From this article you will learn what creatine is, how to take it, which powder or capsule is better. Is there a benefit for joggers and what dosages they need.
What is creatine?
Creatine is a nonessential amino acid produced by the body at night in an amount of one gram. It is synthesized in the liver and pancreas from three amino acids: methionine, glycine, arginine.
The main task is to increase the energy of cells due to the accumulation of ATP (a special acid responsible for energy metabolism in cells).
Creatine is found in common foods, especially red meat, but it is not enough, and athletes are forced to take special supplements.
Why do athletes take creatine?
Additive:
- Increases muscle strength;
- Additionally reduces muscle fibers;
- Builds up muscle mass;
- Increases the energy of the body;
- Suppresses the action of a hormone that destroys muscles;
- Activates satellite cells;
- Accelerates protein synthesis;
- Makes muscle fibers thicker and denser.
In general, his reception makes an athlete faster, stronger, more massive and enduring.
Instructions for using creatine
There is no consensus on how to take creatine correctly, so there is no instruction on its use. It all depends on the goals and objectives that the athletes set themselves.
Based on general guidelines, you can advise the following:
- In the first week, 20 grams per day;
- The daily dose is divided into four parts;
- It is better to drink the supplement with fruit juice or any sweet drink, so it is better absorbed;
- From the second week, the daily dose is 5 grams per day;
- You can take it both in the morning and in the evening, and on an empty stomach and after meals;
- The duration of the course is three or four weeks;
- After two weeks of rest, the course can be repeated, starting from 5 grams per day.
Despite the fact that the time of reception is not regulated, it is better to take it before bed. The synthesis of creatine occurs when a person is asleep, it is logical to assume that by taking the supplement at night, the athlete will increase its amount in the body.
During sleep, the body rests and recharges, and creatine helps it recover better, as a result we get a synergistic effect.
In addition, the drug taken in the morning does not help to accumulate energy, but spends it on daily needs, delaying recovery.
It is best to consume it after meals. Having drunk on an empty stomach, the athlete runs the risk of developing an upset stomach. And while eating, insulin, a strong anabolizing hormone, is released as a reaction to carbohydrates from food.
Insulin literally drags nutrients into the cell. This physiological property of the body helps maximize the absorption of the supplement.
Drug dosage
In most cases, the dose is selected independently due to the lack of reliable information on the dose size.
Here is an experiment carried out at one of the US universities.
Twenty athletes were divided into two groups. The first received the supplement according to the scheme with the phrase loading, in the first week 20 grams, followed by a maintenance dose of 5 grams.
The second received 5 grams for two weeks.
At the end of the experiment, it turned out that large doses were ineffective, almost 50% of what was taken was excreted in the urine.
Those on low dosages absorbed the creatine almost completely and used it longer.
The experiment has shown that low dosages are preferable, they are closer to the level of their own, endogenous creatine.
How long does it take to take creatine?
There is no single opinion on this matter.
Some consider cycling the most suitable option, others use the additive for a long time.
So which option is correct?
We believe that long-term administration of minimal dosages is preferable. If the athlete skips the loading phase and starts with small dosages, the minimum course will be a month. During this time, the muscles will have time to be fully loaded with creatine.
But the maximum reception time is not limited by anything. Basically, the runner can set the time frame himself, since creatine is natural to humans and is not harmful.
Which creatine should you choose for running?
It is not correct to recommend any one form, powder or capsule, this is a matter of personal preference. If the athlete is comfortable with diluting the powder - great, you don't want to mess with the powder - choose capsules.
The question of form is not a matter of principle, since they both act in the same way. Better to pay attention to the types of creatine.
Today the sports industry produces:
- Creatine monohydrate;
- Micronized creatine;
- Creatine ethyl ester;
- Dicreatin malate.
It is necessary to highlight the micronized species. This is a powder form, crushed to the state of a powder, getting into the blood, it is quickly absorbed, due to an increase in the absorption area and particle size.
True, and it costs more. If you do not want to spend money, take simple monohydrate, and ignore the rest. They are based on the same monohydrate, and all other substances simply help assimilation.
When choosing an additive, pay attention to the manufacturer's company, you should not chase the cheapness of unknown brands. Choose quality at affordable prices.
We recommend taking a closer look at these brands:
- SuperSet;
- IRONMAN;
- Be first;
- Universal Nutrition;
- Optimum Nutrition;
- Protein 66.
Sports nutrition from these manufacturers is inexpensive, of good quality and, as they say in the sports environment, "working".
Reviews from athlete runners
Reviews about the benefits of creatine for runners are quite controversial, some believe that the supplement is useful only for sprint distances, someone uses it for a marathon.
The supplement is useful on a professional level. At the amateur level, ordinary food is enough. For results, training is more important, and the intake of sports nutrition is in the background, it allows you to compensate for energy costs and provides building material.
Andrew
You can take creatine for running, it tones up well, I won't say about the norm, people are different. It is necessary to watch how a person lives, what he eats, how much he sleeps and where he works.
Valery
For running - super! Proven to be even more effective for running than strength sports;
Bohdan
It is necessary for building muscle mass, but does not affect the distance, its action will last only for a few seconds, therefore it is useless in running.
Artem
I run medium distances, in a week I run from 80 to 120 km. During periods of intense exercise, I use creatine, it helps to withstand high volumes of intensity and improve the training process.
Anna
Despite different opinions, we advise using this supplement in sports training. Thanks to creatine, sprinters will be able to accelerate better, and marathon runners will run faster and longer, and developed muscles will not hurt.
