If you were to concoct a survey among athletes, bodybuilders and gym goers questioning their supplement stack, chances are that protein powder and creatine powder would be the most common selections. In my previous article, I gave a quick rundown of protein powder; specifically whey protein powder. Let’s change gears and explore creatine. 

The Basics  

Creatine itself is a naturally occurring organic substance (known as creatine phosphate) produced by the body’s liver and kidneys.  It is subsequently transported to one’s skeletal  muscles, operating as an energy reservoir for physically demanding activities. ATP, your cells’ primary energy source, releases a phosphate molecule to produce usable energy. Eventually ATP concentration plummet and your energy levels suffer. Creatine phosphate comes to the rescue and donates it phosphate molecule to ATP, and thus sustain the energy cycle.

As you would surmise, ATP levels drop more rapidly during intense exercise sessions and your natural levels of creatine phosphate can no longer provide sufficient energy. That’s were creatine powder supplementation enters the frame, increasing creatine concentration in your skeletal muscles. You have more phosphate molecules to dispense and more energy to push on. 

Effectiveness

There are hundreds of articles written by nutritionists and fitness experts detailing the benefits creatine supplementation yields: from increased strength to additional muscle mass. Why don’t we go a different route and examine what verdict the scientific community has on this potent powder. 

In 2011, Masouemeh Azizi at the Islamic Azad University investigated the usefulness of creatine monohydrate (the most documented form of creatine powder) for female competitive swimmers. Prior to 

experimentation, he tested the subjects 1-repetition-maximum bench press, maximum vertical jump , 60 yard dash and swimming time for 25 and 50 meters. He then randomly assigned the swimmers to either the experimental group (consumed 5g of creatine monohydrate 4x a day) or the control group (consumed 5g of placebo 4x a day). After 6 days of testing, Azizi noted that the bench press, vertical jump, and 60 yard dash levels increased significantly for those who consumed creatine monohydrate compared to those who ingested the placebo. (Article Link)

 Another study conducted by researchers at the Mato Grosso Federal University in 2011 focused on creatine’s muscle promoting properties in lab rats. They wanted to determine whether creatine monohydrate has a direct effect on muscle mass, regardless of exercise. They randomly divided Winstar rats into 4 groups: rats that received creatine, rats that did not receive creatine, rats that received creatine and were exposed to resistance training, and rats that did not receive creatine but were exposed to resistance training. The resistance training itself consisted of the rats jumping into a vat of water and then swimming to the surface while wearing a vest that increased in poudange every week. After the testing period, the rats’ soleus muscles (i.e. calve) were removed and compared among each other. The results revealed that there were no significant differences in the sizes of the soleus muscles between the exercise group exposed to creatine and the exercise group who received no creatine. There was also no indication of soleus growth for the group that simply received creatine. Despite their findings, the researchers suggest that creatine is effective in that it promotes endurance under high intensity exercise, allowing for individuals to work out for longer stretches of time. (Article Link) 

Note what the authors have to say about creatine in the highlighted text.

The Take Home Message 

In order the experience the full benefits of creatine powder, you need to train at a higher and more intense level than you normally do. Taking creatine while performing light activity serves no purpose; well aside from burning a hole in your wallet. But by increasing your workload and incorporating more muscle fibers, you can exercise longer and harder and see considerable changes in your physique. Who knows, you might end up becoming downright heroic. 

We still recommend having your diet in check as your first priority. If you have any questions, let us know down below. You can check our growing selection of creatine products here.