Creatine
Creatine products have become an integral part of the world of bodybuilding and fast-paced weight training. Around 20 years ago, this nutrient established itself in the weight training scene and within a very short time, creatine products in capsule and powder form became one of the most popular dietary supplements. The essential importance of this product is emphasised by the fact that creatine is also listed in the Health Claims Regulation alongside protein and other important nutrients.
What is creatine (creatine)?
The organic acid (organic and chemical compounds) creatine comes from the Greek word "kreas" for meat.
The substance is synthesised in the kidneys, pancreas and liver.
Formally, it is derived from the amino acids arginine, glycine and methionine and is present in about 90 % of skeletal muscle.
Eugène Chevreul recognised it as part of a meat broth in 1832 and the German Justus von Liebig first identified it as part of the meat of various mammals in 1847.
Creatine is a natural part of a balanced diet. For example, fish and meat contain 2 - 7 g per kilogramme. However, the body also produces it on its own, in an amount of 1 - 2 g per day in the pancreas, liver and kidneys. It is then mainly stored in the skeletal muscles.
How much creatine do you need?
About half of the daily creatine requirement of humans is produced by the body itself (adult requirement is 1.5 - 2 g per day). It is mainly produced in the liver from guanidinoacetate. This in turn is formed from the amino acids arginine, L-arginine and glycine. For methylation (a special case of alkylation), the body requires the enzyme guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase, as well as the amino acid methionine (as the active form), namely S-adenosylmethionine. Creatine as such is not an amino acid, but a guanidinium compound.
It has a central carbon with three bonded nitrogen atoms. In the area of nutritional supplements, there are various forms of creatine such as z.B. Creatine monohydrate, Kre-Alkalyn, Creatine AKG etc. There are many ways to supplement creatine nowadays. The market offers creatine capsules and creatine powder.
Creatine in sports nutrition - application and benefits!
In the fitness and bodybuilding scene, creatine is undisputedly the No1 supplement when it comes to increasing strength, muscle building and performance. Almost all manufacturers offer creatine food supplements in various forms and sizes for athletes. Creatine is available as a powder, in capsules or in liquid form. Creatine powder and capsules are the most popular among strength athletes.
It has been scientifically proven that creatine increases performance and muscle building at a dosage of 3g per day. In bodybuilding, more performance in training means that more weights can be used, thus promoting muscle building.
Benefits of creatine with a daily intake of 3g
The daily intake of 3g creatine significantly increases physical performance during short-term, intensive exercise as part of high-speed strength training. This clear statement in official documents refutes any doubts about the effect of sports nutrition, especially creatine products. Even the most persistent critics, who sometimes spoke of a placebo effect, must now recognise that creatine actually has a measurable effect on performance.
My personal creatine tip:
Taking 3g of creatine per day can temporarily increase physical performance during intense physical exertion. In order to achieve the best possible results, I recommend a prior speed strength training programme with 3-4 splits, which trains the basic exercise with 3 x 5-8 repetitions. This training not only strengthens the nervous system, but also increases your speed strength, which will have a positive effect on your muscle building training. By training more intensively in muscle-building training, you create more muscle-building stimuli and can therefore build more muscle.
Overview of high-speed strength sports that particularly benefit from creatine
In which sports or training exercises does so-called high-speed strength training take place?
In order to experience the positive effects of creatine, you need to do speed training. Speed strength training is an essential component of many sports disciplines and training methods, for example:
- Fitness and bodybuilding (z.B. Muscle building training, strength building training, fat burner training etc.)
- Martial arts training (z.B. Judo, karate, MMA, Thai boxing, kickboxing etc.)
- Weightlifting, powerlifting & powerlifting
- Athletics
- Ball sports (z.B. Tennis, football, basketball etc.)
- Swimming
Over time, it has become clear that a variety of sports can benefit from creatine products. Especially when an aspect of movement execution is related to explosive power development. It is therefore not surprising that athletes from bodybuilding and other strength sports such as powerlifting, weightlifting and strongman use creatine to increase their performance. However, athletes in sprint sports from the field of athletics also use creatine both in training and in competition to improve their performance. Martial artists from judo, karate, taekwondo, wrestling, boxing and MMA are also among the increasing users of creatine and can benefit from its strengths.
Creatine products are particularly characterised by:
- Very good price-performance ratio
- Easy to use
- Assured product benefits
- Long-term or short-term use possible
- Various dosage forms (creatine tablets, liquid, powder, capsules)
- Increases physical performance
As creatine has now been extensively researched and athletes who rely on performance-enhancing and doping-free supplements are always on the lookout for new possibilities, this nutrient has also established itself in professional sport. Hardly any Olympic-quality track and field athlete today does without the benefits of creatine products. However, not only track and field athletes, but also professional footballers and football stars are among the satisfied users of creatine.
Which is better - creatine capsules or creatine powder?
It does not matter whether the creatine product is in the form of capsules or powder - the described effect remains the same. The choice of the preferred form of intake is entirely a personal decision. For many athletes, creatine capsules are the preferred choice due to their convenience when travelling, while creatine powder is generally a little cheaper.
What is the intake and dosage of creatine products?
Creatine can be dosed in different ways and taken cyclically. There are various dosage forms, such as creatine capsules, powder and liquid, and it is easy to take. A daily dosage of just 3g already leads to success. However, please note the product-specific information on dosage and intake on the manufacturer's label or in the product description, as there are different binding forms of creatine, which differ in terms of usability and the content of pure creatine.
List of the different forms of creatine:
- Creatine monohydrate
- Creatine alpha ketoglutarate
- Creatine ethyl ester
- Kre-Alkalyn
- Tri-creatine citrate, creatine pyruvate, creatine phosphate etc.
Each of these creatine variants has different qualities in terms of, for example, pH value, resorption rate, availability and the like.
Viking tips for taking creatine products:
- Avoid taking creatine and caffeine at the same time
- For the duration of creatine intake, increased fluid intake in the form of water should be ensured
- So-called creatine non-responders cannot absorb the active ingredient creatine. These people already have a very high creatine intake by nature
- Creatine stores
- Take maltodextrin or dextrose at the same time as your creatine product. (not with Kre-Alkalyn, Krea-Genic)
- Drink your shake with creatine within 10 minutes of preparing it, otherwise the creatine it contains may break down into the ineffective substance creatinine if it comes into contact with liquid for longer.
Many professional and ambitious athletes combine creatine with the amino acid glutamine in their post-workout shake together with whey protein, maltodextrin and BCAAs
We recommend that you take advantage of a personal consultation to find the optimum creatine supplement for your individual needs. You will receive detailed information on when to take creatine, dosage, different cure variants and possible uses. We are convinced that personalised advice will help you to achieve the best possible results.
In addition to information on creatine, you can also obtain detailed information from us (also directly on site in our branches) on:
- Muscle building
- Increase in strength
- Speed strength
- Cell voluminisation
- Muscle pump
- Nutrient storage and much more.
Which creatine is best for me?
In order to know which creatine is most suitable for you, we categorise two different types of intake:
Creatine recommendation for hardgainers (fast metabolism type)
Here we recommend a creatine + carbohydrate matrix such as the Hyper Mass Gainer from Bio Tech USA, Serius Mass from Optimum, Anabolic Mass from Kevin Levrone or Mega Mass from Weider. The combination of creatine monohydrate + grape juice or orange juice is also very popular with our customers. It makes no difference whether the athlete uses creatine capsules or creatine powder.
Creatine recommendation for softgainers
We recommend the use of pH-stable or buffered creatine, such as the alkaline creatine products EFX Kre-Alkalyn, Weider Krea-Genic or PH Creatine from Bio Tech USA. For many customers, products with innovative creatine forms such as MET-RX CEE, Cellmass or Peak Creatine AKG are also extremely popular. Our recommendation is based on the fact that pH-stable creatine has a higher bioavailability and can therefore be better absorbed by the body. It can also lead to fewer gastrointestinal problems. These high quality creatine products support muscle growth and performance enhancement during training. We are convinced that these products are a valuable addition for every fitness enthusiast.
