What is creatine and how does it work? 5 types of creatine powder currently on the market

What is creatine? Creatine is one of the most popular sports supplements on the market today, but if you use it incorrectly, it can have adverse effects on your health. So, should you take creatine? To be on the safe side, you should learn what creatine is before you decide to use it.

The main use of creatine is to increase muscle size, strength, and endurance. Creatine has also been studied for its ability to improve brain function and a number of other diseases caused by aging. However, you need to measure creatine use appropriately to avoid side effects when using this supplement.

What is creatine?

Creatine is produced naturally in the body in the kidneys, liver, and pancreas. Creatine is made up of the amino acids glycine, arginine and methionine. The average body will produce about 1-2g of creatine per day, which is stored mainly in skeletal muscles.

This compound is also found in foods, especially animal products such as beef, chicken, pork and fish. In addition to the source of creatine found naturally in many foods, you can use creatine in supplement form.

There are several popular forms of creatine supplements on the market today:

• Creatine monohydrate
• Creatine ethyl ester
• Creatine hydrochloride
• Buffered creatine

What are the effects of creatine?

Creatine is widely used for the main purpose of increasing strength in athletes. However, many recent studies have shown that the benefits of creatine can not only be applied in the field of sports, but also support good health in general. So, what are the creatine effects?

1. Promotes muscle strength

Creatine provides adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule that helps store energy for cells and muscles. Many results show that creatine supplementation can increase athletes’ fitness, especially muscle strength and endurance, by about 5 – 15%.

Supplementing with creatine also helps keep muscles and bones stronger in older adults. One study found that men between the ages of 59 and 77 who supplemented with creatine 10mg/kg had improvements in upper body muscle mass and a reduction in fractures.

2. Improve brain function

Supplementing with creatine has been shown to increase the amount of creatine in the brain by up to 10%, thereby enhancing brain function. Protective brain function can be improved by energizing the brain and protecting cells.

Some studies have shown that doses of 5-20g of creatine compounds can improve short-term memory and thinking ability in older adults.

3. Promotes general health

Creatine also helps the body fight free radicals, similar to glutathione in the body. When you use creatine in the right dosage after a while, you may start to notice a healthier body.

When creatine combines with B vitamins such as B2, B6, B9, B12, it will accelerate the synthesis of creatine, optimizing the process of methylation in cells. If the production of methyl is not good, the body will produce unwanted substances and lead to the risk of forming cancer cells.

You can learn more: Revealing for you 6 functional foods to help strengthen muscles.

How to use creatine?

Creatine can be mixed with water or juice and taken before or after starting a workout. There are two ways to help you supplement creatine in your body according to the initial dose or maintenance dose.

Initial dose of creatine

The loading phase is the typical way to supplement creatine. In this way when starting out, you need to take about 20-25g of creatine divided into 4-5 equal doses over 5-7 days.

At subsequent times, you can use 3-5g creatine per day to maintain creatine reserves. The purpose of this creatine dose is to help your muscles saturate creatine faster so you feel the effects faster. For creatine to work, your body must reach a saturation point of creatine, which usually takes about 5-7 days.

Maintenance dose of creatine

Skipping the initial dose and using a maintenance dose of about 3-5g per day is also a creatine supplement you can apply. This method has the same effect as the initial dose of creatine but takes longer, usually around 28 days.

Long-term maintenance doses may be more convenient as only about 1 dose is needed instead of 4-5 doses per day.

You can learn more: How to gain weight fast for men: How to make you look more muscular?

5 types of creatine powder currently on the market

BPI Micronized Creatine

Introduce

With 100% Micronized Creatine Monohydrate ingredients, BPI Micronized Creatine powder is very smooth, making it easier for you to mix and easier for the body to absorb.

Advantages and disadvantages of BPI Micronized Creatine

Advantages	Defect
Easily mixed with whey powder for enhanced performance Increases muscle energy stores from protein synthesis, and minimizes protein loss Significantly increase lean muscle mass in just two weeks of use	Brackish taste, quite difficult to drink for some people

R1 Rule1 Creatine Monohydrate

Introduce

The R1 Rule1 Creatine Monohydrate product is 100% pure, non-animal derived Creatine Monohydrate. In addition, the product also has no taste, so you can easily mix it with other types when using.

Advantages and disadvantages of R1 Rule1 Creatine Monohydrate

Advantages	Defect
Tasteless powder, easy to mix with other products Ingredients 100% Pure Creatine Monohydrate Product volume is large, use for a long time	Hard to dissolve in cold water, so stir with warm water

MYPRO Creatine Monohydrate My Protein

Introduce

With the main ingredient is Creatine Monohydrate, depending on the type of taste or not, the dosage will be different. The product is easily soluble in water and ranks A in the LabDoor ranking when it comes to quality.

Pros and cons of MYPRO Creatine Monohydrate My Protein

Advantages	Defect
There are different flavors Easily soluble in water Rated A in LabDoor	There are currently no negative reviews for this product

Ostrovit Supreme Pure Creatine Monohydrate

Introduce

Ostrovit is a brand familiar to many people thanks to its diverse product range and product quality. Ostrovit Supreme Pure Creatine Monohydrate has the ability to supplement the amount of Creatine Monohydrate with the smallest Micronization level on the market.

Advantages and disadvantages of Ostrovit Creatine Monohydrate

Advantages	Defect
Various fruit flavors Pure ingredients make it easier to absorb	There are currently no negative reviews for this product

KFD Premium Creatine

Introduce

As one of the creatine products imported from Poland, KFD Premium Creatine is chosen by many practitioners. The product has many different fruit flavors with the main ingredient being Creatine Monohydrate to help improve the quality of training sessions.

Advantages and disadvantages of KFD Premium Creatine

Advantages	Defect
The main ingredient is Creatine Monohydrate – very good for exercisers Many flavors Imported directly from Poland	There is only 1 packing of 500g, quite difficult for new users to try

Is creatine safe?

Creatine is safe in supplemental doses of about 4-20g per day for 10 months to 5 years. However, taking creatine supplements can have an adverse effect on kidney health, especially in people with type 2 diabetes.

Despite its high safety profile, large doses of creatine may not be necessary and may cause some unwanted side effects such as:

• Bloating: The first dose of creatine can lead to significant weight gain due to increased muscle mass. However, this will cause you to experience bloating. Not everyone will experience bloating when taking creatine supplements, but you should minimize it by skipping the initial dose and using a maintenance dose of 3-5g.

• Stomach upset: Using creatine too much at once will cause abdominal discomfort. You can avoid discomfort by taking 20-25g of creatine in divided doses 4-5 times a day.

• No effect: After the muscle is fully saturated with creatine, you should maintain 3 – 5g (30mg/kg) per day to maintain optimal muscle reserves. If taken more, creatine is also saturated, this excess creatine will be excreted in the urine when the body stores too much.

The above article has answered the question of what creatine is with the accompanying notes. Creatine can help build strength and is especially helpful when you’re on a muscle-building exercise regimen. However, you should consult with a nutritionist and bodybuilder to find the optimal dose of creatine that benefits your body and avoids unwanted effects.