Should you take creatine?

Creatine Monohydrate is one of my most highly regarded supplements, which i have been taking for years. Hopefully by the end of this article it will give you a good idea whether it’s a supplement you will want to enter into your programme or not.

So what is Creatine, and why is it effective?

Creatine is one of the most highly regarded supplements for increasing performance in the gym. Studies have shown that creatine increases strength, muscle, and performance. Creatine is found naturally in muscle cells, which produces energy during training.

Most of your body’s creatine is stored in the muscles, as phosphocreatine. Muscles use Phosphocreatine in the first few seconds of a muscle contraction, it is the first key energy source for heavy lifting and high intensity workouts. So you can see why Creatine may be a good supplement for increasing strength gains.

As well as strength gains, Creatine will boost muscle mass by giving your muscles more energy, to produce a higher training volume. Creatine also has effects on hormones, cell functions, and muscle repairing, which all lead to increases in muscle mass. Studies have shown that supplementing creatine has increased muscle growth by 2-3 times.

I feel bloated when on creatine?

Creatine increases water in your muscles, which is why to begin with you may feel bloated due to water retention, but this should subside.

Can women take creatine?

For many years creatine has been considered to be a ‘guys only supplement’. Creatine is one of the most researched supplements, studies have shown this to be false! Yes creating increases muscle mass, but it takes a lot of dedication, eating a lot of calories and lifting heavier weights to gain muscle, then just taking this supplement. Females don’t have the testosterone levels which males do for muscle growth. So if you want to feel stronger and train at a higher intensity with less fatigue then creatine is the supplement for you.

Price of Creatine?

Creatine is one of the most inexpensive supplements on the market. Creatine Monohydrate is around £8 for 500mg. You will only need one serving a day of 3-5g.