Best Creatine Supplement
If you’ve ever explored the world of resistance training with weights, then you’ve probably heard of creatine, and creatine is definitely making waves for women into fitness as well.
Creatine is a common supplement used to increase muscle density, improve muscle endurance, and assist in muscle recovery. But a lot of concerns get circulated about creatine, and more likely than not, you’re probably wondering what the deal is with this supplement.
So before we get into my top picks for creatine supplements, let’s take a look at what creatine is and how it functions in the body.
What is Creatine?
Ceatine is actually a naturally occurring organic compound found in all vertebrates. It’s essentially an energy supply that’s utilized during intense forms of exercise to fuel our muscles. When our muscles need additional energy that can’t be provided directly by oxygen (as in repeated or sustained muscle contractions), creatine is one of the chemicals used to help our muscles meet these increased demands.
About half of the creatine stored in the body is obtained from amino acids consumed in meats and other proteins. As a supplement, creatine has been used for many decades by athletes, weightlifters, and wrestlers to assist in muscle gains. Generally, supplementing creatine means getting about 2-3 times the amount that could be consumed in a high-protein diet.
Are Creatine Supplements Safe?
The short answer is yes. There have been a lot of claims about creatine being hard on the kidneys and potentially causing long-term kidney damage. However, these claims have been repeatedly refuted by studies in North American and Europe.
Generally speaking, a large body of research on creatine supplements has suggested that 5 to 20 grams of creatine per day is very safe and without adverse side effects.
Are Creatine Supplements Effective?
Yes, absolutely. Of all the supplements out there, creatine really does pack on the punch. And the research supports this. Extensive studies have shown that creatine supplements significantly improve your body’s response to resistance exercise and weight lifting. Specifically, the supplement appears to increase the force production of your muscles – meaning it will help you get out those extra pumps! These benefits have been shown for men and women.
