Creatine without bullsh#t!
Creatine without bullsh#t!
Creatine is a compound built from pieces of 3-amino acids. With her popularity involves dozens of myths. The most common misapprehension and myths about creatine still need to discuss, because many people do not know the mechanism of action of this supplement – are all kinds of theories of “scientific”. Worse, in the Internet age of false opinions are easily distributed to a wide audience who uncritically duplicate heard news.
Remember that the information without backed up by scientific research are often sucked from a finger. It also happens that (intentionally or not) someone manipulates the data for marketing purposes. If you think that the producers of creatine can falsify the results of the research, you’re right. Creatine is one of the most used of supplements by athletes because it is effective in short-term anaerobic effort (up to a few seconds).
Where and how is stored creatine?
In the body of 70kg man is stored around 120g of creatine, including 95% in skeletal muscle. Can be raised to 160 g. for example, as a result of outside supplementation with creatine.
Total creatine (TCr) in the body occurs as:
- creatine free (FCr)
- and phosphocreatine (PCr)
60% of the total creatine and phosphocreatine is 40% of the creatine unbound (free). Other studies indicate proportions of 66% (Creatine phosphate) and 33% (creatine free). Phosphocreatine is a major source of backup energy for the renewal of the primary energy carrier, namely ATP-adenosine triphosphate (adenosine triphosphate).
- phosphocreatine-> Creatine
- ADP-> ATP
ATP cellular stocks include Resources > energy sufficient only for a few beats were relabeled. Fastest re-synthesis ATP takes place at the expense of the degradation of phosphocreatine and lasts for a few seconds.
Does creatine work all the time?
Do not!
Creatine supplementation does not work in at least 4-four cases:
- at effort lasting longer than 30 seconds, the long-lasting efforts for example. running, cycling, swimming, Triathlon, team sports
- for men aged 55-70 years, its performance is poor, gives the same results as keeping the weight training without extra supplementation – probably by hormonal changes associated with age (just for this age group as well not effective is testosterone – increasing dramatically the hematocrit level and estrogen – what is hazardous to your health and body composition)
- for the people that regularly suplementują creatine, not using appropriately long breaks between “cycles”
- for people not susceptible to creatine supplementation, genetic predisposition (according to research, 5 people from 100 people will be unaffected, and from 20-30% will experience a miserable effects)
Due to the energy system of ATP-PCr creatine does not work in a effort which lasted more than 30 seconds, due to to acquire energy from other sources (such as anaerobic glycolysis). There are dozens of studies, where creatine did not bring results (you can read it here http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3963244/pdf/jssm-02-123.pdf.) The group that is most affected are swimmers, runners, athletes discipline based on other energy systems.
Myth # 1: “creatine requires carbohydrates”
This myth is to justify eating dextrose or glucose – these are the cheapest “fillers”, so the supplements sellers will be happy to get rid of a similar substance. Bodybuilder should avoid above all simple sugars, in excess they are harmful and their only advantage is a relatively fast effect by providing them after training. Yes, some studies indicate that for example Creatine monohydrate, when using high doses (4 x 5 g per day) within 3 days it is better absorbed when is taking each time with 18 g dextrose (4 x per day).
The group, which has adopted:
- only monohydrate (5 g per serving; 4 x per day) has been preserved: 61 ± 15% (on average has been preserved 12. 2 ± 1. 3 g/day)
- monohydrate (5 g per serving) with dextrose (18 g) 4 x a day kept: 80 ± 11% (on average has been preserved 16. 1 ± 2. 2 g a day)
- creatine citrate (5 g) with 18 g dextrose, 4 x per day has retained: 63 ± 13% (on average has been preserved 12. 6 ± 2. 5 g per day)
However, this test does not have a reference to the simple way of supplementation, as when “loading”, as you can see from the calculation, we lose from 20 to 40% of the creatine. Loading is useful when you want to quickly fill the muscleswith phosphocreatine. Carbohydrates are necessary? Not necessarily. Moreover, from the research we know that creatine works better when is taken after training (see Myth # 2), and then in the initial followed before a burst of insulin – nutrients are transported much easier (raising awareness of the cells, insulin receptors; translocation of glucose transporter named GLUT4 to the celles).
Myth # 2: “creatine should be administered on an empty stomach”
Long time ago collapsed the myth that creatine should be delivered on an empty stomach, you might as well check her serving for example. After a meal (natural creatine occurs for example in meat – the conclusion is obvious – you are not able to provide it without serving fats and proteins. There is no need to provide subsequent grams equivalent of sugar, like dextrose or glucose – in the long term this can be harmful for our health.
In some studies from 2013, the biggest effects of supplementation was recorded when creatine was taken immediately after the strength training.
In one study, 19 training recreational bodybuilders aged 23. 1 +/-2. 9 years, height: 166. 0 +/-23. 2 cm; weight 80. 18 +/-10. 43 kg, were on creatine (monohydrate) before or after a workout. One group was taking 5 g before workout, the second group 5g immediately after strength training. The subjects were practicing an average of 5 days a week, the observations conducted 4 weeks. The subjects used the periodization method, split training 5 x a week. Determined body composition and 1 repetition maximum in bench pressing. In addition, the scientists gathered dietary logs some of the men.
Results:
- weight: + 0.4 kg +/- 2.2 kg (creatine before)
- weight: + 0.8 kg +/- 0.9 kg (creatine post workout)
- lean body mass: + 0.9 kg +/- 1.8 kg (creatine before)
- lean body mass: + 2.0 kg +/- 1.2 kg (creatine post workout)
- weight of fat: – 0.1 kg +/- 2.0 kg (creatine before)
- weight of fat: – 0.2 kg +/- 1.6 kg (creatine post workout)
- Bench press: + 6.6 kg +/- 8.2 kg (creatine before)
- Bench press : + 7.6 kg +/- 6.1 kg (creatine post workout)
Myth # 3: “they are stronger and weaker forms of creatine”
There is no study that can confirm that creatine monohydrate is “threatened” by any other form of creatine. Is unmatched. In fact, according to studies, other forms of creatine are significantly worse than monohydrate. For example, ethyl ester creatine (CEE): “falls apart easily and most of it is lost before it reaches the muscles”. As a consequence, CEE a lot less, compared to the monohydrate, increases strength, mass and muscle power. Similarly, in the myth # 1 I quoted study where creatine citrate even with 18g of dextrose was slightly better than monohydrate (which was supplied without carbohydrates), and was weaker by 17% if the creatine was taken with carbohydrates.


