Creatine cure
General
The human body contains around 120 grams of creatine and, depending on muscle mass, a maximum of another 40 grams is added. In addition to the benefits for strength and endurance athletes, in whom performance and muscle contraction are positively influenced, the organic acid is also necessary for brain and nerve function. As a rule, every athlete who wants to take a creatine cure should discuss this with his family doctor beforehand.
As an athlete, if you think about taking creatine in addition to training, then the question often arises whether you should take a creatine cure or whether you should be prepared for constant consumption.
It has not yet been scientifically proven which way is more effective. However, experts recommend a creatine cure in which so-called off-phases and ingestion phases alternate. The decision for a cure is usually made on the grounds that the body gets used to the creatine after a certain period of ingestion and therefore the effect becomes weaker and weaker. Therefore, many athletes take a break and then start the next creatine regimen again after a few weeks.
Studies that have been carried out over several years with top athletes, among others, show no negative consequences. Liver and kidney damage could just as little be proven as decreasing effects due to continuous creatine intake. So whether you should prefer a creatine cure or continuous consumption, everyone has to decide for themselves.
Everyone has to decide for themselves whether taking creatine makes sense and therefore also know which goals they want to achieve with a creatine regimen. Above all athletes who want to increase their speed or maximum strength or have more muscle mass as their goal can achieve a high benefit from a creatine cure. Athletes, such as bodybuilders, who are currently in a phase in which the muscles are supposed to become more defined, should first forego creatine. Because of the water retention in the muscles, creatine ensures the exact opposite of a defined muscle.
Since the goal of building muscle alternates between the building phase and the definition phase, constant consumption of creatine is not recommended. This is precisely where the advantage of a creatine cure becomes apparent.
There are a few things to think about on a creatine regimen. The first question is about creatine itself and which creatine to use for your regimen. In addition to the many different manufacturers, you can also choose between creatine capsules, powders and preparations.
Creatine is not only interesting for athletes who want to build muscle mass, footballers, ice hockey players, cyclists and many other sports can also benefit from creatine and thereby increase performance.
Course of the course
A creatine regimen consists of two phases, the intake phase and the break phase. In the intake phase, which can last between six and twelve weeks, creatine is added. The dosage and number of doses per day can vary individually. The recommended daily creatine dosage varies between eight and 20 grams per day. These amounts should be spread over four times a day. You should take creatine in the morning, before training, after training and in the evening. If you choose creatine powder, for example, it is advisable to dissolve two grams of creatine four times in water and drink it directly. You shouldn't leave creatine in the water for too long as it breaks down relatively quickly into the breakdown product creatinine.
When taking creatine, you should also make sure that you haven't eaten anything two hours beforehand, as absorption in the stomach and intestines works better on an empty stomach.
More information can be found here: Taking creatine
dosage
In many cases a so-called creatine cure takes place before a creatine treatment Loading phase instead of the one certain creatine levels are built up. This phase can up to seven days persist and relatively high doses of creatine are administered. The exact amount depends on the body weight of the athlete, but approx. 20-25 grams of creatine per day fed.
A Formula for calculation the exact amount Creatine is made up of the weight of the lean body mass and the Multiplier 0.3 together. So that as much creatine as possible can be absorbed by the body, the creatine should not be administered all at once, but in several small doses. This optimizes absorption through digestion and the body can absorb more creatine than if it were taken at a single point in the day.
After the loading phase, the Maintenance phase in which the intake is limited to approx. five grams of creatine per day is throttled. If you don't follow the recommendation and add more creatine, you will excrete this plus of creatine through your urine and will not benefit from it.
There are studies that have shown that a Supplementation two to three grams can achieve as much progress as higher doses.
Role of liquid
During the creatine regimen you should also make sure that you enough liquid because the muscle cells store more water and so an increased water requirement is required. As a guide you should five liters Aim for liquid. Much of it should be water, not sweet or high-calorie drinks. Without that height Supply of water is every creatine regimen ineffective and can even harmful be. If too little water is supplied, the Muscles also does not grow and the creatine regimen may be free and ineffective.
It is easiest if you always a 1.5 liter bottle Has water close by so that you can always grab a bottle. Without continuous drinking, it becomes difficult five liters of water a day to reach. Regardless of whether you are at university, at work or at home, you can refill the bottle again and again and should get into the habit of always taking a sip.
With a creatine cure you should also pay attention to it enough zinc to take and to support this with zinc tablets. Because of the large amount of water, a lot of zinc is also excreted in the urine. Without additional Supplementation it is hardly possible to bring the zinc deficiency under control during a creatine regimen.
During the cure you should also drink caffeinated drinks refrain from alcohol. Alcohol is strictly forbidden because it affects the body Withdraws water. Since you have to consume five liters of water a day, it is counterproductive to remove water from the body through alcohol. If you drink a glass of wine or a beer with friends, you have to compensate for this with extra liquid (water).
Have creatine cures several positive effects which many athletes like to use. One of the main reasons why creatine is one of the most popular nutritional supplements is that Improvement of performance during maximum strength training. Creatine also favors adaptation of the muscle fibers within a resistance training. And also the Delay symptoms of fatigue intensive endurance training has a positive effect that is often used.
Creatine cure with and without a loading phase
There are different types of creatine cures: The creatine cure with loading phase and a cure without loading phase.
With a creatine regimen with loading phase becomes one in the first week very high dosage drove that up to four times as high can be like in the rest of the treatment period. The goal of this first week is to get one rapid strength gain to reach. The first five days will therefore be up to 20 grams of creatine per day taken. These 20 grams will be on four times of intake of five grams of creatine each divided up. As already described above, these four creatine meals should be taken in the morning, before and after training and in the evening.
On days that no training The first serving of creation should take place in the morning on an empty stomach stomach be taken, the remaining portions are then ideally distributed between meals.
From the sixth day go now from the 20 grams per day down to just three to five grams of creatine. This is the so-called maintenance dose and is taken until the end of the course (after twelve weeks).
In summary One can plan a creatine regimen with an additional loading phase as follows describe:
On days one to five, a total dose of 20 grams of creatine per day, divided over four intake points of five grams of creatine each, is taken. These four intake points are distributed throughout the day and should take place after getting up, before and after training and in the evening.
From the sixth day onwards, you only consume three to five grams of creatine a day, with this dose being taken at just one intake point, in the morning or after training.
At a Creatine cure without loading phase becomes on the High dosage in the first five days waived. This can have several reasons and, in addition to individual preferences, also have to do with the creatine tolerance of each individual. Without a loading phase, you start directly with the maintenance phase and it comes through not too high creatine dosages (20 grams) as with the cure with loading phase. Every day be over twelve weeks the cure per day three to five grams Creatine, in any form, taken. The timing of ingestion is either before training or in the morning.
Both types the cure have their advantages and also disadvantage. With the creatine regimen with loading phase you should take a break from at least four weeks adhere to. During the cure without loading phase on the one hand is the period unlimited (in the case of the cure with loading phase the period is twelve weeks), and on the other hand there is also one Break after the cycle unnecessaryso that you can also make a permanent intake of it. The advantages a cure with loading phase is a rapid strength gain, whereas the cure without a loading phase rather benefits an effective continuous increase in strength.
Of the disadvantage a creatine regimen without loading phase is a lower increase in muscle volume. In the cure with a loading phase you have to deal with any occurring Side effects count due to the high dosages. This is generally to be expected mainly in the first week, as the dosage of 20 grams is very high during this week. Another disadvantage is that no effects of creatine can be expected during the cure break. In addition, muscle volume decreases slightly during the break.
effect
Creatine unfolds its effect in providing energy directly in the cells of the Musculature. If the muscle works, contracts (he contracts) through the release of energy ATP (Adenosine triphosphate). By splitting off a phosphate molecule, the energy is released that makes us run, throw or cycle. The ATP becomes ADP (Adenosine diphosphate). After the stress is over, the muscles have to regenerate and accumulate new ATP. To do this, however, it now requires a phosphate molecule. Creatine can be something called a Bind phosphate residue and react as creatine phosphate with the adenosine diphosphate. Creatine is thus the preliminary stage of the energy carrier creatine phosphate, which in turn can react with ADP to form a new, high-energy ATP. The ATP is now stored in the muscles again and stored for the next load.
Creatine contributes to this process Energy supply for a quick regeneration of ATP in the muscles, as it can be stored directly in the muscle cells and is therefore always available on site.
Studies have also shown that creatine is responsible for this to store more carbohydrates in the cells. This aspect is mainly for Endurance athletes like, cyclists, swim, Runner, jogger and climbers of great importance and can be partly responsible for better performance.
Creatine continues to be one weight-reducing effect said to be used in conjunction with strength training. The Weight reduction results from an improved fat metabolism, which can also lead to a lower fat percentage in the body. So if you want to reduce your body fat percentage, you can use creatine in conjunction with Strength training achieve good results.
But creatine also has other areas of activity outside of sport. It can help in the supply of minerals to the bones, help with cardiac arrhythmias after a heart attack and also at mental fatigue and Poor concentration produce positive effects. Even with other diseases such as AIDS, cancer or AS should creatine have a positive supportive effect and thus not only as a Food supplementsbut also serve as a therapeutic substance. However, further studies are needed to confirm the previous assumptions for reliable statements about the effectiveness.
Side effects
As many positive effects creatine may have, incorrect use or an overdose can also cause side effects. Creatine is also believed to pose health risks, but there are not many or no conclusive studies on this claim.
A side effect can be weight gain due to water retention in the muscles. Since the daily requirement of liquid is high in a creatine diet, the user can expect a weight gain of between one and two kilograms. Creatine also has the peculiarity of emptying the magnesium stores, so that the cure can lead to an increasing number of muscle cramps. Gastrointestinal intolerance, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain can also be triggered by creatine, whereby the quality of the creatine also plays a certain role. For people who suffer from kidney problems or have kidney disease, the intake of creatine should be avoided at all costs, otherwise complications can arise. In general, possible side effects should be discussed with a doctor beforehand and supplementation should only then be started.
More on this: Side effects of creatine
Muscle building
Creatine is a substance made in the body for the Energy supply in the muscle cells responsible for. So it occurs in our body from the beginning and we can also supply ourselves with creatine. Both Strength athletes, Bodybuilders and also in Fitness sport supposed to be creatine Food supplements For higher strength gains worry and at Muscle building enable better progress. However, one should note that one is receptive to the supply of creatine at all. To do this, you can use a simple test by consuming five grams of creatine with 500 to 750 milliliters of water four times a day. A five gram dose should be taken immediately after exercise. Now you should be after a week with the same nutrition and with the same training, weigh a maximum of 1.5 kilograms more when the creatine has hit. The majority of people react positively to creatine supplementation, but there are around 30 percent of people who are considered "non-responders" and do not feel any effects.
Creatine is created in the body during the production of energy for movement, whether in sports or in everyday life. As an intermediate product, it is also formed in the muscle cells and ensures that Sugar absorbed from the blood and so more energy can be provided over a longer period of time. Creatine ensures that in the Musculature more Creatine phosphate can be stored. As a result, the energy supply via the ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is improved and the body can perform harder training and at the same time regenerate better. The Combination with the right training and a balanced diet ensures an increase in muscle mass.
Experienced strength athletes in particular use creatine when it comes to building more muscle mass. By taking creatine as a dietary supplement, the Improves muscle regeneration and a more intense training is the consequence. This in turn gives the muscle a greater stimulus and thus builds more muscle mass.
Studies on creatine and a possible increase in muscle mass have shown that a positive effect on the cells in the muscles exists for the Forwarding of growth stimuli are responsible. However, she could Increase in muscle mass only in combination with training be detected. Anyone who simply supplements creatine without performing adequate training will not benefit from it.
After the cure
In general, after discontinuing creatine, the positive effects of the dietary supplement go back. As a result, the Muscles not more so voluminous look and you can also feel it in the intensity of the workouts earlier fatigue.
However, there is a possibility to cushion this negative effect a little and to save as much substance as possible from the cure phase into the break. To do this, you should have a break during the cure and also after the cure balanced nutrition pay attention to the lots of protein and carbohydrates contains.
Furthermore, one should try to keep the training at a similarly high level as in the creatine phase even without creatine. The training weights should ideally be the same as in the creatine regimen. But the breaks can be a little longer, as fatigue also occurs a little earlier.
alcohol
alcohol is generally harmful if you want to do something good for your body through training, because the Muscle building is disturbed and through the dehydrating effect many minerals are lost. However, it is not true that alcohol flushes the creatine out of the muscles. By taking creatine, the body already has a higher water requirement, which must also be maintained when consuming alcoholic beverages. Anyone who drinks a beer or two in their creatine diet has to does not directly cause muscle wasting or flushing the creatine out of the muscles fear. However, when it comes to heavy or regular alcohol consumption, alcohol can do that Cancel the effects of creatine and it more or less useless do.
As with the dosage of creatine itself, the combination with alcohol also depends on the amount of alcohol consumed and the regularity with which it is drunk. There Alcohol is very dehydrated, one should always keep in mind to drink enough fluids. This should especially be the case when taking creatine.
Summary
The most important facts about the creatine cure there is now again at a glance. A cure should six to twelve weeks go and can one Loading phase included or completely without Loading phase. A Cure break should between four and six weeks and during this break you should try to keep the level of training as high as in the cure. The daily intake should be between three and five grams of creatine lie and this amount should be on one to four times of intake are fed. This makes the most sense in the morning, before and after training and in the evening. In order to optimize the absorption and further processing in the body, one can use a Transport matrix to use. This can glucose, but also Fruit juices be. Another important point is the hydration that per day at five to six liters of water should lie.
Besides, you should on caffeine, but especially refrain from alcohol. With caffeine, the Further processing are disturbed in the body and the cure is no longer as effective. alcohol removes water from the body and makes it even more difficult to maintain the already high proportion of water supply.
