The Price of Business Digital Network has a new series of outstanding commentaries from thought leaders. This is one in that series.
Holly Long
Holly Long on Creatine & Fitness:
I get asked all the time about the use of creatine, people ask if it is just a placebo or if it actually helps increase muscle size and strength. Here’s my take:
Creatine has been thoroughly researched and has been proven to work. I think creatine can be a good addition to a well balanced diet and well tailored workout regimen but it is not going to do much on its own.
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that plays a crucial role in the production of energy during high-intensity, short-duration activities, such as weightlifting or sprinting. It is stored in small amounts in our muscles and obtained through dietary sources like meat and fish.
So what exactly does it do?
- It gives your muscles more energy to work harder during your lifts so that you can push through 2-3 additional reps whereas you would normally hit fatigue. These additional reps can be the difference between continuing to plateau and achieving true hypertrophy. This is called ATP Resynthesis.
- Muscle Volume and Cell Hydration: Creatine draws water into the cells of your muscles, in turn it makes them bigger.
- Enhanced Muscle Recovery: Some research suggests that creatine supplementation may help reduce muscle damage and inflammation following intense exercise. This can contribute to faster recovery between workouts, allowing you to train more for better results in a shorter amount of time.
I personally use creatine and suggest this supplement to all of my clients who are looking to improve their muscular physique, but taking it on its own is not effective without the right workout routine combined with the right amount of calories and macronutrients to support the energy needed for natural muscle growth. I’ve seen people rely on supplements without addressing the root reason that they struggle with gaining muscle mass, which only ends in disappointment.
If you have tried creatine in the past and didn’t see the results you expected, there’s an additional layer that most people are unaware of. Studies support the importance of proper timing in addition to pairing with the right amount of water intake while on this particular supplement.
For the optimal results on creatine you need to understand…
- Proper nutrition
- Muscle growth specific training
- Supplement timing and dosage
- Hydration
For optimal utilization I suggest taking your creatine within 30 minutes before or after your active window.
If you’re interested in learning more about the intricacies of muscle growth using creatine like this post and let me know. If I get enough interest I’ll create a detailed video of how exactly I use this great tool with my clients.
