Creatine monohydrate promotes the development of lean muscle mass, increases strength and explosive power, enhances the pump during training and shortens recovery time.
Creatine is involved in all processes in the body that require energy. Muscle, brain and nerve cells could not function without creatine. Creatine improves endurance and performance, especially during increased physical exertion and high athletic training, and subsequently ensures faster recovery.
That is why creatine is currently the most popular dietary supplement for athletes in all areas, such as bodybuilding, weightlifting, wrestling, football, cycling, ice hockey, sprinting, javelin and discus throwing.
The additional intake of creatine results in...
- up to 15% more maximum strength and strength endurance
- up to 20% more maximum strength in interval training
- up to 30% increase in strength and energy release
- up to 15% in repeated sprints
All cells in the body use ATP (adenosine triphosphate) as an energy source. During intensive training, ATP consumption in the muscles can increase 20-fold in just a few seconds. ATP would only last for one to two seconds at maximum exertion.
Therefore, the muscles need substances to form ATP and perform at their best. One of these substances is creatine. Creatine is converted into phosphocreatine in the body. Phosphocreatine is then broken down to build ATP.
Loading up with creatine is considered outdated and, although it is still found on some creatine packaging, is no longer recommended by experts.
Some research clearly shows that a loading phase is not necessary, as maximum creatine levels are reached after two weeks even without loading. However, some athletes still do a loading phase. But they only do this to feel the rapid increase in strength and mass even more intensely.
Creatine is mainly found in red meat and some types of fish. This means that in nature, creatine always occurs in combination with protein. The opinion that creatine does not work when taken together with protein is therefore untenable.
On the contrary: creatine needs high-quality protein to build muscle mass. This is because creatine acts exclusively as a spark. Protein, on the other hand, provides the important building material.
Taking creatine and protein at the same time enhances the effect of both and leads to the rapid build-up of hard, lasting muscle mass.
