Tweet
This post is mainly for sofargone's benefit, but others may get some value out of this post for the same reason.
Sfg made a comment in the shout box one day saying he didn't understand the science behind creatine but that he uses it.
This is common enough, you really don't need to know how something works in order to use it and benefit from it. But sometimes it is interesting and even beneficial to know what really goes on behind the scenes, so to speak.
I'm not really going to delve into the actual scientific nuts and bolts of creatine, but I will give you a basic common sense understanding of how the supplement works. Then, if you want a more detailed understanding, there are many good articles on the net that can provide a more in-depth explanation.
First of all, the verdict is in - creatine works. End of story. The only 2 supplements in years that have proved to be effective in significantly adding muscle mass is protein and creatine. But in the supplement world, there is an easy way to see what works and what does not. Answer this question: was it on the shelves 10 years ago? And if the answer is yes, then it’s a fair bet that there is some benefit to be had from it. The supplements that become a trend and offer no, or only marginal benefits don’t last.
But that’s not what this post is about…simply benefiting from some supplement. It’s about the supplements that truly contribute to putting on new muscle mass. In particular, creatine. And creatine works.
Creatine Monohydrate has been called the poor man’s steroid because it DOES work, and it works for a couple of different reasons. It is the combined results of these reasons that enable creatine to contribute to added muscle mass.
The Facts
Creatine was discovered in 1832 by a French scientist, but it was not until the 1990’s that the compound received serious consideration as a body building supplement.
It is naturally produced by the body in the form of creatine phosphate, and is also found in a lot of red meats. And, just like externally increasing testosterone levels amplifies its effects, the same is true for creatine. Creatine Monohydrate, the form of creatine that you buy, is converted into creatine phosphate by your body.
What Creatine Does
Increase In Muscle Nuclei
A muscle’s ability to grow is limited by the number of nuclei it contains. Nuclei are needed to support muscle mass and are generated by other cells know as ‘satellite’ cells.
One of the thing steroids do is to increase the number of satellite cells a muscle contains. Added satellite cells result in added nuclei. Added nuclei means more support for additional muscle mass.
Creatine, to a lesser degree, has the same effect. It causes the body to produce more satellite cells, which in turn produce more nuclei, which in turn support more muscle mass.
As A Fuel
Creatine isn’t a fuel, per se, but more like a fuel enhancer. ATP is the actual fuel a muscle uses in order to execute a contraction. But the fuel supply is short lived during a workout and the muscle must go the the body’s ATP fuel store for more. If the supply is exhausted, then the set is done. When the muscle uses ATP for the contraction, its is exhausted and turned into ADP, which, for fuel purposes, is useless. What creatine does is turn the ADP back into ATP and does so quickly, making more fuel available. This has two disctinct benefits:
Usage
Creatine is one of those supplements in which less is more. Taking excess amounts of the supplement does not increase its effectiveness. Once the body’s ATP fuel supply is replenished, the excess creatine is excreted by the body. The fuel supply has its natural limits so only enough creatine is needed to get the job done. Anything else is a waste.
Creatine Side Effects
One of the side effects of using creatine is water retention. Creatine tends to cause the muscle to retain water and thus make it look larger. In the beginning, this enlargement due to water retention was thought to be the reason why creatine seemed to increase muscle mass. It was since been learned that this simply is not true.
Anway, hope this helps someone.
The Texson
Sfg made a comment in the shout box one day saying he didn't understand the science behind creatine but that he uses it.
This is common enough, you really don't need to know how something works in order to use it and benefit from it. But sometimes it is interesting and even beneficial to know what really goes on behind the scenes, so to speak.
I'm not really going to delve into the actual scientific nuts and bolts of creatine, but I will give you a basic common sense understanding of how the supplement works. Then, if you want a more detailed understanding, there are many good articles on the net that can provide a more in-depth explanation.
First of all, the verdict is in - creatine works. End of story. The only 2 supplements in years that have proved to be effective in significantly adding muscle mass is protein and creatine. But in the supplement world, there is an easy way to see what works and what does not. Answer this question: was it on the shelves 10 years ago? And if the answer is yes, then it’s a fair bet that there is some benefit to be had from it. The supplements that become a trend and offer no, or only marginal benefits don’t last.
But that’s not what this post is about…simply benefiting from some supplement. It’s about the supplements that truly contribute to putting on new muscle mass. In particular, creatine. And creatine works.
Creatine Monohydrate has been called the poor man’s steroid because it DOES work, and it works for a couple of different reasons. It is the combined results of these reasons that enable creatine to contribute to added muscle mass.
The Facts
Creatine was discovered in 1832 by a French scientist, but it was not until the 1990’s that the compound received serious consideration as a body building supplement.
It is naturally produced by the body in the form of creatine phosphate, and is also found in a lot of red meats. And, just like externally increasing testosterone levels amplifies its effects, the same is true for creatine. Creatine Monohydrate, the form of creatine that you buy, is converted into creatine phosphate by your body.
What Creatine Does
Increase In Muscle Nuclei
A muscle’s ability to grow is limited by the number of nuclei it contains. Nuclei are needed to support muscle mass and are generated by other cells know as ‘satellite’ cells.
One of the thing steroids do is to increase the number of satellite cells a muscle contains. Added satellite cells result in added nuclei. Added nuclei means more support for additional muscle mass.
Creatine, to a lesser degree, has the same effect. It causes the body to produce more satellite cells, which in turn produce more nuclei, which in turn support more muscle mass.
As A Fuel
Creatine isn’t a fuel, per se, but more like a fuel enhancer. ATP is the actual fuel a muscle uses in order to execute a contraction. But the fuel supply is short lived during a workout and the muscle must go the the body’s ATP fuel store for more. If the supply is exhausted, then the set is done. When the muscle uses ATP for the contraction, its is exhausted and turned into ADP, which, for fuel purposes, is useless. What creatine does is turn the ADP back into ATP and does so quickly, making more fuel available. This has two disctinct benefits:
- enables you to lift heavier weight
- enables you to do more sets and more reps
Usage
Creatine is one of those supplements in which less is more. Taking excess amounts of the supplement does not increase its effectiveness. Once the body’s ATP fuel supply is replenished, the excess creatine is excreted by the body. The fuel supply has its natural limits so only enough creatine is needed to get the job done. Anything else is a waste.
Creatine Side Effects
One of the side effects of using creatine is water retention. Creatine tends to cause the muscle to retain water and thus make it look larger. In the beginning, this enlargement due to water retention was thought to be the reason why creatine seemed to increase muscle mass. It was since been learned that this simply is not true.
Anway, hope this helps someone.
The Texson
Comment