Creatine monohydrate: description, action, side effects. How to properly take creatine monohydrate in powder form? How to take creatine powder

With regular visits to the gym, many athletes want to improve their results, become stronger and more resilient. If the psychological attitude and proper nutrition are already present, then you have to turn to effective sports nutrition.

An excellent supplement for improving workout performance is creatine (Creatine Monohydrate). Most athletes speak positively about it and periodically include it in their diet. Sold in two forms - powder and capsules. Let's figure out what are the advantages and disadvantages of the powder form over the capsule form, how to take creatine monohydrate in powder, at what time and in what proportion?

Features of Creatine

There are several types of supplements, but the most effective and popular form is considered. The chemical composition is the formula of creatine and water. It is not an anabolic steroid and, when taken in the correct dosage, causes absolutely no harm to the body.

It is a natural substance that is produced in the human body from amino acids. The body contains about 120 grams of creatine, and about 2 grams of this substance are consumed per day with average physical activity. However, a person actively involved in sports needs to consume it in higher doses.

Benefits of taking creatine:

• Increasing strength indicators during the training process - the need for energy during a lesson increases several times, since muscle tissue contractions occur at the peak of intensity, and taking creatine allows you to fill the energy deficit
• The athlete’s endurance increases, and therefore the intensity of training
• Reduced rest time between sets
• The secretion of some internal hormones increases, especially somatropin and testosterone
• The functioning of the cardiovascular system improves, and the risk of developing coronary diseases decreases due to increased oxygen supply

It also helps to increase high-quality muscle mass, subject to regular strength training and sufficient calorie intake. It is worth noting that creatine itself does not help build muscle, but only increases strength and intensity of exercise, which leads to muscle gain.

Side effects of creatine

There are far fewer side effects from use than benefits, and there is no guarantee that they will definitely appear in a particular athlete. The main proven disadvantage is possible weight gain. Often this effect is associated with the fact that creatine monohydrate retains water, which is why excess water accumulates in the tissues, the relief is lost, and the athlete may look a little swollen. But if you stop taking it, the water balance returns to normal.

Also, people with stomach ulcers and gastritis should be careful about taking creatine, since it is an acid, and any acid is not recommended to be taken in the morning or on an empty stomach. In addition, the supplement is not recommended for pregnant women and people with kidney disease.

How to take creatine powder

There are two ways to use the supplement – ​​with and without a loading phase. With the first method, in the first week the loading stage occurs: the athlete needs to consume 5 grams (level teaspoon) 5-6 times a day, and for the next 6-7 weeks the portion should be halved - 2.5 grams 2 times a day. After this, it is recommended to take a break and not use creatine for a month to allow the body to synthesize the substance on its own, and also to avoid “getting used to” the drug. It is worth remembering that the effect has a delayed effect and can be felt after 7-10 days of use, but some athletes notice results already in the first days.

With the second method, the loading phase is excluded, the athlete uses the supplement in medium portions of 3-8 grams several times a day, focusing on the use of creatine before and after training. After 1.5-2 months, it is recommended to take a break for 2-3 months, then you can resume taking it.

The supplement is used in the morning and between meals. On training days, creatine monohydrate is taken 20-30 minutes before and immediately after training. You can dilute the substance in water, but it is better to dissolve it in juices or carbohydrate energy drinks, since sugar increases the digestibility of the drink. For convenience, it can be dissolved in protein shakes or liquid amino acids.

How to take creatine capsules

In addition to the powder form, there is creatine in capsules, which is convenient to take for training and dose a certain amount. The capsule form has a higher degree of digestibility, since some of the powder is not digested and is excreted from the body along with water. However, in terms of speed of absorption, the leader is the powder, which instantly enters the digestive tract. Another advantage of creatine powder is its reasonable price, while the capsule form is somewhat more expensive.

Among the most popular and high-quality creatine manufacturers, the following companies can be distinguished: Optimum Nutrition (Creatine Powder), Ultimate Nutrition, Dymatize, Universal Nutrition.

Be sure to combine it with intensive training, taking creatine helps achieve:

• High levels of productive strength and endurance
• Speedy recovery
• Regulation of the central nervous system
• Formation of body relief
• Increase in lean muscle mass

Creatine is a product of the interaction of glycine, arginine, and methionine. It is present in muscles in an amount of 100-140 grams and is capable of self-synthesis. However, with exhausting training, this is not always enough. Therefore, athletes drink creatine mixture in its pure form as an additional portion to their natural diet.
There are many types of this drug, however, the monohydrate form is the most popular and effective. Monohydrate breaks down into creatinine more slowly than others and is transported to the muscle mass in full.

The most popular is taking creatine in powder; it is believed that it has a larger portion dosage, and is cheaper than others. Supplement in capsules, most often used on the road, when it is not possible to dilute a full-fledged cocktail.

How to use

In order for the mixture to meet the expected results and bring benefits, you need to know how to take creatine monohydrate powder.

It is more advisable to drink creatine monohydrate during the post-workout window. It must be washed down with water, at least 200 ml at a time.

It is advisable to flavor the liquid with sugar, syrup, honey, or use juice.

The prepared cocktail should be drunk immediately, because creatine is subject to breakdown in liquids and loses its properties 25-30 minutes after administration.

It is not advisable to consume caffeine in any form at the time of absorption of a creatine supplement, since they do not communicate well.

For best absorption, proper intake of creatine monohydrate powder should be supplemented with any substances that stimulate insulin secretion - carbohydrates (simple sugars 10-20 g), proteins (20 grams), amino acids (BCAA).

There are also 2 regimens for taking creatine - with and without loading.

With a load, for 7 days, it should be consumed 5 grams 4 times a day, in between regular meals. 1 serving should be in the post-workout period.

Starting next week, it is advisable to reduce the dosage to 2-3 grams per day, taking the supplement after training or in the morning on recovery days.
The course of taking creatine with loading is 30-35 days.

Without loading, it is correct to drink creatine monohydrate in powder, in the amount of 5-6 grams once a day. The course of using the drug lasts about 2 months and after that, 20-30 days, you need to take a break.

There is a lot of controversy about how to properly consume creatine powder.

When an athlete wants to achieve the fastest results, the right decision would be to adhere to the loading phase, provided that the athlete is prepared for the consequences - a possible, but insignificant increase in weight.

Creatine (creatine monohydrate) is a natural substance necessary for muscle function. It comes from food and is produced by the body from amino acids, then distributed in the blood and stored in the muscles. The body of an adult male weighing 70 kg contains 100-140 grams of creatine.

Discovery of Creatine

Creatine was first isolated in the first half of the 19th century, and at the beginning of the next century, scientific experiments were conducted proving that regular use of the substance increases muscle strength. At the same time, “phosphocreatine” was discovered - combined molecules of creatine and phosphate, which, when accumulated in the body, improve metabolism. The most effective form of creatine was recognized as its monohydrate - paired molecules of creatine and water.

The victorious march of creatine in sports began in 1992 after the publication of a study by Swedish doctor Eric Haltman. He has proven that taking 20 grams of creatine monohydrate daily increases muscle creatine content by 20%. A year later, an authoritative publication on sports medicine published an article about the effective use of creatine by Swedish athletes. Later studies showed that for results you do not need to take 20 grams of creatine, but 5-7 grams per day is enough. But the effectiveness of creatine has always been confirmed.

Since that time, creatine monohydrate has become a popular dietary supplement among athletes around the world. Creatine is not included in the list of prohibited doping substances, which means it can be used in any competition.

It is important to remember that creatine is not an essential supplement - it is produced in the body from amino acids (glycine, methionine, arginine), so there is no need to necessarily get your creatine intake from dietary supplements. In sports nutrition, creatine is obtained chemically in laboratories, but there is nothing wrong with that. The process that occurs in the body is reproduced in the laboratory and the same creatine is obtained, no less natural.

What is creatine for?

When performing any movement, energy is consumed; it comes from ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) - a universal source of energy in the body. ATP in cells is always approximately the same amount; it cannot be increased, but it is possible to quickly restore costs. Creatine performs this function and helps maintain ATP levels. Thanks to creatine, strength endurance and the effectiveness of strength training increase.

For athletes

Creatine helps to withstand short loads at maximum intensity, so it is necessary for sprinters and strength athletes. Effective in combat and game sports with frequent accelerations: football, basketball, hockey, etc.

In endurance sports (for example, long-distance running), creatine is ineffective - it does not increase overall endurance. Supplementation of creatine by endurance athletes is justified if they need to increase muscle strength. During training camps with a lot of strength training, creatine will have a positive effect.

Vegetarians

Meat is the main source of natural creatine, and its lack is harmful to health. Therefore, vegetarians are advised to take small doses of creatine to maintain health.

In medicine

Creatine is used in medicine for the rehabilitation of patients who have been immobile for a long time.

Benefits of creatine

• Increases strength endurance

Muscles can work on creatine phosphate synthesis for 6-15 seconds. By increasing creatine reserves in the muscles, the duration of explosive work increases by 20-30%.

When switching from creatine-phosphate energy supply to glycolysis, acidification begins. But here creatine helps out too - it delays the moment of acidification to 1 - 1.5 minutes.

• Increases muscle mass and strength

The increase in muscle mass and strength occurs indirectly due to an increase in performance. Creatine helps you work out longer, so your muscles grow faster. It is important not to confuse swelling with muscle gain. Creatine retains water and increases cell size. The muscle becomes “inflated”.

Important! The effect of creatine, like any other sports nutrition, corresponds to the load. When working on mass in the gym, it will help you gain mass. Creatine will not make a skier, track and field athlete, cyclist, or swimmer “jump,” but it will speed up recovery and increase muscle power.

• Improves muscle definition

Taking the drug allows you to improve muscle definition. This is due to both increased endurance during training and water retention - the greater the supply of creatine in the muscles, the more water it contains and the larger it looks.

• Serves as a lactic acid buffer

The familiar burning sensation after training serves as a signal that lactic acid has accumulated in the muscles. Creatine can inhibit the release of lactic acid and reduce recovery time after exercise.

• Protects the cardiovascular system

Helps restore the heart muscle after a heart attack, with arrhythmia and ischemia. Promotes vascular restoration. Protects the heart muscle when working in conditions of lack of oxygen.

• Protects the central nervous system

Helps the development of the brain and the entire nervous system. Improves the conduction function of the nervous system and the contractile function of muscles, including the heart.

• Normalizes blood cholesterol levels

Creatine in products table

Which creatine is best?

Creatine monohydrate powder is more profitable and of higher quality. Creatine powder is almost always cheaper than capsules and tablets. In addition, it is better absorbed. Exactly Creatine monohydrate is the most effective supplement. The most studied form of creatine - all the effects and recommendations are associated with it. The remaining forms of creatine are creatine monohydrate + something else. Many brands are trying to invent their own type of creatine and present it as a scientific breakthrough. This is nothing more than marketing. None of these forms showed better effectiveness compared to the monohydrate.

We prefer well-known and proven brands:

There are other good brands, but these are the ones we trust. By the way, it is at the top of most world sports nutrition ratings.

How to take creatine powder?

Methods of taking creatine are the same for all forms: tablets, capsules, powders. The main thing is to take the right dosage.

There are two main ways to take creatine

• With loading and maintenance phases. The loading phase lasts 3-7 days. During the first phase, you need to take 0.2-0.3 grams of creatine per 1 kg of body weight - about 20-25 grams per day. The maintenance regimen lasts 20-25 days. During this period, you need to take 2 grams of creatine per day.

• The usual method without downloading. 3-7 grams of creatine every day during the course. It is optimal to divide the dose into the number of meals per day. For example, 1 gram 4 times a day.

We recommend using the second method and taking monohydrate equal portions daily. This will reduce the risk of side effects and save you money. Also, in some studies there is information that the body absorbs no more than 5-7 grams of creatine per day, the rest will be excreted by the liver and kidneys.

How long should I take creatine?

At the moment, there are no studies on long-term use of creatine, so it is better to take it in courses of 1 month. After this, take a 1 month break.

When to take creatine?

There is no need to take creatine before training - the substance causes dehydration and disrupts the water-salt balance. There is also no point in taking creatine between exercises.

Creatine intake is not tied to training in any way, so simply take it before or after meals. Creatine is better absorbed with something sweet, so it is better to drink monohydrate with juice, protein or gainer. It is important that at least a glass of liquid enters the body with creatine.

Side effects of creatine

Do not take creatine in large doses! It creates increased stress on the liver, kidneys, stomach and intestines. All side effects in healthy people appear after repeatedly exceeding the dose of creatine.

• Fluid retention in the body

People with a tendency to edema should not take creatine, because it disrupts water-salt metabolism. Healthy people need to drink a lot of water while taking creatine to avoid dehydration - the muscles take up water and the body lacks fluid.

• Stomach disorders

Digestive disorders may occur due to water-salt imbalance. Excess creatine will not be absorbed in the intestines and will draw water onto itself, resulting in diarrhea. The reason is not the quality of creatine, as many people are beginning to think, but its excess.

• Toxic effects on the liver and kidneys

Excess creatine remains circulating in the blood, passes through the liver and kidneys, placing stress on them. Doses of 20 grams or more of creatine per day can cause potential harm. For those with liver and kidney problems, it is better to avoid taking additional creatine and get it only from food. Additional

It is a nutritional supplement for athletes. It is used to build muscle mass and increase endurance. The use of the supplement promotes rapid recovery after heavy physical exertion.

Creatine-containing substances have a positive effect on the functioning of the heart and nervous system. The use of creatine helps strengthen blood vessels and tendons, reduces the concentration of cholesterol in the body. Creatine monohydrate powder increases muscle mass, makes muscles prominent. Athletes have excellent torsos, not only due to training, but also thanks to the use of creatine monohydrate as a dietary supplement.

The human body naturally acquires the amount of creatine necessary for normal life. Athletes are exposed to great physical activity, so they need to take creatine-containing substances. Creatine increases the effectiveness of training.

Intense training, which athletes regularly carry out, requires additional consumption of creatine; athletes do not have enough natural volume. It is important to know how to properly take creatine monohydrate powder. You can read more about side effects in.

Let's learn how to drink creatine correctly.

Creatine monohydrate powder is taken in two ways:

• with loading;
• without downloading.

The second method is more popular, for the reason that during this intake, the body copes better with the absorption of creatine.

Consuming creatine monohydrate powder without loading

This method involves taking creatine monohydrate in an amount of 5 g once a day. The supplement should be taken after physical activity, as well as in the morning on rest days. The powder can be added to drinks containing amino acids or protein substances, as well as non-acidic fruit juice.

The duration of creatine use is 60 days, then take a break for about a month.

Consuming creatine monohydrate powder with loading

This method involves consuming creatine monohydrate in the amount of 5 g 4 times a day. The supplement is taken between meals. On training days, one dose of creatine monohydrate powder should be taken immediately after exercise.

The supplement is taken in this volume for seven days; after this period, the amount of creatine is reduced to 2 g once a day. On training days, the supplement is consumed immediately after physical activity. When there is no training, creatine is taken in the morning. The powder is added to drinks.

According to this scheme, creatine is consumed for 30 days, then there is a break for about a month.

Creatine monohydrate powder should be taken simultaneously with liquid (in an amount of at least a glass). The liquid promotes rapid absorption of the drug.

There is a huge variety of sports supplements available in the fitness industry market. But not all of them are workers. Truly effective sports nutrition products include the already familiar proteins and carbohydrate mixtures, as well as BCAA amino acids and in the form of monohydrate. The latter will be discussed in today’s article. What it is, what it gives to the athlete, and also, read about all this further.

Why in powder, you ask, because there is creatine in capsules and liquid forms of creatine. Everything is quite simple, if you see this supplement in liquid form, you can be sure that it does not work, since diluted in liquid, it deteriorates quite quickly, so there is no use for it and cannot be.

What is Creatine and what does it do?

I'll explain in simple words. Creatine is a substance found in the muscle tissue of animals and humans. Its function is to release large amounts of energy into the muscles. Due to this, the athlete becomes more resilient, faster and stronger. True, there is a lot of controversy about endurance, they say monohydrate increases performance only per unit of time, that is, it only increases strength, but from my own experience I can say that when I included this supplement in my diet, my training became not only more intense, but also more voluminous.

From food, creatine can be obtained from red meat, such as beef, but since meat takes a long time to digest for many people, you cannot eat enough of it to get the required amount of the substance, so the results are unlikely to be noticeable. Therefore, it is best to purchase creatine monohydrate in powder form, since it is inexpensive, and its effectiveness is incomparable with the price.

When taking creatine, athletes note that they noticeably increase their strength, and the usual volume of training has become unusually easy to digest. This substance increases body weight by retaining water in the muscles and making them larger.

Creatine monohydrate is almost a steroid

When compared with injectable testosterone, based on the results of taking them, they are quite similar. Creatine, like anabolic steroids, increases muscle mass and, accordingly, strength; you get almost the same thing by using cretin, but not so significantly.

By injecting testosterone, you exceed the level of your natural test by tens or even hundreds of times; over time, your own hormone temporarily stops being produced. As soon as the injections stop, the muscles will begin to break down, even if their own hormone is still being produced, since its amount is not enough to maintain the muscle mass gained. In bodybuilding language this is called a rollback.

Now about creatine. When you stop taking it, your energy level becomes the same, volume and strength drop by 80-90%, water leaves the muscles and weight is lost, but not all. The muscles that were gained when you trained on creatine will not disappear unless you stop training, of course. Therefore, creatine is almost a steroid, but in fact it is not one, it is harmless and only brings benefits.

The increase in muscle mass while taking creatine occurs due to a person's ability to train more and more intensely due to the large amount of energy.

Creatine monohydrate. How to use

There is no point in simply chewing creatine powder, I even tried it once. Firstly, it is inconvenient and ineffective, and secondly, the additive has a bitter taste. When taking monohydrate in powder, it must be diluted in a large, relative to the dose, amount of liquid per 5 g of creatine, about a glass of water or juice.

It is preferable to use juice, since this sports supplement should be taken with simple carbohydrates, which are more than enough in juice due to the sugar it contains.

Fast carbohydrates are needed for better digestibility. By the way, not every type of juice is suitable for diluting creatine in it. I advise you to use cherry or grape juice, but not orange juice, as it has high acidity, which will destroy the structure of the sports supplement.

Diluting powder in juice is quite expensive, so to save money, you can stir sports drink in lukewarm boiled water with sugar or honey. It is not as tasty as juice, but it is also effective and much cheaper. In addition, creatine can be added to a mass gainer, or both.

Never dilute creatine powder in boiling water, this will ruin it and there will be no effect from taking it.

How to use creatine correctly. With or without loading phase

The question here is not the correctness of this or that method, but the efficiency and speed of obtaining the result. It is definitely better to take creatine during the loading phase, both in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. This means that you need to take 5 grams for 5-7 days. (level teaspoon) of the substance four times a day between meals.

During this period, your weight should increase sharply, mainly due to water. When I took it, after 5 days my weight increased by 1.5 kg, and my training volume and strength increased by about 15%.

After the loading phase is completed, you need to continue taking the supplement twice a day, 3-5 grams. for one to two weeks, then repeat the download.

With the loading phase, the athlete will get the desired effect faster and can immediately feel all the benefits of taking creatine. The downside of this method is the increased consumption of monohydrate.

Taking creatine without a loading phase means a slower accumulation of the substance in the muscles, which accordingly slows down the desired results. You should also take creatine linearly twice every day, but already 5 grams. One of the advantages of this method is that the powder will last longer. Personally, I don’t see the point in this method of administration, but it’s up to you to decide.

Important point: Whatever method you choose, be sure to take creatine immediately after training.

How long does a creatine course last?

I consider the question of how long to take creatine irrelevant. Most sports sites advise taking it month after month, arguing that the body gets used to the concentration of the substance and no longer reacts to its intake. In fact, this is nonsense, creatine always works; it’s just strength and training volume that cannot always grow as quickly as in the first weeks of use.

In addition, remember that as soon as you stop taking the supplement, your energy will decrease, your strength will drop, your weight will decrease, and this can’t help but make you sad. So I don't see any point in stopping taking creatine. It is absolutely harmless, the main thing is not to exceed the daily dose of 20 grams. and you can take it all year round.

I hope you now understand how to take creatine monohydrate powder. There is nothing complicated here, the main thing is not to miss the appointment time and, of course, train hard. I wish you good luck and see you on new posts.