Creatine Pro powder

Creatine Pro

Creatine could be described as a powerhouse among supplements.

It provides your muscles with the fuel they need and optimizes their energy levels, which can help you train harder and longer.

Just imagine that you could get a little more out of every workout – that’s exactly what creatine can help you with.

The best thing? Taking it is easy and uncomplicated. It is therefore essential, especially for intensive training sessions and muscle building phases.

But creatine is not only suitable for professional athletes; amateur athletes and even non-athletes and older people also benefit from its effects.

Find out why this supplement should not be missing from any exercise program and how it can help you achieve your fitness goals.

Why is creatine important?

Creatine is essential for the energy production of cells.

Strictly speaking, there is no way around creatine when it comes to cellular energy production. This makes it very important for tissues with high energy turnover, especially for muscle contraction, but also for brain and nerve function. Creatine is needed there in the form of creatine phosphate (also phosphocreatine, PCr).

What are the benefits of creatine powder?

Creatine serves as a phosphate store to "recharge" the ADP that is constantly produced during energy production with a phosphoryl group. For this reason, the human body stores 120 to 150 g of creatine - a small percentage of this is lost as creatinine in the urine.

Creatine is produced at 1-2 g daily, mainly in the liver, from the amino acids glycine and arginine. The underlying chemical reaction via AGAT and GAMT is considered a major "methyl group consumer" because the guanidinoacetate produced must be methylated - for this, large amounts of the amino acid methionine are consumed.

Creatine was discovered in meat broth. Meat is also the best source of creatine in food and contains around 5 g per kilogram. Vegetarians and people who eat little meat show lower creatine reserves in the muscles and blood.

Who can use creatine?

Creatine monohydrate is not only suitable for athletes, but also for people who want to improve their cognitive performance.

The brain also needs creatine and can even produce it itself to ensure energy supply.

Studies have shown that creatine supplementation can improve memory and cognitive performance, especially in older people or under stressful conditions such as sleep deprivation. (1)

Since creatine is only found in animal products, vegetarians generally have lower creatine levels.

Supplementation can be particularly beneficial for vegetarians who consume less creatine through their diet. (2) You can easily incorporate creatine monohydrate powder into your daily routine by dissolving it in water or juice and drinking it.

If you want to buy creatine, look for pure creatine monohydrate, which you should purchase as a high-quality powder.

How does creatine work? How the body reacts

Creatine is considered essential for the development of the organism, especially for the brain during embryonic development and the early childhood phase.

Laboratory animals that are unable to produce creatine or whose cells have their creatine content artificially reduced exhibit severe pathological disorders in muscle and brain functions.

In these cases, the muscles show severe atrophy and severe functional impairment.

People who suffer from hereditary creatine deficiency syndrome show a similarly severe clinical picture. This syndrome leads to severe developmental disorders and a significant limitation of motor and cognitive abilities.

The Role of Creatine in Strength Training

Creatine is often part of the standard repertoire of every strength and speed athlete. Hardly any other nutritional supplement has been studied as intensively.

And hardly any other dietary supplement has such a broad base of positive data on ergogenic, i.e. performance-enhancing, effects.

Among other things, there are reports of an increase in short-term performance and an increase in maximum muscle strength as well as a reduction in muscle damage in endurance sports.

As a result, the training volume and also the training intensity can be increased. Supplementing with creatine ensures these effects by increasing creatine stores.

Does everyone need a creatine loading phase?

A "loading phase" when taking creatine means that you take a higher dose (about 20 g per day, divided into several portions) for the first 5-7 days to quickly fill the muscle stores. This is followed by the maintenance phase with the normal daily dose of 3-5 g.

However, a loading phase is not absolutely necessary. Even without a loading phase, the creatine stores will fill up over time if you start straight away with the normal dose.

So you can do a loading phase, but you don't have to. The long-term effect is similar with both methods.

Does taking creatine lead to water retention in the body?

Taking creatine does not lead to the typical water retention that is usually associated with this term.

The water is not stored in the connective tissue, but in the muscle, i.e. intramuscularly. This usually ensures that the muscles appear fuller and more defined.

It is possible that the water retention in the muscles will make you gain a few hundred grams in weight, but this is a positive thing: water in the muscles improves performance because it supports the transport of nutrients and oxygen and prevents muscle fatigue. It has nothing to do with the edema that is usually understood as water retention, which typically accumulates in the connective tissue and causes swelling.

Can I take creatine powder permanently?

Yes, creatine is considered one of the best-researched nutritional supplements and is safe for long-term use. Studies have shown that long-term use of creatine in the indicated dosage is safe and has no negative effects.

It is important to stick to the recommended daily dose of 3-5 grams. If you stick to this dosage, you can use creatine on a long-term basis to support your athletic performance and muscle health. Regular intake helps to keep the creatine stores in the muscles consistently high and thus achieve the desired positive effects on your fitness.

List of sources:

1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-023-01870-9
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1691485/