A lot of people who have used supplements to build muscle over the years will tell you that creatine is hands down the best muscle building supplement on the market. Additionally, there are a lot of experts and scientific studies that have backed up the creatine benefits that so many body builders have been talking about. Indeed, Brad Pilon conducted a review of several of those studies in How Much Protein, and found that creatine produced a greater amount of muscle development than protein did. You can increase your muscle growth and volume, get a much higher intensity performance during exercise and increase strength just by using a creatine supplement.
Creatine is a natural component found primarily in the body’s skeletal muscle. It can most commonly be found in foods such as fish and meat. When creatine is ingested it starts to work by increasing the availability of ATP in the body, which increases the energy levels within the muscles. During repeated sessions of intense exercise, the increased availability of ATP helps to boost the muscle building capabilities within the body.
Creatine enables a person to lift much more intensely and to lift heavier weight, which helps in muscle growth, however primarily through increasing volume. Muscle volumization is caused by fluid retention. Muscles inundated with creatine tend to accumulate and hold onto water, which makes muscles appear to have greater volume. Upon initial introduction of creatine supplements, you will probably add between 5 and 10 pounds monthly, due solely to the retention of fluids. While such gains do not equate to actual additions of lean muscle, they do not indicate the acquisition of additional fat. Sadly, these gains in muscle volumization will disappear if you take a month off from creatine. However, any gains in muscle fibers and muscle strength will be maintained.
The great thing about creatine is that it has been extensively studied and no major side effects have been found. With that stated, however, you need to keep a few things in mind. It is possible that you will gain excess weight because of all of the fluid retention you will experience. Certain physically active individuals will find this to be a troubling consequence. Further, certain individuals may suffer from abdominal cramping, discomfort and nausea as a result of creatine supplements. Another issue that some people experience is dehydration. Both gastrointestinal and dehydration problems are solved by ensuring adequate fluid consumption when you are taking creatine.
A more adverse potential side effect is kidney problems. This is only an issue in cases of creatine abuse when a person either takes a dosage that is too high over a long period of time. Lastly, I suggest that you consult with a physician if you regularly take additional drugs, in order to be certain that creatine does not interfere with their function, particularly in the case of blood pressure medications.
Most creatine supplements recommend taking 20 grams of creatine for the first 4-5 days. Such a dosage represents the concept of loading. With loading you essentially work to saturate your muscles as fast as you can. However, at the end of 30 days, the results won’t be much different than if you just had the 5 grams per day maintenance level. The only distinction is that if you engage in loading, you will notice bodily changes more rapidly. An important thing to know as far as side effects go is that if you take too much creatine in a short amount of time and do not ingest enough fluids, you are much more likely to experience an upset stomach or other problems.
Certain individuals believe that creatine should be taken prior to your best workout, due to its ability to aid in strength building. Unfortunately, most of the studies that have been conducted show that after a workout is when creatine is the most effective. Dehydration is another big worry associated with taking creatine before a workout. The human body is most able to facilitate creatine absorption in the aftermath of exercise. It is not uncommon for people to recommend ingesting creatine along with a beverage high on the glycemic index, such as fruit juice, though my personal experience indicates that taking it with water is perfectly sufficient. You shouldn’t add sugar to your diet unless you are using it as some kind of a nutritional source following your regular workout. Creatine can be taken at any time on the days that you aren’t working out.
If you want to increase the strength and size of your muscles, look no further than creatine, the best way to gain muscle. Both the side effects and benefits of creatine have been well documented and are easy to find. When choosing what type of creatine to use, a 100% pure micronized creatine monohydrate such as Optimum Nutrition is your best choice. The creatine can be mixed in with either a high GI drink or plain water. Whether you load or don’t load, over the long run, you’ll still receive all the benefits of creatine. If you use it properly, creatine can be the best muscle building supplement, adding as much as 5-10 pounds of fat free muscle.