As someone who enjoys exercise and lifting weights, I find I am most benefited when I include certain supplements. One of which is a supplement you may have heard of called Creatine Monohydrate.
During the course of my workouts, at times, I have noticed a plateau in how much I can lift. When supplementing with creatine, I have been able to blast through those plateaus and achieve new PRs, time and time again. Creatine is one of those supplements I truly feel is a must-have for my daily health and fitness regimen. I like the fact that creatine mixes easily in any of my favorite beverages. For maximum results remember to mix it with a protein shake and take before and after intense work outs. I also make sure to properly hydrate throughout the day as creatine pulls water into the muscle cells.
For even more benefits, I also like to add a scoop of L-glutamine from BulkSupplements.com. L-Glutamine is a nonessential amino acid that plays an important role in metabolic function. It is used by the body to fuel the cells and is the most common amino acid found in the human body.
*Note*: If you follow a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle I would not recommend creatine as it is mostly found in animal tissue.
What is Creatine?
Creatine monohydrate is an organic compound that helps facilitate recycling of ATP in muscle and brain tissue and is found in vertebrates. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is the source of energy that is used to power the movement of contraction in working muscles. Creatine is a widely used nutritional supplement that has been proven in multiple studies to increase skeletal muscle phosphocreatine and free creatine concentrations, which may enhance the ability to sustain high (ATP) turnover rates during strenuous exercise. During near maximal intense exercise the muscle store of ATP will be deplete very quickly. This means in order to maintain normal contractile function, ATP must be continually resynthesized.
Creatine became available as a dietary supplement in the early 90s, and since then has become one of the most widely studied supplements. It is commonly taken by athletes and bodybuilders and has become a staple of workout supplements providing several benefits. Unlike other supplements that only affect advanced athletes, creatine benefits you regardless of your fitness level and is known by many to be the world’s most effective supplement for high-intensity sports. It can help with exercise performance by rapidly producing energy during intense activity. Creatine may also help with cognitive function and support the brain.
Creatine Monohydrate Benefits
- Contributes to increased muscle mass
- Promotes weight gain
- Helps boost anaerobic strength
- Supports the brain and cognitive function
- Improves muscle recovery time
- Energy and endurance booster
- May help with Parkinson’s disease
Creatine & Muscle Mass
When I take creatine monohydrate and perform intense strength training exercises, I quickly notice an increase in the size and firmness of my muscles. This is probably the one main reason I look forward to taking it. In addition to that, I benefit with more strength in that I’m actually able to lift heavier weight than when I’m not taking it.
Creatine & Weight Gain
Taking creatine monohydrate may also cause certain individuals to gain weight. This can be through water retention or muscle growth from being able to train more intensely and for longer. This can be a great thing for those individuals trying to put on more size. With this it would be good to include a good cardio routine to help dial-in a more lean muscular physique.
Building Muscle with Creatine
In the past when I supplemented with creatine monohydrate, I would start with a “loading phase”, which led to a rapid increase in muscle stores of creatine. This “loading period” with creatine entails taking 20 grams per day for about 5-7 days. I split this into four 5-gram servings throughout the day. Eating a carb- or protein-based meal may also help my body better absorb the creatine, due to the related release of insulin.
Following the loading period, I take 3–5 grams per day to maintain high levels within my muscles. Since I haven’t found any benefits to cycling creatine, I feel comfortable sticking with this dosage for a long time.
If I choose not to do a loading phase, I simply consume 3–5 grams per day. However, it may take a few weeks to maximize my stores. When I order Creatine Monohydrate (micronized) from BulkSupplements.com, I know I’m getting a quality product that’s safe, effective, competitively priced, and is free of: added sugar, soy, dairy, yeast, gluten, additives.
Improving Muscle Recovery
Conclusion
If any of this information got you interested in ordering creatine you can head over to the Bulk Supplements site. Make sure to use my code PF3 for a 5% discount off your first order of Creatine Monohydrate, L-glutamine, or any other supplement!