What is creatine monohydrate? Creatine is a mix of amino compounds that is involved in a vast number of processes in the body. It’s hugely important in the creation of the body’s primary form of energy in muscle cells, ATP (adenosine triphosphate). When the muscles in the body contract explosively for a short period of time, creatine is how the muscles create energy to do so.
Most of the creatine in your body is created in the liver and kidneys, but the majority stored in muscle tissue. Creatine isn’t classed as an ‘essential’ nutrient as it’s made by the body, but it is also easily obtained through the consumption of animal products. Creatine is completely legal, and is not a stimulant, although it’s usually stacked with caffeine in pre-workouts.
Creatine monohydrate is by far the most popular form of creatine on the market. It’s simply creatine with one water molecule attached to it for absorption purposes. When your body is trying to create ATP during muscle contractions, it borrows a phosphate molecule from phosphocreatine and combines it with another compound known as ADP (adenosine diphosphate). Once the muscles have used up all phosphocreatine stores to produce ATP, your body will start to use other sources like glucose and fats.
In order to keep the formation of ATP as fast as possible, supplementation of creatine increases phosphocreatine availability. In simple terms, the more phosphocreatine available, the more work you can accomplish before fatigue kicks in. There have been countless studies that show the effectiveness of creatine in regard to strength, power, fatigue, muscle size and overall body composition. Not only does is it effective in the weight room, further studies have shown that creatine can also help endurance athletes store more to use during training and competition. It has also shown to reduce inflammation and cell damage from lengthy training sessions, meaning greater recovery time.
There have been countless studies that show the effectiveness of creatine in regard to strength, power, fatigue, muscle size and overall body composition. creatine has also been shown to help endurance athletes store more to use during training and competition, reduce inflammation and cell damage from lengthy training sessions, and promote faster recovery time.
How Often Shall I Take Creatine Monohydrate?
To reap the benefits of creatine, research suggests taking it daily, as it may take a few weeks to start seeing results. There is no specific timing that needs to be followed when taking creatine supplements, so as long as they are taken consistently every day there should be an eventual increase in performance. At a relatively low cost, creatine monohydrate can be a great addition to any workout routine or sport regimen in order to improve overall strength, power and performance.