All strength-building athletes hit a plateau about three months to six months into their weight training programs. This continues at various stages and happens even to advanced athletes. Can creatine supplementation help overcome this?
While the reasons for the existence of these plateaus are not completely understood, most athletes think there is little or nothing they can do to remedy the situation. Fortunately, the truth is that they are wrong. Substantial research exists that proves creatine is a safe and effective supplement for helping athletes break through plateaus and achieve optimal performance.
How Creatine Works (in a Nutshell)
- Creatine is naturally produced in the human body but often at suboptimal levels.
- Supplementing with creatine improves the muscles’ capacity to cope with intense weight training (partly by increasing the energy producing capability of the muscles’ mitochondria).
- Creatine can help increase availability ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in the body, which helps increase energy while delaying or minimizing fatigue.[1]
A recent study also reported that creatine supplementation enhanced the increases in strength and muscle mass during 14-weeks of resistance training in older adults. In this study, creatine supplementation resulted in a greater increase in fat-free mass, isometric knee extension strength, and isometric dorsiflexion strength compared with placebo. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine
Is Creatine Safe?
Many athletes considering creatine supplementation are worried about whether or not creatine is a safe supplement to take (especially long-term). While creatine is still being researched, so far, the general consensus is that if creatine has any negative side effects, these are low-impact and transient. In other words, while you may develop some very mild and temporary discomfort as a result of taking creatine, it will soon pass.
Originally, researchers thought creatine might be harmful because the kidneys have to work quite hard to help the body process it efficiently. However, despite this, athletes that take creatine for long periods of time appear to be in excellent condition. They do not develop kidney problems, and often outperform athletes that do not use creatine. Because of how well most people tolerate creatine, it is even considered safe for use even by the elderly.[2]
How Much Creatine to Take
Your optimum creatine dosage depends partly on your height and weight, and partly on your gender. Typically, taller, heavier people need more creatine than smaller people, and men need more creatine than women. About 3 to 5 grams of creatine a day is considered optimal.
There is no real consensus about loading with creatine at the start of supplementation. Some experts hold that it is not necessary, while others that you should you start out with 20 grams of creatine daily and then reduce your dosage after two weeks. Personally, I am with the no-loading group on this one. Excess creatine only results in expensive urine.
However, it is recommended that complete beginners avoid creatine supplementation in the first 3 to 4 weeks of training to allow the body to first naturally adapt to the demands of weight training.[3]
Several high-quality studies have shown an increase in muscle mass with the use of creatine. However, some weaker studies have reported mixed results. Overall, the available evidence suggests that creatine does increase lean body mass, strength, and total work. Mayo Clinic
Creatine is one of the best researched, legal performance-enhancing supplements. Unlike anabolic steroids, it is perfectly acceptable to use creatine supplements to help you compete in organized athletic competitions.
Creatine is also one of the safest performance-enhancing supplements: No one has ever been recorded as having significant health problems due to creatine use. You don’t have to worry about using creatine daily.
Yes, creatine supplementation can help you overcome strength plateaus. Both scientific as well as anecdotal reports suggest this. Of course, different people react differently to supplements, and creatine is no different. You could give it a try, as well as try different brands and see how your body responds. Consulting a physician before starting a new supplement is always recommended.
References:
[1] Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation
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