Step 1: What is it?

Creatine is a compound derived from amino acids. Your muscles utilise creatine to produce energy during heavy lifting or quick bursts of intense activity.

Step 2: What does it do?

Creatine converts into a compound called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the body’s main energy source for the phosphate energy system. The phosphate energy system is recruited when conducting short, sharp muscle contractions such as sprinting or lifting a heavy weight.

By increasing your bodies creatine levels through supplementation, you’re effectively improving the ability of your muscles to contract with more power and for more repetitions. Thereby, creatine can allow you to train harder, with heavier loads and more volume, which ultimately leads to muscle growth over time.

Step 3: How do I take it?

• Dosage

5g per day. The will allow for peak creatine saturation levels in approximately 2 weeks.

• Timing

It doesn’t matter what time creatine is consumed. However, we recommend consuming it around the same time every day. 

• Frequency

Every day - 5g. No need to cycle off.

Step 4: What are the top products?

We recommend that you find the best value for money creatine monohydrate product, i.e. look for a cost-effective price point! Just be sure to check the product's ingredient profile to ensure that it’s 100% creatine monohydrate and nothing else!

Creatine has fast become one of the most popular supplements in the health and fitness industry -- and for very good reason, too.

It is one of the few supplements on the market that has a very large body of evidence to support its use. With this in mind, it has also been shown to be extremely effective, having a positive impact on many different aspects of your training.

But when it comes to some of the practicalities of creatine supplementation, some questions still remain -- including whether you need to cycle creatine, or not?

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a compound found naturally occurring in the human body.

It is synthesised from small protein molecules called “amino acids,” where it is then stored within your muscle tissue. In your muscles, creatine is used to produce the energy required for muscular contractions during short, high-intensity, and explosive efforts.

What does supplementing with Creatine do?

Something that you need to know is that under “normal” circumstances the amount of energy you can produce through creatine is limited -- which comes down to the fact that your body can only produce and store a certain amount.

Which is exactly where creatine supplements enter the equation.

Creatine supplements simply increase the amount of creatine stored within your muscle tissue. This ultimately provides an extra ‘reserve’ of energy, which can improve your exercise performance.

Interestingly, when supplemented in moderate to high dosage, small amounts of creatine are also stored in your brain, which can have some positive impacts on your cognitive function.

What are the benefits of Creatine?

Now, as I am sure you might have guessed, boosting your creatine stores through supplementation can have some pretty powerful benefits -- especially if you are looking to get as strong and muscular as possible.

1.   More Muscle Growth

Because creatine is used for energy during short, intense, and explosive muscle actions, increasing your stores through supplementation has been shown to increase exercise performance.

It does this by increasing the amount of weight you can put on the bar, or the amount of reps you can perform at a given load. For example, without creatine you may be able to bench 70kg for 10 reps, but with creatine you might be able to bench 70kg for 12 reps.

Over time this causes an increase in training volume, which leads to greater gains in muscle size [1].

2.   Better Strength Gains

Now, piggybacking off our previous point, if creatine allows you to lift more weight on every single exercise, then it stands to reason that it should also contribute to greater gains in strength -- which is exactly what we see [2].

In fact, a recent study demonstrated that people who supplement with creatine saw 8% greater strength gains compared to people who were not taking creatine -- even though both groups performed the exact same training program [3].

And just think -- if this is what happens over the course of 8-12 weeks, imagine what is going to happen over years of hard training.

3.   Boosts Brain Function

Going back to the introduction, you will remember that I alluded to the fact that creatine also has a role to play in your brain -- and its supplementation can also have some positive effects in this area.

Research has shown that if you are in a sleep deprived state and decide to take creatine, you will see notable improvements in mental acuity, mental and emotional wellbeing, and energy levels [4].

It has also been shown to improve cognitive capabilities related to reaction time, memory, and decision making, irrespective of sleep loss [5].

All of which suggests that creatine has the potential to boost the quality of your workouts every single day -- and especially if you are in a sleep deprived state.

How do I take Creatine?

So, it should be pretty apparent that creatine can have some serious effects on the results of your training -- but how should you take it?

Well, research would suggest that when you start taking creatine for the first time, you should commence with a loading phase. Then, once this is complete, you will move into a maintenance phase [6].

This process essentially describes taking a higher dose of creatine for 5-10 days as a way to completely saturate your muscle tissue with creatine. Then, once they are full of creatine, you move to a maintenance dose to ensure that they remain full for the duration of supplementation.

What does this look like?

• Loading Phase: Take 20 grams of creatine per day for about 7 days. This should be spread out evenly throughout the day (i.e. take 5 grams four times a day)
• Maintenance Phase: Take 5 grams of creatine per day, once per day

I should also note that a loading phase is not essential, but it does ensure that you get full creatine saturation faster. This is likely to speed up the time between starting supplementation and receiving the maximal benefits.

Do you need to cycle off creatine?

And now for the big question -- do you need to cycle off creatine?

Over the last couple of years that have been a number of people suggest that you should cycle off creatine at regular intervals for three main reasons:

• It's bad for your kidneys
• You will build up a “tolerance” to it (making it less effective)
• It will stop your body's production of creatine

But fortunately, none of these appear to be true at all.

Firstly, research in athletes has shown that taking creatine for up to 5 years without a single break does not appear to have any negative implications for kidney health and function [7]. This provides some clear evidence that it does impact your kidneys in any manner.

Secondly, the tolerance argument is a dumb one. While your body has the potential to make creatine, it can also be obtained via red meat, fish, poultry, and most other animal based products.

In fact, most people obtain more creatine from their diet (~2 grams per day) than what their body makes.

With this in mind, you are always consuming creatine, and your body is always making creatine. As a result, you ALWAYS have creatine in your body, which would suggest that if you could build up a creatine intolerance, you would have done so years ago.

Finally, as I have already mentioned, your body makes small amounts of creatine each day to help with creatine storage -- but it is not your primary source of creatine. As such, even if you supplement with creatine, it is not going to impact your natural production, because it is already rather small.

So in short, no, ‘cycling off’ creatine is not necessary in the slightest.

Summary

Creatine is hands down one of the most effective supplements on the planet.

With a large body of research indicating that it can improve gains in strength and size, while also improving cognitive function, it should be a key component of any lifters supplement regime. And as a bonus, research would suggest that it is something you can take all year round without having any negative side effects.

So there you have it -- creatine “cycling” is a waste of time, and could impact your long-term progress.

 

References

1. Cooper R, Naclerio F, Allgrove J, Jimenez A. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012;9(1):33. Published 2012 Jul 20. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-9-33
2. Mills S, Candow DG, Forbes SC, Neary JP, Ormsbee MJ, Antonio J. Effects of Creatine Supplementation during Resistance Training Sessions in Physically Active Young Adults. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1880. Published 2020 Jun 24. doi:10.3390/nu12061880
3. Rawson ES, Volek JS. Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2003;17(4):822-831. doi:10.1519/1533-4287(2003)017<0822:eocsar>2.0.co;2
4. McMorris T, Harris RC, Howard AN, et al. Creatine supplementation, sleep deprivation, cortisol, melatonin and behavior. Physiol Behav. 2007;90(1):21-28. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.08.024
5. Benton D, Donohoe R. The influence of creatine supplementation on the cognitive functioning of vegetarians and omnivores. Br J Nutr. 2011;105(7):1100-1105. doi:10.1017/S0007114510004733
6. Buford TW, Kreider RB, Stout JR, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2007;4:6. Published 2007 Aug 30. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-4-6
7. Poortmans JR, Francaux M. Long-term oral creatine supplementation does not impair renal function in healthy athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999;31(8):1108-1110. doi:10.1097/00005768-199908000-00005

There are literally thousands of supplements out there suggesting to do much of the same thing -- get you strong, muscular, and lean as hell.

And two of the most common are Creatine and Beta-Alanine.

In fact, both of these compounds appear in a multitude of different pre-workout supplements because research indicates that they are both effective.

Which begs the question -- do you really need them both, or is one better than the other?

Creatine and Beta-alanine: What are they?

To work out whether one of these common supplements is better than the other, it is first important to gain an understanding of what they actually are.

And first up is creatine.

Creatine is a compound found naturally occurring in the human body, where it is synthesised from small protein molecules called “amino acids”. Most of the creatine found in your body is stored within your muscle tissue. It is then released during exercise to produce energy during short, explosive efforts.

One thing to note is that the amount of energy you can produce via creatine is limited, because it is dictated by the amount of creatine you have stored in your muscle tissue -- which is exactly where creatine supplements enter the equation.

By increasing the amount of creatine you have stored in your muscle, they increase the amount of energy you can produce during intense exercise. This can lead to a couple of extra reps per set at a given weight, which has obvious benefits in the gym environment.

Pretty cool, right?

Next up we have beta-alanine.

Beta-alanine is a unique amino acid that is naturally found in your muscles and brain. Under normal circumstances, it combines with another amino acid called “histidine” to form a compound called carnosine.

And this is important, because carnosine helps reduce the accumulation of lactic acid in your muscles during exercise, which staves off fatigue.

But much like creatine, the amount of beta-alanine stored in your muscle tissue is relatively small compared to the amount of histidine. This limits the production of carnosine, and puts a ceiling on your ability to buffer lactic acid during exercise.

As a result, supplementing with beta-alanine can cause an immediate increase in carnosine production, which improves your fatigue resistance during exercise.

Creatine and Beta-alanine: What are their benefits?

So, we have two very different compounds that impact your body in two very different ways. Which really makes you wonder -- what are their benefits when it comes to boosting the results of your training?

The Benefits of Creatine

I mentioned above that creatine supplements ultimately saturate your muscle cells with creatine, which improves your energy production capabilities. I also went on to suggest that this could improve your gym performance acutely by allowing you to lift more weight.

Well, the research indicates that this is completely true.

Evidence has repeatedly shown that supplementing with creatine can cause vast improvements in strength during your gym sessions [1] -- and while lifting more weight is cool itself, this has further benefits when taking a longer term perspective.

Over the duration of a long term training program, lifting more weight every single session will place your muscular and nervous systems under more mechanical load. This stimulates greater training adaptations, leading to improvements in strength.

In fact, in one study, individuals who supplement with creatine saw improvements in strength that were 8% greater than people not taking creatine -- despite performing the exact same training program [2].

Moreover, this was just a short term study. When we extrapolate these effects over years of training, the results become astronomically larger.

But wait, there's more.

Because creatine allows you to lift more weight, it causes an immediate increase in the amount of total volume you lift per session (think of volume as sets x reps x load). This is important, because training volume has been shown to be one of the largest predictors of muscle growth.

As a result (and much like strength), combining creatine supplementation with a longer term training program has been shown to cause larger improvements in muscle size than simply training alone [3].

The Benefits of Beta-alanine

Now, as discussed above, beta-alanine works in a very different manner to creatine, where it increases the production of carnosine within your muscle tissue. This, in turn, directly limits the build of lactic acid during exercise.

As a result, it has been shown to improve muscular and aerobic endurance, while limiting fatigue during training [4].While having more energy during training is unquestionably a good thing, you should understand that the implications of this are quite large.

Let's say that you can normally perform 3 sets of 8 repetitions on the bench press at 80kgs -- but, when you supplement with beta-alanine, you can do 3 sets of 10 reps.

This can also cause large increases in volume load across the duration of a training session. In fact, it is for this reason that beta-alanine supplementation has been shown to enhance muscle growth and fat loss significantly when combined with training [5].

Do Creatine and Beta-alanine Have any Side Effects?

OK, so they both offer some pretty positive benefits -- but do they have any side effects?

To keep consistent with the theme of this article, we will kick off creatine.

If you have been around the traps for a while then it is highly likely that you have heard some anecdotal reports that creatine can cause some nasty side effects, including kidney damage, muscle cramps, dehydration, and even diarrhea.

However, evidence would suggest that this is not really the case [6].

A previous study in athletes has shown that up to 5 years of creatine supplementation does not have any adverse effects on renal function. Now, I must admit that while we do not have any idea what happens after 5 years of supplementation, it is likely to be pretty safe. Nonetheless, we encourage you to check with your medical practitioner before supplementing with creatine.

Moreover, while some people may experience some symptoms of dry mouth and increased thirst during the first week or so, that tends to disappear pretty quickly.

In short, creatine is one of the safest supplements on the planet.

And beta-alanine?

Well, much like creatine it appears to be very well tolerated in humans.

In fact, the only notable side effect that people experience is something called “paraesthesia”, which describes the “tingling” sensation that occurs on the face, neck and back of the hands after taking beta-alanine [7].

While this may be slightly odd, it is something that normally disappears pretty quickly, and only occurs with higher dosages.

Creatine VS Beta-Alanine: Who Wins?

And the winner is.... *drumroll please*... both and neither.

Evidence has shown time and time again that both of these compounds have the ability to improve the results of your training. However, because they work through very different mechanisms, they are hard to compare directly.

I mean, creatine helps you lift more weight, and beta-alanine helps you perform more reps -- both of which will improve muscle growth and strength development in a big way.

In fact, because they do improve gym performance by two very different mechanisms, I would argue that they both complement each other perfectly. As a result, it is probably in your best interest to take both of them if you want to optimise the results of your training.

And look, no one is saying that you can only have one -- so why not take both?

Key Points

Both creatine and beta-alanine are some of the safest supplements that you can get your hands on. And given that they have both been shown to help improve muscle strength and size, they both deserve a place in your supplement regime.

So what are you waiting for? Give them a go and let us know what you think.

 

References

1. Mills S, Candow DG, Forbes SC, Neary JP, Ormsbee MJ, Antonio J. Effects of Creatine Supplementation during Resistance Training Sessions in Physically Active Young Adults. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1880.
2. Rawson ES, Volek JS. Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2003;17(4):822-831.
3. Cooper R, Naclerio F, Allgrove J, Jimenez A. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012;9(1):33.
4. Hobson, R. M., Saunders, B., Ball, G., Harris, R. C., & Sale, C. (2012). Effects of ?-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Amino acids, 43(1), 25-37.
5. Kern, B. D., & Robinson, T. L. (2011). Effects of ?-alanine supplementation on performance and body composition in collegiate wrestlers and football players. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 25(7), 1804-1815.
6. Poortmans, Jacques R., and Marc Francaux. "Adverse effects of creatine supplementation." Sports Medicine 30.3 (2000): 155-170.
7. Trexler, Eric T., et al. "International society of sports nutrition position stand: Beta-Alanine." Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 12.1 (2015): 1-14.

Creatine is the most well researched supplement on the planet. Used by athletes for decades to improve the results of their training, it has since become a staple in many gym-goers daily routine.

But how does it work, and what are its true benefits?

What Does Taking Creatine Do?

Creatine is produced naturally in your body from individual amino acids. Most of this creatine is stored in your muscle cells, where it is broken down and used for energy when you undertake intense or explosive exercise.

With this in mind, taking a creatine supplement simply increases the amount of creatine stored in your muscle tissue. This provides an additional ‘reserve’ of energy, which can improve your exercise performance.

Interestingly, small amounts of creatine are also stored in your brain, suggesting that the benefits of creatine supplements are not only limited to exercise performance.

Which leads us to our next section quite nicely…

What are the True Benefits of Creatine?

Because creatine can have a number of benefits in the body, it has become somewhat overhyped in the supplement industry, suggested to do everything from build muscle to cure male pattern baldness.

But which of these claims are true?

1.   Increased Strength

Creatine is predominantly used for energy during short, intense, and explosive muscle actions. As a result, supplementing with creatine has been shown to cause notable increases in muscle strength on a per-session basis [1].

This means that if you were to take creatine before a weight training session, you will be able to lift more weight than you could without it. While this has obvious implications for things like strength testing, it also has long-term benefits.

See, if you are undertaking a long term strength training program while taking creatine, you will be able to lift more weight every single session. This can lead to greater training adaptations, and significant improvements in strength over time.

In fact, research has shown that supplementing with creatine can increase strength gains by about 8% more compared to those who are not taking creatine [2].

And when we compound this effect over the course of months or years, this increase becomes huge.

2.   Greater Muscle Growth

In conjunction to improvements in muscle strength, creatine has also been shown to improve weight training performance at lower loads. It does this by increasing the number of repetitions you can do at a given weight.

For example, without creatine you might be able to bench press 80kg for 8 repetitions. However, when supplementing with creatine, you might be able to bench press the same weight for 10 repetitions.

This directly increases the amount of volume you perform each training session, which has shown to cause larger improvements in muscle size over the total course of a training program [3].

So, when it comes to creatine you can expect to see some serious results for both strength and size.

3.   Enhanced Cognitive Function

Remember when I mentioned that creatine might also have some positive effects on the brain -- well, research would suggest that is the case.

In fact, studies have shown that creatine supplementation can reverse some of the negative cognitive effects that come from a lack of sleep. In this manner, individuals in a sleep deprived state who take creatine appear to function better at cognitively demanding tasks than those who do not [4].

Similarly, when people who get insufficient amounts of creatine in their diet (those who follow vegan and vegetarian diets, for example) take a creatine supplement, they see improvements in cognitive capabilities related to reaction time, memory, and decision making [5].

All of which suggests that supplementing with creatine may improve mental function by facilitating the production of energy in the brain.

Linking this back to training in the gym, it is not unrealistic to think that improved mental performance could further contribute to better physical performance, and a better workout. Moreover, taking creatine after a bad night sleep might help you train hard, even if you are feeling a little flat.

4.   Increased Testosterone

Finally, on top of all of the above, there is also research demonstrating that creatine supplements can increase testosterone levels, which may have additional benefits when it comes to training [6].

However, it is important to note that this research is only in males, and may only occur to those individuals who already have low testosterone levels.

As such, this effect may not be applicable to all of you.

What Doesn’t Creatine Do?

It is hard to argue against the fact that creatine is a super supplement -- but one thing it cannot really do is help with fat loss.

As creatine does allow you to do more total work in the gym, it could cause a slight increase in energy expenditure per workout. If this was extrapolated over the course of a training year, it might result in some additional fat loss.

However, this impact would be relatively minor in the grand scheme of things.

Additionally, there is no evidence to suggest that creatine supplements can enhance fat loss by any other means -- which would indicate that it probably isn't a particularly effective fat loss supplement.

Although I should note that, practically speaking, taking creatine during a cutting phase is probably a good idea because it will help you retain strength. This is integral if you want to maintain as much muscle as possible while shedding weight.

Just don't expect any fat loss miracles here.

How to Take Creatine?

When commencing creatine supplementation, most studies use a loading phase, which is then followed by a maintenance phase [7].

This appears to be the fastest way to get the benefits of creatine, where it essentially requires you to take a higher dose of creatine for a few days.  After this loading phase, you transition to a lower ‘maintenance dose’ for however long you decide to take the supplement for.

This typically looks something like this:

• Loading Phase: Take 20 grams of creatine per day for about 7 days. This should be spread out evenly throughout the day (i.e. take 5 grams four times a day)
• Maintenance Phase: Take about 5 grams of creatine per day, once per day, indefinitely.

It is worth highlighting that you can commence creatine supplementation without a loading phase. In fact, over the long term, this will result in similar long term training adaptations -- but your acute strength gains might take a little longer to come in.

Finally, some people suggest that you should ‘cycle off’ creatine at regular intervals because it might be bad for your kidneys.

While this suggestion is made with good intentions, research in athletes has shown that taking creatine for up to 5 years straight does not appear to have any negative implications for kidney health and function [8].

So really, ‘cycling off’ probably is not necessary.

What is the Best Type of Creatine?

Since its inception, a number of different types of creatine have appeared on the market, each suggested to be better than the one that came before it. But to be completely honest, none of them are any better than the OG of creatine supplements, ‘creatine monohydrate’.

Creatine monohydrate is the most well-researched version of the supplement. It is also the most readily available, cheapest, and arguably the most effective.

All of which makes it the perfect choice if you are looking for an evidence based training supplement.

Take Home Message

Creatine has become one of the most popular supplements on the planet -- and for very good reason too.

With evidence demonstrating that it can improve gym performance, enhance strength adaptations, boost muscle growth, and even increase cognitive function, it is one extremely effective supplement.

More importantly, it is cheap, easily accessible, and extremely safe.

Really, what more could you want?

 

References

1. Mills S, Candow DG, Forbes SC, Neary JP, Ormsbee MJ, Antonio J. Effects of Creatine Supplementation during Resistance Training Sessions in Physically Active Young Adults. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1880. Published 2020 Jun 24. doi:10.3390/nu12061880
2. Rawson ES, Volek JS. Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2003;17(4):822-831. doi:10.1519/1533-4287(2003)017<0822:eocsar>2.0.co;2
3. Cooper R, Naclerio F, Allgrove J, Jimenez A. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012;9(1):33. Published 2012 Jul 20. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-9-33
4. McMorris T, Harris RC, Howard AN, et al. Creatine supplementation, sleep deprivation, cortisol, melatonin and behavior. Physiol Behav. 2007;90(1):21-28. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.08.024
5. Benton D, Donohoe R. The influence of creatine supplementation on the cognitive functioning of vegetarians and omnivores. Br J Nutr. 2011;105(7):1100-1105. doi:10.1017/S0007114510004733
6. Vatani, D. S., Faraji, H., Soori, R., & Mogharnasi, M. (2011). The effects of creatine supplementation on performance and hormonal response in amateur swimmers. Science & sports, 26(5), 272-277.
7. Buford TW, Kreider RB, Stout JR, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2007;4:6. Published 2007 Aug 30. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-4-6
8. Poortmans JR, Francaux M. Long-term oral creatine supplementation does not impair renal function in healthy athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999;31(8):1108-1110. doi:10.1097/00005768-199908000-00005

 

Have you been pushing yourself in the gym to gain muscle without success?

Is your dietary program lacking in proven supplements to support muscle?

Ready to arm yourself with three scientifically-backed ingredients for muscle mass?

 

Successful supplementation can feel like a game of chance. When you want to build muscle mass, you need to give your body every advantage you can. That's where scientifically proven supplement ingredients can help.

 

Let's review the top 3 ingredients you must use for muscle mass. We'll even show you how you can make your own supplement.

 

Whey Isolate

First and foremost, when you want to build serious muscle mass, you NEED protein. Why? Protein breaks down into amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscle tissue. Not only do amino acids help to build lean muscle tissue but they also protect the muscle you already have.

 

Whey isolate is a unique type of protein in that it is filtered to the point where it is 99% protein. What's more, it is the most bioavailable type of protein. This is important as the higher the rate of bioavailability, the better your body can absorb and assimilate the protein. (1-4)

 

Whey isolate is fast digesting with a bioavailability of 101 out of 100! This makes it ideal for a post-workout supplement when your muscles require immediate amino acids.

 

Casein

Whey isolate isn't the only protein you should consider using. While whey isolate is ideal for a post-workout meal, it is rapidly digested, meaning your body gets a giant shot of amino acids all at once and that's it.

 

When you want to build muscle, you need to ensure that your body is in a steady state of anabolism. The way to do that is with protein-focused whole foods and a slow digesting protein supplement. The way to do this is with casein protein.

 

Casein protein is a very slow digesting protein that releases a steady stream of amino acids. One unique feature of amino acids is that they may be able to trigger protein synthesis and promote a higher level of anabolism. Due to the steady stream of amino acids, your muscles will be in an ideal environment to grow. What's more, casein protein may help protect you from protein catabolism, or breakdown.

 

Creatine

Last but not least, we have creatine monohydrate. Creatine has long been used in the bodybuilding world to ensure maximum muscle growth.

 

Once ingested, creatine provides the muscle tissue with its preferred source of fuel in the form of adenosine triphosphate. Creatine monohydrate is known for being quick to absorb and extremely bioavailable.

 

Once creatine gets to work in the body, it may be able to boost your performance during your workouts. That may mean extra repetitions and sets. This additional workload may help push your muscles into the ideal range for hypertrophy. Creatine may also be able to support your recovery post-workout.

 

Conclusion

Tired of not being able to find a supplement that has what YOU need?

Finished with wasting money on supplements that are under-dosed?

Why not create your own supplement?

 

Now you can with the Amino Z Supplement Builder. With this revolutionary supplement builder, you control what goes into the supplement down to the dosage. If you're a beginner and you're not sure what you'd like to include, we're here to help. We have a variety of pre-made supplements that feature scientifically verifided AND dosed ingredients for your specific goal.

 

Check out the Amino Z Supplement Builder now to get started!

 

References

1. Tsutsumi R, Tsutsumi YM. Peptides and proteins in whey and their benefits for human health. Austin J Nutri Food Sci 2014;1(1): 1002.

2. Phillips, S. M., and L. J. Van. "Dietary Protein for Athletes: From Requirements to Optimum Adaptation." Journal of Sports Sciences. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2011. Web.

3. Blomstrand E, Eliasson J, Karlsson HK, Köhnke R. Branched-chain amino acids activate key enzymes in protein synthesis after physical exercise. J Nutr. 2006 Jan; 136(1 Suppl):269S-73S.

4. Negro M, Giardina S, Marzani B, Marzatico F. Branched-chain amino acid supplementation does not enhance athletic performance but affects muscle recovery and the immune system. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2008 Sep;48(3):347-51.

5. Res PT, Groen B, Pennings B, Beelen M, Wallis GA, Gijsen AP, Senden JM, VAN Loon LJ. Protein ingestion before sleep improves postexercise overnight recovery. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012 Aug;44(8):1560-9. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31824cc363.

6. Kreider RB. Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations. Mol Cell Biochem. 2003 Feb;244(1-2):89-94.
7. Robert Cooper, Fernando Naclerio, Judith Allgrove, and Alfonso Jimenez. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012; 9: 33. Published online 2012 Jul 20. doi:  10.1186/1550-2783-9-33.