Creatine is one of the best-known and most-used supplements worldwide. In the United States alone, this supplement has an annual turnover of more than 400 million dollars. This is possibly because creatine is one of the most researched performance-enhancing supplements, and the scientific evidence for this is very strong. The benefits are mainly in increasing muscle mass through strength training. Recently, however, more areas have been found in which creatine can play a positive role. Read this blog to find out if creatine can offer added value for you too.
Creatine is a substance that occurs naturally in our body and is produced in the liver, kidneys and pancreas (approx. 1-2 grams daily). We also get a small dose of creatine from our diet every day, particularly from meat and fish. Around 95% of the creatine in the body is stored in the muscles. In order to be able to store it here, creatine is first linked to a phosphate molecule, creating the substance creatine phosphate. Creatine phosphate is a very important source of fuel, alongside the better-known carbohydrates and fats. However, creatine phosphate has a very specific role in our body's fuel supply: because it is able to supply energy at lightning speed, this energy source is only used for short, maximum efforts. Think of a sprint, but also strength training, where you do several short, maximum repetitions.
Optimising creatine reserves for improved athletic performance
The supply of creatine phosphate in our body is limited, which means that this fuel tank can be depleted after just 10 to 15 seconds of maximum exertion. This led to the idea in the 70s that the additional intake of creatine could increase this fuel supply, and thus improve athletic performance. Since then, much scientific research has been done on this, which has shown that this is indeed the case. The most important condition for this is that you ‘recharge’ the creatine supply in the muscles. You can do this in two ways:
- Quick effect: take 3 scoops of Amacx Creatine per day for 7 days for a quick boost. Then you can maintain a ‘maintenance intake’ of 1 scoop per day for 8 to 12 weeks. Always take creatine with a meal.
- More gradual effect: Take 1 scoop of Amacx Creatine daily for 8 to 12 weeks. This way it will take several weeks before your muscles are fully ‘charged’ and you will have the maximum effect. Always take creatine with a meal.
Creatine as a training supplement for improved performance
However, the acute effect that creatine has on sports performance seems to be minor. Much more important is the indirect extra training effect that creatine can have. By being able to do an extra repetition in the gym, training with heavier weights or being able to do your sprint training just that little bit more intensively, you become just that little bit better with every training session. This means that creatine is seen primarily as a ‘training supplement’ and less as a ‘competition supplement’.
The role of creatine in recovery and injury prevention
In addition to the performance benefits that creatine can offer you, in recent years more has become known about the role that creatine can play in recovery and in the prevention or recovery from injuries. For example, there are indications that your glycogen stores are replenished more quickly after a strenuous endurance exercise if you use creatine. Creatine can also limit muscle loss during a period of inactivity, for example during rehabilitation. Finally, creatine can also play a role in the recovery from a concussion, because the brain also has a small creatine supply.
The possible disadvantages of creatine use in certain sports
Keep in mind that in certain cases creatine can also be a disadvantage for performance. The extra creatine in the muscles often causes extra fluid retention, which can add up to 1 kg of extra weight. This is only fluid, which you will lose within a few days once you stop using creatine. However, this extra weight can be a disadvantage in certain sports. So think carefully about this, and stop taking creatine in time if necessary.
In summary:
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Creatine, together with phosphate, is the fuel that our body uses for the fastest and most explosive efforts (up to 10 to 15 seconds).
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Taking extra creatine in the form of a supplement increases this fuel tank. This leads to improved performance in strength training and (repeated) sprints, among other things.
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To achieve these effects, creatine must be loaded into the muscles. This can be done using a fast protocol (3x 1 scoop of Amacx Creatine per day for 7 days, and then 1 scoop per day for 8-12 weeks) and a gradual protocol (1 scoop of Amacx Creatine per day for 8-12 weeks).
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Creatine should be seen primarily as a ‘training supplement’ to achieve the greatest performance gains indirectly, from many training sessions that can be performed just that little bit better.
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In addition to the benefits that creatine offers in terms of performance, there is also increasing evidence of the favourable effects of creatine on recovery, as well as on injury prevention/healing. The use of creatine is therefore particularly recommended in the case of (serious) muscle injuries or concussion.
