WHAT IS CREATINE

Creatine is a compound that is naturally produced in the liver and is essential for muscles (where most of the substance is found) and the brain. Made of amino acids, approximately 1 gram of creatine is produced by the body every day.
It has positive effects for the muscles, making them recover more quickly from exercise and providing extra energy, allowing the capacity of the muscles to be increased. They become more resistant and efficient thanks to this substance.
However, there are some situations where the body does not produce the necessary amount of creatine, so in these cases it is necessary to replace it.

CREATINE SUPPLEMENTATION

The function of food supplements is to complement the diet and provide nutrients that may be in deficit in the body or that cannot be consumed in large quantities in a diet.
In the case of creatine, our body produces a limited amount, approximately 1g per day and another 1g is ingested through food. Therefore, the supplement is a great ally for those who need larger amounts of creatine in the body, such as athletes, bodybuilders or sports that require a great effort and a quick recovery of the muscles.
There are studies that prove that creatine, as a nutritional supplement, presents the greatest effectiveness in sports practice for activities of high intensity and short duration, especially exercises that involve explosion, such as bodybuilding and races.

BENEFITS OF CREATINE USE

Creatine helps muscle cells produce more energy because consuming it increases your muscles’ stores of phosphocreatine, which aids in the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the key molecule your cells use to produce energy for all your basic life functions. During exercise, ATP is broken down to produce energy.
The use of this supplementation also helps increase muscle mass, as there is a major stimulus in the formation of proteins that create new cells. Besides increasing levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a hormone that promotes increased muscle mass.
Creatine can also reduce symptoms of fatigue and tiredness by providing more energy to the brain and increasing dopamine levels.

HOW TO TAKE CREATINE

It is not enough to know what creatine or another food supplement is for, in order to obtain the desired results and not harm your health, it is necessary to make the proper use of these substances.
As for the amount of grams of creatine per day, there are different consumption strategies, which may vary according to the intensity of training or weight of the athlete, for example. In view of this, the ideal is always to consult with a professional in the area, who will adapt the best strategy for you and your goal.
As for the form of consumption, the most recommended way to consume the supplement is along with some meal, especially with foods that are sources of carbohydrates and proteins, which will benefit the workout. The intake of creatine can also be done together with whey protein.