How to take a creatine supplement and what benefits
Creatine is a dietary supplement to which many athletes adhere, especially athletes in the fields of strength training, strength training or sports that require a muscle explosion, such as the sprint. This supplement helps to gain lean mass, increases muscle fiber diameter and improves physical performance, as well as helping to prevent sports injuries.
- Creatine is a substance naturally produced by the kidneys and liver and supplements of this compound can be taken for approximately 2 to 3 months.
- Under the direction of a doctor.
- Nutritionist or nutritionist.
- Varying the maintenance dose between 3 and 5 g per day depending on weight.
Creatine supplements can be taken in 3 different ways, and all may have benefits for increasing muscle mass, but always accompanied by strength training because strengthless supplementation and proper nutrition do not result in any increase in muscle mass.
The most common way of use is creatine supplementation for 3 months, during which supplementation is performed with approximately 2 to 5 grams of creatine per day for 2 to 3 months. Another option is creatine supplementation with overload, in which, in the first days of supplementation, 0.3 g / kg of creatine by weight is taken, and the dose should be divided into 3 to 4 times a day. This type of supplementation promotes muscle saturation and then the dosage should be reduced to 5 grams per day for 12 weeks.
Creatine can be taken at any time of the day as it has a cumulative effect on the body and is not immediate, so it is not necessary to take the supplement at a certain time. In addition, creatine is indicated to increase muscle height and strength and improve performance, and is not recommended for weight loss.
Whatever the form of consumption, creatine supplementation should be done under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist and should be accompanied by intense training and proper nutrition. It is recommended to take creatine after training with a carbohydrate of high glycemic index, so that a spike of insulin is generated and thus can be transported more easily by the body, offering more benefits.
Creatine is an economical supplement with several advantages, the main ones being:
In addition to having benefits related to physical activity, some studies also indicate that creatine has neuroprotective function, preventing and reducing the severity of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and muscular dystrophy. In addition, this supplement may also have positive effects and benefits when used in addition to the treatment of diabetes, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, cerebral and cardiac ischemia and depression.
Creatine does not usually cause weight gain, however, one of the effects of its use is swelling of muscle cells, which causes muscles to swell, but this is not necessarily related to water retention. However, there are certain types of creatine that contain other substances that make up creatine, such as sodium, for example, which is responsible for water retention.
Therefore, it is important that creatine is indicated by the doctor or nutritionist, and should be consumed as directed, in addition to paying attention to the product label.
Taking creatine at recommended doses is not bad for the body, as the recommended doses are very low, meaning that they are not enough to overload the kidneys.
However, the safest way to take creatine is to monitor a doctor or nutritionist, as it is important to respect the legally recommended doses and periodically evaluate their effects on the body. In addition, it is important that exercisers adopt a proper diet, which ensures energy recovery and proper recovery of muscles.
See what to eat before and after training watching this video from our nutritionist: