Creatine
Creatine
is thought to be the most effective bodybuilding supplement available
nowadays, which has also been proved scientifically. It is available
in two forms- Creatine Ethyl Ester and Creatine Monohydrate. The
monohydrate form is the one everyone’s raving about, while the
ethyl ester form is essentially a creatine monohydrate containing an
ester. Studies have repeatedly proved that Creatine monohydrate
enhances power, strength, muscle size and body’s overall weight.
The ester attached to the monohydrate helps in increased absorption
of creatine into the body and removes the possible side effects of
dehydration found in some cases with monohydrate.
Creatinemonohydrate uses fat as a medium for transport, but it uses it
ineffectively. Esterification increases its lipopholic capability,
resulting in more efficient use of fat to enter the cells and come
into action. Creatine is made naturally in the liver, pancreas and
kidney and is required to supply energy to the muscles. Although
found in some foods such as tuna, red meat, etc, creatine is
popularly consumed in the form of creatine powders, which need to be
taken in very small doses daily to enhance muscle tissues. As the
work out session progresses, the body uses all its ATP reserves for
immediate muscle power and since that is not enough, the turn of
creatine comes, which quickly converts itself to ATP, providing the
necessary source of energy. All of this takes place within a second,
thereby never letting the body into any kind of discomfort or causing
a dip in energy levels.
Creatine
doesn’t have any side effects ever recorded scientifically and has
become a much sought after supplement for both men and women, ranging
from body builders to wrestlers as well as athletes. It can be
consumed in either of the two forms as described. The first one is
Creatine loading, wherein the muscle is saturated with creatine
levels for the first week and the levels are then maintained over the
following weeks. Thus, in this dosage, initially the weight of
creatine consumed is much higher than the one consumed during the
later weeks. The second type is known as Creatine gradual approach,
which circumvents the above loading approach and measured, average
dosage of creatine is consumed daily from the beginning itself.
Creatine
ideally recommended to be consumed along with other supplements. A
typical shake after a rigorous session would contain dextrose, whey
protein, glutamine and creatine. A common dilemma often encountered
is the time of day one should consume creatine, particularly before
or after workout. Opinions remain divided, with some recommending
that the body should be ‘loaded’ before workout to increase the
advantages, while others feel that if a person takes creatine
regularly, there’s no need for pre-loading. Studies don’t favor
any particular opinion, and it’s left to the trainer’s choice.
Due to its ever increasing popularity and highly visible results, it
is often rumored that creatine is a form of steroid, which needs to
be debunked as fast as possible. Creatine is a perfectly safe,
natural and assured way to attain muscle gain, and far more legal
than the steroids!
