Although creatine is a compound that contains nitrogen like protein does, it is not technically considered to be a protein. In nutritional biochemistry, this form of nitrogen is referred to as “non-protein nitrogen.” Protein can be obtained exogenously (through diet; typically meat and fish) or endogenously (within the body); the latter method involves combining the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine.
Creatine monohydrate serves what purpose?
Creatine is the primary energy substrate in our bodies, and it is used during activities that are both brief and intense. The phosphagen energy system would not function without creatine. The body uses both phosphocreatine and free form creatine, which are both variations of the same nutrient. PC, or phosphocreatine, is a “warehouse for high energy phosphate” that helps keep cells functioning. Rapidly contracting muscles deplete ATP quickly, so 2 PC transfers a phosphate group from ATP to the ADP that was created during the hydrolysis process. The phosphate group of ADP is hydrolyzed by the action of 2 PC. Once creatine stores are depleted, our bodies are unable to produce short bursts of intense energy, and our muscles are unable to exert force.
Supplemental micronized creatine monohydrate is used as an ergogenic aid on the assumption that its concentration in muscle can be raised to a more optimal level. This is a crucial issue, and we’ll explore it further in the next section.
One theory suggests that elevated muscle creatine levels improve performance in short bursts of high-intensity exercise by increasing the efficiency of the phosphagen system.
Creatine monohydrate has numerous applications and advantages.
Researchers have paid a lot of attention to creatine, making it one of the most studied dietary supplements. In fact, there is a wealth of information from which we can draw our conclusions; a Google Scholar search for “creatine supplementation” returned 6,740 scholarly articles, while a PubMed search yielded 562 articles. Through hundreds of studies and decades of investigation, the following benefits of creatine monohydrate have become widely accepted:
- Increased muscle creatine levels improve performance in both the gym and on the job.
- Increases in the percentage of muscle mass gained are most notable.
- There was a rise in skeletal muscle creatine levels.
Increased creatine levels in skeletal muscle are required for its anabolic effects to take effect. Recent research has shown that creatine supplementation can boost muscle creatine and phosphocreatine levels by as much as 40%. 1, 2
These results emerged after a deliberate “loading” process was carried out. Consumption is vital to the success of this method. Three grammes per kilogramme per day for the first five to seven days (roughly twenty grammes per day in five-gram increments), then three to five grammes per day after that. 2, 3
Strengthening of both Force and Efficiency
The ergogenic effects of creatine supplement have been the subject of a great deal of research, with hundreds of studies focusing on just those two outcomes. About 70% of the research reports an increase in exercise capacity, but none of the studies report an ergolytic effect (P.05 for all you stats nerds out there). 5 Dosage and administration of creatine monohydrate
Creatine supplements, as was just mentioned, are taken primarily to increase skeletal muscle’s creatine stores. Several methods exist for doing so, but it appears that the quickest and most reliable way to reach and maintain satisfactory saturation levels is through an initial loading protocol followed by sustained dosages. An example of such a protocol could be as follows: ingesting a lot of material. In the beginning, feed your pet 3 grammes per kilogramme per day (roughly 20 grammes per day in 5 gramme increments) for the first 5-7 days.