Creatine is a compound that your body makes, which is also gained within protein rich foods. While the human figure produces its own creatine, it can be taken through forms of powders, energy bars, tablets, gummies, and capsules, normally sold at vitamin shops. This supplement fills the muscles with water to expand them to their full potential over a shorter period rather than not taking supplements and waiting for years to see progress. It can also be taken by weightlifters and athletes who lack creatine in the body in whom they want to see physical change. While this supplement is often misconceived, it has been proved that creatine has many benefits.
One way creatine is beneficial is its enhancement of exercise performance. Over time, creatine will preserve intense bursts of energy, prepping the muscles for high quality lifts, allowing them to lift more weight than usual which increases muscle mass. Another way creatine is an effective use to the body is the recovery after an extreme workout, this minimizes muscle tightness including muscle strains and pulls along with preventing severe muscle injuries or reducing the severity of muscle injuries. A third way creatine is a good supplement is the reduction of dehydration and cramping, meaning that for one to absorb creatine they must drink a lot of water daily which prevents cramping.
Not only can creatine affect you physically, but also mentally. It is known that creatine helps the brain function of human beings, even at the age of 60! Creatine may help the brain of someone with dementia, short-term memory, reasoning, and even neuroprotection. While helping those with disorders, it also can reduce symptoms of people with depression and anxiety. This supplement is proven to increase brain creatine levels by up to 50 times or more.
While many people believe that creatine is a danger to the body, it is considered safe if taken the proper way. If you have pre-existing kidney conditions, it is not recommended to take creatine, this is where most people get their negative beliefs from. There are two ways to use creatine, a loading phase, and a maintenance phase. The loading phase stores creatine in the muscles as quickly as possible all while taking 20-25 grams of creatine per day for 5-7 days which are often divided into 4-5 smaller doses throughout the day. The maintenance phase consumes a smaller, consistent amount of creatine daily to keep the muscles saturated which is normally 3-5 grams of creatine per day for a few months. The key for any sort of growth while taking creatine is hydration. It is suggested to drink at least a gallon of water daily to see the true progress of creatine. Not staying hydrated can reduce effectiveness of the supplement.
Creatine is an orbit of benefits beyond its athletic performance. It is a valuable tool for all ages to enhance exercise performance, improve cognitive function, and overall health. While individuals’ results may vary, the existing evidence strongly supports the use of creatine as a safe and effective supplement for optimizing performance and overall well-being.