How does creatine work?
So let's start with creatine. What do you need to know about it, besides the fact that it is an amino acid?
Creatine is an organic compound that takes part in the energy metabolism of nerve and muscle cells. Regarding sports, the amino acid increases the body's endurance during regular training. Since it is very problematic to obtain creatine from natural products, the athlete needs an additional source that will compensate for its deficiency.
With an increase in phosphocreatine, energy is generated in the athlete’s muscle tissue, which is spent during training to work with heavy weights. Simply put, creatine allows an athlete to fully demonstrate their strength qualities with high performance. This occurs due to the fact that the body has the ability to give away the maximum number of energy units in the shortest amount of time. It obtains this unique ability under the influence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It is this organic compound that increases the physical activity of beginners and professional athletes. An equally important role is played by adenosine diphosphate (ADP), formed as a result of detachment of the phosphate group of adenosine triphosphate, which provides muscles with energy.
As a result of internal processes synthesizing the substance creatine, the following changes occur in the body:
- increase in strength indicators during training;
- increasing speed qualities with heavy weights;
- increase in pure muscle mass;
- saturation with energy and important elements of muscle tissue.
But I wonder what will happen if you take creatine and protein at the same time?
Frequently asked questions about creatine!
Learn about creatine, how it works, where it comes from, how it is used and much more!
What is creatine?
Creatine is a nutrient found naturally in our bodies. This is a combination of 3 amino acids - arginine, glycine and methionine. Creatine helps provide muscles with the energy they need to move, especially fast, intense movements. Muscle contraction mainly occurs due to the energy of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
There is enough ATP to supply muscles with energy for just 10 seconds. In order for this system to continue working, more ATP is needed. Creatine phosphate donates its phosphate groups to the ADP (adenosine diphosphate) molecule, thus restoring ATP. The increased supply of creatine phosphate to muscles helps increase the rate at which the body can synthesize ATP molecules.
Breakdown of creatine.
This process improves the muscles' ability to perform work and makes energy consumption more efficient. Research shows that creatine helps increase workout intensity and subsequent recovery. It is able to pass through the wall of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach) and enter the bloodstream unchanged, and then, when entering muscle fibers, it is converted into creatine phosphate (CP).
What is creatine phosphate?
Creatine phosphate is an organic substance present in muscle fibers, which is broken down into fractions by enzymes for the subsequent synthesis of ATP.
What is adenosine triphosphate (ATP)?
ATP is an organic substance found in muscles that, when broken down enzymatically, provides energy for muscle contraction. Creatine increases your body's ability to synthesize protein in muscle fibers, which helps increase muscle mass. (Creatine enhances cellular hydration. Containing sufficient water, muscle cells become more permeable, allowing more amino acids to penetrate into them.) Increased production of contractile proteins (actin and myosin) enhances the muscle's ability to perform physical activity. To summarize, creatine helps you perform more reps at your chosen weight.
This will increase the time of muscle tension, and thus the number of muscle fibers recruited will increase, which in turn will increase the number of muscle cells stimulated. Additionally, this process will cause your body to stop using another energy-producing system called glycolysis, which produces lactic acid as a byproduct. Lactic acid causes the burning sensation felt during exercise.
Does this mean I can lift more weight or run faster?
Indirectly, YES! Directly - POSSIBLE! Creatine doesn't make YOU stronger or faster, YOU make YOURSELF stronger or faster. Creatine allows you to train more intensely and recover faster.
If you recover better, you'll be in a fresher, more rested state before you start your next set, and as a result, you'll get more benefit from those workouts than you otherwise would have. Let's look at the bench press as an example: before taking creatine, our athlete, let's call him “Maximus,” did 4 sets of bench presses.
His goal was to train with a weight of 100 kg for 4 sets of 8 reps each, but he usually did sets of 8, 8, 6 and 4 reps, respectively. By the 3rd and 4th sets, his muscles were already fatigued, and as a result he was unable to achieve his goal. If Maximus starts taking creatine, he will likely notice an improvement in recovery significant enough to complete his goal of doing 4 sets of 8 reps each.
Further, if Maximus continues to take creatine, eat right, and train hard at an intense level for 12-16 weeks, he will be able to increase the weight used on the bench press to 110 kg for 4 sets of 8 reps each. At the end of the day, remember – you must exercise accordingly! Use creatine to progress rather than stagnate.
What are the natural sources of creatine?
You're probably asking, "Why do I need creatine when it's already naturally present in my body?" Well, the reason is that most people only get 1g of creatine per day from food.
This, along with another gram synthesized endogenously, adds up to a relatively paltry 2g of creatine per day. If you eat a lot of red meat, you shouldn't expect exceptional results from taking a creatine supplement (400 g of beef contains approximately 2 g of creatine, and the same amount of herring - 4.6 g. More than 2 g of creatine is contained in 400 g of most types fish).
Vegetarians will notice the maximum results in this case. Vegetarians synthesize this substance in the same way as their “carnivorous” counterparts; They rarely replenish their muscle creatine stores to capacity because they avoid eating nutrient-dense foods like beef.
This is why they respond very well to creatine. Creatine supplements are suitable even for vegans because the product is synthetic and not made from animal materials.
Can creatine have toxic effects if used for a long time?
To tell the truth, no one knows. Although our bodies only produce 1-2 grams per day, chances are your body can handle 5 grams or more per day. Anyone weighing more than 90 kg can take 10 g without fear for their health, provided that they drink enough fluids (to avoid cramps). Some athletes have been taking up to 20-30 grams of creatine per day since it became widely available in 1990.
Is creatine safe?
Yes, creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in the human and animal body. The human body contains 100-115 g of creatine in the form of creatine phosphate. Studies have shown no side effects from taking creatine when taking recommended doses.
Are there any side effects of taking creatine?
Creatine is so effective in delivering water to the intramuscular space that it can cause side effects associated with muscle spasms. This usually occurs when too little water is consumed while taking creatine.
Muscle cramps, tension and tears are all anecdotal stories that are not supported by scientific facts. Creatine removes water from your internal organs, so if you take large amounts without water, mild stomach cramps may occur.
How to avoid this? Simply drink 0.5 liters of water with each dose. Water is very important to an athlete's health, and most of us don't drink enough water. Ideally, we should drink 2-2.5 liters of water per day. This will only bring benefits, and will also allow you to get better results from taking creatine monohydrate. Additional water helps maximize the effects of this substance.
When is the best time to take creatine?
For best results on training days, take creatine after exercise. This will not cause nausea and, in addition, will best replenish spent reserves. If you want to take more on a training day (i.e., 10g), take half the dose before training and the other half after.
How much creatine should I take?
The following doses are recommended:
- ? 63 kg = 5-6 g per day to maintain shape
- 63–75 kg = 6–7.5 g per day to maintain shape
- 75–90 kg = 8 g per day to maintain shape
- 90–109 kg = 8–10 g per day to maintain shape
- > 109 kg = 10–12 g per day
Ways to take creatine
You can find many different recommendations on how to take creatine. Studies have shown that your cells are 60% better at absorbing creatine when you combine it with a monosaccharide base such as grape juice (rich in natural glucose).
A rise in insulin levels will facilitate the penetration of creatine into cells. Never take creatine with orange juice! It easily negates all the positive effects due to increased acidity.
This topic is currently a matter of debate, but perhaps the best way is to take creatine monohydrate with warm water; you can add simple carbohydrates if necessary. If you are prone to stomach upset, cranberry juice is recommended to ease the discomfort.
- Creatine compounds. The theory tells us that in order to get the maximum benefit from taking creatine, you need to take it with simple carbohydrates. The idea is that this will cause a rise in insulin levels, which will cause creatine monohydrate to quickly move into your muscles. The main ingredients of all transport compounds are creatine and dextrose. If we take an imaginary container with 1000 g of such a substance, then it will contain 200 g of creatine and 800 g of dextrose. Some will be represented by other substances such as glutamine, etc., but frankly speaking, they are not enough to significantly change the picture.
- Why use "transport" connections? In today's fast moving world, this is just for your convenience. The price of such drugs is higher, but any convenience, be it food or drink, always costs more!
- How much do they cost? Containers weighing 1 kg are sold in stores for prices ranging from $28 to $40. 40 dollars is just a joke. At most, 1 kg will last you a month.
Tip: You can buy these drugs if you want, but only use them on training days. On days when you are not training, take only regular creatine monohydrate (MC). If the idea is to deliver MK to the muscles, then probably the best time to take it is either before or during a workout.
Should I go through a high-volume creatine phase first?
No, this is not necessary. Taking just 3 grams of creatine per day for 28 days gives the same effect of saturating muscles with creatine as 6 days of supplementation. So, if you decide to take creatine, it will take you about a month to reach normal levels of creatine in your muscles.
Taking large doses of creatine, such as during the boost phase, does not inhibit the body's synthesis of this substance after you stop using it.
If I stop taking creatine, will I lose weight or muscle mass?
There is no reason to expect muscle loss. However, you will still lose a few pounds because creatine hydrates your cells, unlike sodium-induced bloating.
Does creatine cause water retention in your body?
No. Creatine absorbs water from the body to do its job. There is a difference between increasing cell volume due to water saturation and water retention. Increasing the volume of cells causes more water to be contained within them, making the muscle larger and harder. Water retention, the process that makes muscles appear smooth, occurs outside the muscle fibers.
How does creatine help muscles grow?
To achieve increased natural muscle strength, increased tissue growth, or improved athletic performance, strength training is necessary. Muscle growth occurs when they perform increased workload. Without weight training, your muscles will remain small in volume.
Creatine promotes strength training by restoring the energy-carrying molecule ATP. Creatine also inhibits the formation of lactic acid, allowing you to train longer. As you know, lactic acid is one of the main causes of exercise-related muscle fatigue.
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How does protein work?
As for protein, things are even simpler here. Protein is a food supplement that contains protein, which is especially necessary for the structure of the muscle corset.
After consuming a protein supplement, the amount of amino acids in the blood increases significantly, which after an hour and a half reaches its maximum concentration. This phenomenon also helps to preserve the energy unit in muscle tissue.
With additional protein saturation, large-scale division and restoration of muscle cells occurs after prolonged exercise. Simply put, during persistent heavy training, when a person’s muscles are used rationally, the body requires an additional source of proteins with amino acids. In addition, such organic compounds should be used for strength training and during rest for muscle regeneration.
To be more specific, protein provides the following benefits to an athlete:
- increases strength data;
- increases muscle size;
- gives relief to the body;
- allows you to control the fat layer;
- supplies the body with essential amino acids.
And now, we are gradually approaching the main question: is it possible to take creatine and protein at the same time?
Useful tips
In the end, I always want to write about useful tips that will help protect you and your health, because many people face various problems due to their inexperience. But the main advice first of all is that before using protein you need to choose the right type. If you didn’t know before, now you will definitely know that protein has several different forms and they are all useful in their own way, but help in certain situations. So first you will need to decide on the problem that worries you and select the type of protein necessary for your case. But the main factor for success is not creatine, protein or other supplement, but your hard work in every workout.
Sports supplements and intense work are the key to success
It is also very important to remember that you should buy any such drugs only in special sports nutrition stores, and not from friends, or during training and other unverified sources. After all, as everyone knows, now many people make counterfeits and sell these substances illegally. But you won’t be able to get any useful or desired result from “such” substance. So be careful and careful both when purchasing drugs and when using them.
What does simultaneous use give, and is it possible to drink creatine and protein together?
The main purpose of mixing sports supplements is to increase the benefits and effectiveness of training.
To put it even more simply, by taking creatine with protein in a common portion, you can get the following results:
- protein supplies the athlete’s body with essential building material, that is, proteins for muscle growth and compensation after the training process;
- creatine not only fills muscle cells with energy, but also increases their volume by launching anabolic processes, and protein will serve as a building material to increase the volume of these cells;
- and no less important fact - protein is a transport system for creatine, i.e. allows it to be absorbed much better.
Now it becomes clear whether it is possible to consume creatine with protein, and what the result will be.
The only thing the athlete himself needs to do is to choose a suitable scheme for the rational combination of this pair of supplements for the body and muscle corset.
Summarize
- Whey protein powder and creatine are two popular sports supplements that have been shown to increase muscle mass and strength, although they work differently.
- Taking these two supplements together does not provide additional benefits in terms of muscle mass and strength.
- However, if you want to try both and want to increase muscle mass and physical performance in the gym or on the field, using whey protein and creatine together is safe and effective.
Tags: Creatine, Whey protein
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« Previous entry
How to take creatine and protein at the same time?
Previously, professionals adapted to such cooperation of nutritional supplements themselves. Through trial and error, they found their own way of taking creatine with protein that was ideal for the body.
During all the time of such dubious experiments, a main scheme for combining these two types of nutritional supplements was developed, which is available to beginners and professional athletes:
Creatine. According to the standard course of admission, there are two main stages:
- The first week is the loading stage. Saturation of muscle mass with creatine should occur in four measured doses. One serving is usually limited to 5 grams of powder;
- The subsequent period is the support stage. Ensures that the acceptable level of creatine is maintained in the body by consuming 5-10 grams of powder per day;
Classic points for taking creatine: an hour before the start of a workout, after a workout, and on rest days it is recommended to divide the intake into equal dosages throughout the day.
Protein. It is used depending on the total body weight of the athlete. Often the dosage is limited to 25-35 grams of protein powder.
Classic protein intake points: morning, between meals, after training and before bed.
Considering that protein is the transport system for creatine, it would be correct to take them at the same time!
All that remains is to add: it is important to follow the proposed scheme, which in strength training and beyond is considered a classic option for using nutritional supplements.
Should you take them together?
Some people suggest that using whey protein and creatine together may provide benefits beyond those associated with taking one or the other.
However, several studies have shown that this is probably not the case.
One study of 42 middle-aged and older men found that participants experienced no additional benefits when they took whey protein with creatine compared to taking either supplement alone ().
Additionally, a study of 18 women who underwent resistance training found that those who took whey protein and creatine for 8 weeks showed no difference in muscle mass and strength than those who took whey protein alone ().
The results appear to suggest that there is no additional benefit from taking whey protein and creatine together. However, some people may choose to take them together for convenience ().
Additionally, there is no evidence that taking creatine and whey protein at the same time causes any negative effects. It is generally accepted that they are safe to take together.
The choice of whether to take whey protein, creatine, or both depends on your individual goals. If you love working out at the gym and just want to stay in shape, whey protein can be a good option for building muscle and regaining strength.
On the other hand, if you want to maximize muscle mass and strength, it may be beneficial to take whey protein and creatine together.
Summary:
Research has shown that taking whey protein and creatine together with exercise does not produce additional muscle or strength gains compared to taking either alone. Taking each of these supplements separately is likely to provide the same beneficial effects.
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