CREATINE MONOHYDRATE

Quite Possibly The Words Most Powerful Effective & Researched Supplement

CREATINE MONOHYDRATE: WHAT IS IT, AND WHAT DOES IT DO?

Arguably #1 Most Popular Sports Supplement

Creatine was not invented by any supplement company it was discovered in 1835 by a French scientist and philosopher named Michel-Eugne Chevreul.
Over 1000 Peer Reviewed Scientific Studies Top 3 Creatine Supplementation Physical Effects:
Increase in muscle size Increase in body mass Decrease in body fat

WHAT IS CREATINE?
Naturally Produced by the Body via 3 Amino Acids

Found in Beef, Pork, some Fish, Milk and Cranberries

Manufactured creatine does not come from animals; making it vegan safe

Creatine to Creatine Phosphate to Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP

HOW DOES CREATINE WORK?

Creatine Gets Chemically Converted to ATP

ATP is the Energy Muscles Use to Do Work

Normally Only Store Enough ATP for Short Bursts of Work

Supplemental Creatine Aids the Body to Produce Additional ATP

20-30% of the population does not respond to creatine supplementation

More ATP = More Potential for Work (a few more reps; longer set)

PROMISING HEALTH BENEFITS OF CREATINE

mitigate wasting syndromes/muscle atrophy reduce fatigue treat gyrate atrophy improve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease improve Huntington's disease and other mitochondrial cytopathies reduce homocysteine levels improve cardiac function in those with congestive heart failure improve sarcopenia (a loss of muscle mass due to aging) improve brain function of healthy and damaged brains modulate inflammation. treat diseases effecting the neuro muscular system, such as muscular dystrophy

possibly improve the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome increase growth hormone (GH) levels, to those seen with exercise

REPORTED SIDE EFFECTS OF CREATINE

IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE ABOVE CONS OR SIDE EFFECTS ARE INCONCLUSIVE WITH NO STUDIES OR CONCLUSIVE PROOF THAT CREATINE CAUSES ANY OF THE LISTED SIDE EFFECTS. HOWEVER, IN AN ATTEMPT TO BE UNBIASED, THEY ARE LISTED

stomach pain

nausea
diarrhea

harm to kidney, liver, or heart functions stroke risk when combing with caffeine or herb ephedra (also called Ma Huang) skin condition called pigmented purpuric dermatosis increase the production of formaldehyde

muscle cramping
dehydration

water weight gain

BE CAREFUL TAKING CREATINE IF

You have known kidney problems, Creatine supplementation is not recommended. You do not want to drink fluids (water) and keep properly hydrated, Creatine supplementation is not recommended. You cannot or will not follow dosage recommendations, Creatine supplementation is not recommended.

WHAT IS A CREATINE DOSAGE?

To calculate your creatine dose according to the original scientific studies you first need to know your body weight in kilograms. If you do not know off hand, simply divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms. For instance, if you weigh 154 pounds, your kilogram weight is 70 (154 2.2=70).

Next, multiply your kilogram weight by the appropriate dosage. The recommended loading dose is 0.3 grams of creatine for each kilogram that you weigh. The maintenance dose is ten-times less, or 0.03 grams of creatine per kilogram of body weight.
Therefore, to calculate the loading dose for a person weighing 70 kilograms, simply multiply 0.3 by 70. This gives a loading dose of 21 grams per day. The maintenance dose, on the other hand, will be 2.1 grams per day.s 70 (154 2.2=70).

THE 3 PHASES OF A CREATINE CYCLE

The Loading Phase
Faster creatine muscle saturation Last for ~ 5 days Spread your loading dosage into 4 times a day with 1 immediately after the workout Not required to benefit from creatine or experience results

Loading

Maintenance

The Maintenance Phase

Takes ~20 days to fully load the muscle stores 1 dose as calculated taken immediately after a workout
After 4-6 weeks of supplementation, stop taking creatine This phase lasts 4 weeks Washout

The Washout Phase

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TAKE CREATINE?

For the greatest anabolic effect, take one part of your loading dose (if you do this phase) and the entire maintenance dose immediately after exercise. Include carbohydrates and protein in these meals.

CREATINE SOLUABILITY
Creatine is rather insoluble. Five grams of creatine requires at least 13 ounces (385 mLs) of liquid to go completely into solution. Therefore, mix your creatine in at least 13-16 ounces (474 mLs) of fruit juice. While the original studies seemed to have been done using a warm liquid (tea) in the first creatine studies, there's not a shred of CURRENT evidence to suggest that undissolved creatine monohydate will be any less effective than nearly dissolved micronized creatine monohydrate. Micronized just mixes much better as the particles are much smaller.

THE BEST CREATINE MONOHYDRATE

Creatine Monohydrate (dry powder) is still the best, most stable option

Creatine is tastless, orderless, white in color and sometime grainy.

Two Basic Concerns:
Impurity introduced thru poor manufacturing, storage Deliberate adulteration

Your best option is to buy from reputable, well known companies

IN SUMMARY CREATINE IS
Creatine is one of the most powerful and beneficial sports supplements available today. The research behind this supplement houses over a decade of peer reviewed, scientific studies. It's not just for the bodybuilder looking to "get huge." It offers an array of potential benefits beyond strength and size increases even to the average person with any interest in fitness.

RECOMMENDED READING
Examine.com: 706 unique studies with links to each study
http://examine.com/supplements/Creatine/

Creatine on Wikipedia.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine

International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation

http://www.jissn.com/content/4/1/6

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Creatine for Women (its not a sexist supplement) Creatine Safety for Teenagers