What is creatine? How do I take creatine? What are the side effects of creatine? What is the best creatine? These are just some of the questions I’ve heard, but unless you just arrived from another planet you should know that when it comes to muscle building supplements, creatine is the king!

To date, creatine has become the most research-proven sports supplement on the market to day. Creatine has collected hundreds of clinical studies that show increased lean muscle mass, improved energy levels, increased muscle strength and size and improved exercise performance. There is even new research showing creatine supplementation having a significant effect on memory and intelligence, as well as immune function. Bigger, smarter and healthier, sounds like a winner to me!

What is creatine?

Creatine acts by supporting the reproduction of ATP (a fancy term for energy) in muscle tissue resulting in muscle cell volumization which can create a favorable environment for muscle growth. By having more energy reserves in the muscle tissue, you now have the ability to train harder at higher intensities. This means more reps, more sets, heavier loads, more explosive power and quicker recovery. Each of these are key requirements for constant muscle growth. Creatine is simply a mechanism that allows you to work harder than your previous workouts.

How do I take creatine?

To load or not to load, that is the question! You have two research-proven options to choose from. Each method has its own benefits and drawbacks, depending on a variety of reasons:

- Method 1: Six day load at 20 grams a day, then a maintenance dose of 2-3 grams a day afterward.

- Method 2: 3-5 grams a day for the long term.

It was once thought, that a loading phase was required to maximize the effects of creatine but there is countless research that shows you don’t have to go through all the hassle of loading. This will appeal to the individual who experiences gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea and other problems with higher
dosages.

Personally, I have found the best time to take creatine is around 15 minutes BEFORE and AFTER a workout with a protein and carbohydrate drink. As well as first thing in the morning on non-training days.

What kind of creatine should I buy?

With all the fancy bells and whistles in creatine supplements out there, a lot of people have forgotten about simple, powdered creatine. All you need to know is that the best creatine manufactured is sold to companies in the form of Creapure. So as long as you see on the creatine bottle you have bought that Creapure is their source of creatine, or if it states that it is HPLC Certified, that’s the good stuff. There has been much debate about creatine purity and it is not accepted that all creatine is created equal.

Creatine Ethyl Ester is a newer form of creatine. It is made up of creatine, alcohol and acid meaning the absorption rate into the tissue is better. Manufacturers claim it does not cause bloating, cramping or stomach discomfort and gets into the muscle faster resulting in better results. Due to its chemical structure, it might result in greater stress on the liver. An while it does seem to have potential, wait for more research and rely on the time-tested powdered creatine.

Should I take creatine with sugar?

Stimulating an insulin release by consuming high amounts of sugar has been shown to enhance the transport and uptake of creatine into the muscle tissue. However, insulin is also responsible for fat storage.

Therefore my recommendation would be to only consume your creatine with simple carbohydrates if it is before or after your workout. On non-training days, creatine would be better shuttled using insulin mimicking compounds like alpha lipoic acid and D-pinitol which can help improve creatine transport and retention without the excess sugars.

Conclusion

Creatine is by far the king of the jungle when it comes to muscle building supplements. I have only included the information I believe to be the most critical and useful. Your take home message is to use powdered creatine, year round before and after your training workout and in the morning on your non-training days. Make sure your creatine says Creapure or HPLC Certified and don’t get caught up wasting any more time or sleep on the debate associated with creatine use. Just do it!

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About the Author:

Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found at http://MuscleGrowthTips.com

He specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before.

© 2006-2008, Vince DelMonte Fitness. All rights in all media reserved. You may reprint this article so long as the article and author bio are reprinted intake and all links are made live. This article may never be sold individually or as part of a package.