-
Creatine is probably the most valuable fitness supplement you can buy to improve performance and health.
-
Top trainers and scientists alike recommend it to build muscle, burn fat, and even protect your brain.
-
While creatine is relatively cheap and safe to use, no supplement can replace a healthy lifestyle.
Stop wasting time and money on subpar supplements.
According to exercise science experts, one ingredient should be your top priority for building muscle, burning fat, and aging gracefully.
Creatine is a combination of amino acids that provide energy to muscles and other tissues, such as the brain. Our bodies produce it naturally, but a growing body of research suggests supplementing with store-bought pills and powders is a smart idea.
It’s long been the undisputed muscle-building king of the fitness supplement world, personal trainers, nutritionists and researchers told Business Insider. Now, more research shows it has benefits beyond the gym, helping to strengthen the brain and support mental and cognitive health.
At less than 50 cents per serving, it’s the gold standard in evidence-based health recipes with impressive potential benefits.
Research shows that creatine supplementation has the following benefits:
-
Reduce fatigue during exercise
-
Better increase strength
-
Lower body fat content and better muscle retention during weight loss
-
Reduce risk of heart attack
-
Cognitive function gets better with age
-
Fewer symptoms of sleep deprivation
-
fewer depressive symptoms
Want to start taking creatine? Here’s how it works and the best ways to use it for optimal performance, according to top researchers.
Creatine helps increase reps for better gains
Creatine has long been a staple in the sports and bodybuilding worlds, and has been extensively researched as a fitness supplement for decades. It first became popular in the 1990s, thanks to Olympians who swore by it during elite sporting competitions.
Since then, researchers have continued to find that it is safe to use and provides small but significant improvements in performance.
It works by providing extra fuel in the body’s energy cycle. If you’re exercising, this means you can get better gains or faster fat burning because you can get more work done in other ways.
This makes it a leader in the supplement world. Creatine has stronger evidence and a wider range of benefits than pre-workout products, which may vary in their ingredients and often don’t disclose the actual ingredients.
It’s also different from protein shakes and powders, which offer the same nutritional benefits as food but in a more convenient form. There is some creatine in foods like meat and fish, but it’s harder to get than protein—you’d have to eat more than two pounds of steak to get the amount of creatine in a scoop of supplement powder.
Other supplements have less evidence, are less reliable, and may carry more risks, especially when purchased online through gray market websites.
In terms of broad benefits and extensive research, the only supplement that comes close to creatine is caffeine. While caffeine can boost exercise and is relatively safe in moderate amounts, large amounts can have serious side effects, so drinking coffee is a better option than a concentrated supplement.
Choosing the Best Type of Creatine for Muscle Building and Fat Loss
Not all creatine on the market is created equal. The most well-studied form is creatine monohydrate, which sports nutritionists consider reliably effective and safe. If you’re worried it can cause hair loss or kidney damage, don’t worry: These are myths that have been debunked by authoritative research.
Creatine may cause side effects such as digestive upset, which are usually mild, temporary, and associated with higher doses.
It’s also safe for your wallet. Even if there have been shortages in the past, creatine monohydrate tends to be the cheapest form, especially if you buy pure creatine rather than mixed into a complex pre- or post-workout mix.
To take creatine, researchers generally recommend a daily dose of 3 to 5 grams (larger people need more). However, new research suggests the brain may benefit from higher doses. Scott Forbes, an exercise science researcher and professor at Brandon University, said he recommends about 10 grams a day to maintain cognitive health.
Still, for all its potential benefits, creatine is not a panacea. No matter how well-researched, no supplement can match the benefits of healthy lifestyle factors like nutrition, sleep, and consistent exercise. Trainers recommend starting with these high-value habits first before trying supplements.
Once you have your workout, diet, and recovery figured out, creatine may provide additional benefits to your daily routine.
Read the original article on Business Insider
