Creatine
is one of the most used supplements in the bodybuilding world for good reasons.
Creatine is naturally found in foods like meat, poultry and fish but to get the
required amounts, you need to eat lots of these kind of foods which is not always
feasible. This is why creatine supplements are convenient and handy.
Creatine
is a cell volumizer and draws water to your muscles making them look fuller, bigger
and denser. This is why it's imperative to drink lots of water while taking creatine
as this process promotes dehydration. Creatine has also the ability to increase
energy, stamina and performance, improve mental focus, build strength and fasten
exercise recovery which are crucial if you lift weights. It has been proven that
creatine can actually increase the production of ATP, which is an energy source
for muscles beneficial for short and intense periods of physical activity.
More and
more people are having recourse to creatine but the main question which they ask
themselves is "What creatine supplement should I use?". No wonder people
are getting confused as there are so many different brands of creatine supplements
on the market. My advice if you're looking for a solid creatine product is always
check the label on the product first and see if it has the Creapure logo or if
it mentions Creapure or Full Third Party Testing. Creapure is a high-quality form
of creatine monohydrate with the highest purity and potency and it is produced
in Germany via a patented production process. You want to get the finest, purest
and cleanest creatine, so get the Creapure or 3rd party tested ones.
Tips
about using creatine monohydrate:
(1)
There is no need to do the creatine loading phase, which is basically increasing
your creatine intake initially like taking 20 grams per day or more. Creatine
can be hard on the kidneys so be careful with your dosage.
(2)
5-10 grams per day is more than enough. This all depends on your overall muscle
mass and body weight, so no specific dosage is ideal for everyone. If a 150-175
pound bodybuilder is taking 5 grams of creatine, a bodybuilder with 200 pounds
and over can easily consume 10 grams of creatine.
(3)
There is no specific time to take creatine although the most common times are
in the morning, pre-workout or post-workout. If you were to take 5 grams per day,
you can have 2.5 grams pre-workout and 2.5 grams post-workout and if you were
to take 10 grams per day, you can have 5 grams pre-workout and 5 grams post-workout.
You don't necessarily need to take creatine on non-workout days. Since your diet
will consist of meat, poultry and fish which contain creatine in limited amount,
you will still get creatine from food sources as well.
(4)
Always drink lots of water while taking creatine, talk about half a gallon to
a gallon of water.
(5)
You can drink creatine mixed with plain water or some non-acidic juice like apple,
cranberry or grape which are quite common. Some people also like to add creatine
in their post-workout recovery whey protein shake.
After research,
here are some of the best Creapure creatine monohydrate powder on the market:
(1)
Optimum Nutrition, Micronized Creatine Powder, Unflavored, 2.64 lb (1.2 kg)
(2)
Universal Nutrition, Creatine, 1000 g (1 kg)
(3)
ALLMAX Nutrition, Creatine Powder, 100% Pure Micronized Creatine Monohydrate,
Pharmaceutical Grade Creatine, 35.27 oz (1000 g)
(4)
Jarrow Formulas, Creatine Monohydrate Powder, 2.20 lbs (1 kg)
(5)
California Gold Nutrition, Creatine Powder, Micronized Creatine Monohydrate, Creapure,
Unflavored, 16 oz (454 g)
(6) VITAL LABS VITAL CREATINE 500 GRAMS
(7) BEAST SPORTS NUTRITION CREATURE CITRUS 60 SERVINGS
(8)
Creapure Creatine Monohydrate Powder - by Muscle Feast | Premium Pre-workout or
Post-workout | Easy to Mix And Gluten-Free (300g, Unflavored)
(9)
Creapure Creatine Monohydrate (500gm)
(10)
Genius Creatine Powder, Post Workout Supplement For Men and Women with Creapure
Monohydrate, Hydrochloride (HCL) MagnaPower and Carnosyn Beta-Alanine SR, Natural
Lean Muscle Builder Sour Apple, 188G
(11)
Nutricost Creapure® Creatine Monohydrate 500 Grams
(12)
Performance Inspired Nutrition Unflavored Pure Micronized Creatine, 1.1 Pound
(13)
AMRAP Nutrition - Creatine Powder - Formulated to Give You Energy When You Need
It Most - Builds Lean Muscle Mass - Aids in Muscle Recovery - Pre-workout, for
Men - Women
(14)
Pure Creatine Monohydrate 200 Servings - 1,000 Grams, 2.2lb Bulk, Non-GMO,
Gluten Free, Soy Free. Aid Muscle Growth & Strength Gains, No Artificial Ingredients
- NAKED CREATINE
(15)
Creatine Monohydrate Powder Micronized Unflavored Instant Keto Paleo I PROMIX
I 1 Ingredient 100% Purity I 3rd Party Tested I Non GMO Gluten + Soy Free I Men
Performance Pre 100% Pure Choice I Lean