop anabolic hormones: studies have shown that there is a great development of hormones, such as IGF-1, after further

• It increases the level of hydration of cells: it is well known to increase the water content in muscle cells. This leads to an effect of increasing the cell volume that can play a role in muscle development

• It reduces the breakdown of proteins: integration also helps to increase total muscle mass by reducing muscle catabolism.

• The myostatin levels decrease: the increase in myastatin protein levels is known for the total slowdown or inhibition of a new muscle growth. Supplements can reduce these effects, improving the potential for muscle development.

What happens to creatine in the body?

Creatine is located throughout the body, the vast majority is stored in the muscles. It is obtained from meat and fish, but it can also be synthesized in the body starting from the amino acids mentioned above.

Normally, the quantity obtained from the diet and body produced is not enough to maximize the muscle deposits of creatine.

The average warehouse is about 120 mmol/kg, but creatine supplements can increase levels up to 140-150 mmol/kg. During high intensity exercises, the stored creatine helps the muscles produce more energy. This is the main reason why creatine improves exercises.

Once the muscle deposits of creatine has been filled, any excess is disintegrated in the creatinine, which is metabolized by the liver and excreted in the urine.

The effect of creatine on the muscles

Creatine is very effective in muscle growth both for a long time and shortly.

It has beneficial effects for a wide variety of people, including sedentary individuals, elderly and elite athletes.

Creatine supplements can provide further ATP energy, which improves high intensity exercises performance. It can also stimulate some key biological processes that lead to muscle growth.

The direct role of creatine in the production of ATP energy is drastically improving the efficiency of the exercises. Studies have shown that it can optimize numerous factors to help do better exercise such as: strength, explosion, shooting capacity, muscle resistance, fatigue resistance, muscle mass, recovery, brain capacity.

The effects of creatine on the brain

One of the most interesting perspectives is linked to the health of the brain and the treatment of neurological diseases. Like muscles, the brain stores phosphocreation and requires ATP for optimal operation.

It has been suggested that creatine supplements improve the following diseases: the brain lesions of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington, ischemic stroke, epilepsy, brain or spinal, motorcycle disease, memory and brain function in the elderly.

Vegetarians tend to have lower storage levels due to the lack of meat, which is the main natural dietary source.

Other benefits

• Decreases the levels of glucose in the blood

• Improves muscle function and quality of life in the elderly

• It helps the treatment of non -alcoholic fat liver disease

• Reduces the symptoms of fatigue by providing the brain with the additional energy and increasing dopamine levels

Instructions for dosage.

Most people who use supplements start with a “loading phase”. This strategy leads to a rapid filling of muscle deposits.

To “load” with creatine, take 20 g/day for 5-7 days. They must be divided into 4 portions, each of the 5G during the day.

The absorption can be easily improved with a mass based on carbohydrates or proteins due to the release of insulin.

After the load period, take 3-5 g/day to keep the levels high in the muscles. There is no advantage in the use of creatine in the chain, so it can remain at the dose of 3-5 g for a long time.

If you choose not to perform the loading phase, it can be consumed simply 3-5 g/day. However, they can be needed from 3 to 4 weeks to maximize muscle deposits.

Since creatine is attracting water in muscle cells, it is recommended to consume with a glass of water and maintain correct hydration during the day.

Safety and side effects.

Creatine is one of the best research supplements available, studies with a duration of up to 4 years, not demonstrating the existence of any negative effect.

One of the most complete studies to date has measured 52 blood markers and has not found any negative effect after using supplements for 21 months.

There are also no records that show that it affects the liver and the kidneys in healthy people who have taken normal doses. Having said that, people with liver problems or pre -existing kidneys should consult a doctor before taking supplements.

The alleged adverse effects such as cramps or dehydration could not be supported by scientific studies. In addition, they have shown that it can reduce cramps and dehydration during the increase in resistance exercises.

The research has completely documented that creatine supplements cause a rapid increase in body weight. The weight gain due to creatine is due to the increase in water content within the muscles and the increase in muscle mass, not to fat deposits.