Creatine monohydrate: what is it for and how to take it?

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When considering sports nutrition that has a positive effect on an athlete’s performance, one cannot fail to mention creatine monohydrate. This supplement increases endurance, improves heart muscle performance and even increases weight.

Let's look at how effective creatine really is, what its features are, and whether there are any negative aspects to this supplement.

When to use the supplement correctly

Monohydrate can be used by an athlete based on different schemes, for example, a load (a large portion of the substance, divided into several doses) or a standard dose (1 serving daily).

The supplement should be distributed evenly throughout the day or taken once after waking up (on rest days) or before/after training. Taking monohydrate at night does not have any benefits, so it is used extremely rarely.

There is currently no definitive conclusion regarding the use of creatine before or after meals. The scientific community argues for and against supplement use in two ways. It is believed that food can slow down the absorption of creatine in the gastrointestinal tract and reduce its overall effectiveness.

At the same time, combined intake with nutrients accelerates the transport of monohydrate to the muscles and leads to the opposite effect (Ganguly, S., Jayappa, S., Dash, AK, 2003). Recent studies have shown that monohydrate powder is slightly destroyed in the acidic environment of the stomach, so taking the supplement with food does not play a key role (Deldicque L, etc).

Previously, athletes took creatine before training. Nowadays, taking the supplement before a sports activity is practiced less frequently due to some consequences for the body:

disruption of water balance within the body due to the ability of creatine to increase water reserves in the muscles;
on the eve of class, metabolism is not inclined to transport carboxylic acid, since internal reserves are already full;
When your own creatine accumulates, the entire percentage of the substance will be excreted from the body and will be useless.

Note! The optimal time to consume the supplement is after physical activity (about 1 hour after). In this case, the muscles are maximally susceptible to the process of absorbing an additional portion of monohydrate.

Also, in the period after muscle training, you can combine creatine with other sports supplements to replenish nutrient reserves. The best option would be mixtures with fast protein (whey), protein-carbohydrate combinations, etc.

Be sure to check out:

Creatine: properties of the supplement and its importance in sports nutrition. Expiration date and storage of creatine. Is it possible to mix BCAA with creatine and what can this lead to? Creatine and protein: rules for taking it together

The benefits and harms of taking creatine monohydrate

Before you start using this supplement, you need to know whether it benefits the body or causes harm.

The benefits of this sports nutrition are as follows:

Allows you to quickly gain muscle mass.
Increases strength.
Gives a “charge” of energy. Creatine has the properties of maintaining energy until the end of a workout, as well as restoring it after completing all exercises.
Helps to form a beautiful torso relief. The fact is that creatine has the properties of retaining moisture in muscle fibers. Due to this, a beautiful relief appears.
Increases the production of hormones, namely testosterone and somatotropin.
Relieves the inflammatory process in the body caused by arthritis.
Prevents the occurrence of ischemic diseases, since creatine has the properties of transporting oxygen through tissues.
Increases performance.

These are the main points of what creatine monohydrate is needed for. This is also its benefit for the body.

As for harm, creatine cannot cause it as such. The fact is that it is synthesized by the body, so it is constantly present in it. However, in this case we are talking about concentrated creatine, which is obtained artificially. Therefore, it has its contraindications, like any other synthetic drug. Here they are:

Bronchial asthma.
Pathologies of internal organs, namely the liver and kidneys.
The period of bearing a baby and breastfeeding it. In this case, it cannot be said that the drug will cause harm to the body, because There are no clinical studies of its use.

If in these cases you allow the intake of creatine monohydrate, you may encounter health problems. Consequently, this will be the harm of this sports supplement.

Should I use it on rest days?

On rest days between workouts, active regeneration and growth processes occur in the muscles. At the same time, cells need additional energy, which can be obtained from monohydrate supplements.

Proper intake of such a product helps to fully restore strength and prepare the body for the next activity. On such days, creatine should be taken after a night's sleep - i.e. before breakfast. Since healthy sleep lasts approximately 8 hours, and during this time no nutrients enter the body, an additional dose of creatine can replenish energy reserves in the muscles.

Side effects from taking creatine monohydrate

It has already been said that creatine monohydrate as such does not cause harm to the body. However, it may cause side effects. I must say that this happens extremely rarely.

Side effects occur only in 4 cases out of 100. Most often this happens if additional substances are included in the composition of creatine monohydrate. They are the ones that cause side effects.

This manifests itself as follows:

swelling occurs;
dehydration appears;
there are problems with digestion;
I'm worried about cramps.

Although side effects are very rare, they do occur. This is also a reason to give preference to the product in its pure form, in which there are no impurities in the composition. This will help avoid side effects.

What's better to drink with?

The additive must be diluted in sweet juices (for example, grape juice) or water with sugar. Glucose from the liquid will allow the active substance to be absorbed faster and begin to affect the muscles.

Important! The liquid for washing down the powder or monohydrate tablets/capsules should be warm, but not hot. High temperatures will significantly reduce the effectiveness of the additive.

To increase the calorie content of your diet and better absorption of creatine, you can drink the supplement with milk. A product with medium fat content, without harmful additives, is suitable for this. However, this method is only suitable for those athletes who are not allergic to lactose.

Features of taking supplements of different brands

Optimum Nutrition, Micronized Creatine Powder, Unflavored

Add 1 scoop of the product to a glass of water or fruit juice, then stir the cocktail thoroughly.

The product can be taken in two ways:

Loading – drink 1 teaspoon of monohydrate in the morning, during the day and in the evening for 4-5 days after starting the course.
No Loading/Maintenance - Consume 1 teaspoon of powder with a meal or immediately after strength training in your traditional post-workout shake.

Optimum Nutrition, Micronized Creatine, Powder, Unflavored, 2.64 lb (1.2 kg)

Price – ₽3,551.38

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The product is intended for use by adults as part of a healthy, balanced diet and exercise plan.

During the monohydrate course, drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Taking fast carbohydrates together will help improve creatine levels in muscles.

Muscletech, Essential Series, Platinum 100% Creatine, Unflavored

The first 3 days (loading mode): mix 1 scoop of monohydrate and a glass of water, drink this mixture daily 3 times a day. Then begin the maintenance phase: mix 1 spoon of powder with a glass of water and consume 1 time per day.

Muscletech, Essential Series, Platinum 100%, Creatine, Unflavored, 14.11 oz (400 g)

Price – RUB 1,299.09

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Important! For quick results, you can replace water with a carbohydrate supplement or sports drink.

Universal Nutrition, Creatine

Before use, mix 1 teaspoon of the product with a glass of water and shake thoroughly. You can use a sweet drink of your choice instead of water.

Universal Nutrition, Creatine, 1000 g (1 kg)

Price – RUB 1,853.82

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Now Foods, Sports, Creatine Monohydrate, Pure Powder

For 7 days, mix 1 teaspoon of powder with juice or sweetened liquid 3-4 times daily (be sure to take before and after training).

Now Foods, Sports, Creatine Monohydrate, 1 kg (2.2 lb)

Price – RUB 1,579.97

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From the second week, take 1 time per day. When consumed for longer than 28 days in a row, drink 1 serving of the product per day. During the course, pay attention to your drinking regime.

Jarrow Formulas, Creatine Monohydrate Powder

Mix 1 scoop of monohydrate with liquid (water, juice). The presence of glucose in the drink will help the absorption of creatine. The number of daily doses is determined together with the trainer and/or doctor.

Jarrow Formulas, Creatine Monohydrate Powder, 11.4 oz (325 g)

Price – ₽758.42

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Creatine Monohydrate Maxler (Maxler), package 500 g

Add half a scoop of creatine to 200 ml of liquid. As an enhanced dose, you can use a whole spoonful of powder. The product should not be used as an alternative to normal nutrition. Creatine Monohydrate Maxler 500 g has good reviews from customers, provided it is used correctly.

See other articles on the topic:

How to measure creatine with a teaspoon

Tips and tricks from professionals for beginner athletes

H. Antonio, Ph.D.

Creatine successfully works as a source of energy for the entire body and helps muscles during intense exercise. Monohydrate supplements are a rare option for increasing anaerobic processes, mass gain and muscle growth. To prevent negative effects due to consumption, adhere to the daily intake of water throughout the entire course of the supplement. An athlete should drink 113 g of water per day for every 3 g of creatine additionally (in addition to the main volume of drinking water per day).
H. Antonio, Ph.D., Founder of the International Society for Sports Nutrition

Eric Trexler, trainer, bodybuilder

Nowadays, combinations of creatine and caffeine are popular to achieve peak performance in training.

However, this scheme has 2 significant drawbacks:

approximately a third of athletes with this combination experience severe problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
The mechanisms of action of monohydrate and caffeine are opposite: creatine helps make the relaxation phase faster, and caffeine does the opposite.

In other words, supplements provide a similar stimulating effect, but in different ways. It is best to consume monohydrate with carbohydrates and amino acids; such combinations are proven and most effective.
Eric Trexler, trainer, bodybuilder, director of research at INOV8 Elite Performance

Dmitry Smirnov, coach

Creatine acts as a precursor to creatine phosphate molecules, one of the basic sources of natural energy for muscles. Monohydrate supplements are effective for low-repetition, moderate-duration training. At the same time, it observes the growth of muscles and the overall performance of the athlete. Take 3 g of the supplement per day, remembering to drink plenty of water. Creatine has a negative ability to absorb liquid, and its deficiency will provoke bloating and poor health.
Dmitry Smirnov, experienced trainer, author of the book “Fitness for Smart People”

Main conclusions

Monohydrate is produced by many manufacturers to supplement the sports diet. The supplement is highly effective, but the final result will depend on the characteristics of use. How to use:

drink creatine after training or in the morning on rest days (when loading, when you need to drink several servings a day, distribute them evenly throughout the day);
strictly adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations, which are reflected on the packaging;
drink enough water during the entire course of the supplement;
combine the intake with carbohydrate foods.

The correct way to consume monohydrate will allow you to get the maximum benefit from the supplement. If desired, the product can be combined with other types of sports nutrition (preliminary consultation with a trainer is required).

Resources used in preparing the material:

https://m.sportwiki.to/Optimal_time_to_take_creatine
https://fitseven.ru/myschtsy/sportivnoe-pitanie/pochemu-kreatine-vajhen
https://musclesfit.ru/kak-prinimat-kreatin-monogidrat-v-poroshke/

Which brand of monohydrate do you prefer? Share your proven creatine option in the comments!

General information

Creatine is an amino acid found in red meat and fish. At one time, he made a breakthrough in the field of sports nutrition - he expanded the ability of natural bodybuilders to gain lean muscle mass. Today it is widely used in all strength sports.

What is creatine monohydrate made from? It is produced by extracting protein from fish. Extraction increases the bioavailability of the product by an order of magnitude. Compared to other forms, monohydrate has an optimal balance between price, product consumption and availability.