Creatine Monohydrate: Strength, Power, and Muscle Boost | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Creatine Monohydrate: Strength, Power, and Muscle Boost

Introduction

99
Creatine Monohydrate: Strength, Power, and Muscle Boost

In This Article:


Creatine monohydrate is a commonly used dietary supplement. Its benefits include increased “muscle performance in short-duration, high-intensity resistance exercises

Whether you’re new to the world of fitness or have been in it for some time, chances are you’ve heard of Creatine Monohydrate for boosting muscle gains. Personal trainers and athletes use and speak about this effective supplement often, and for good reason. What exactly is it, and why do you need it? Well, we’re here to help break that down nice and simple for you. Creatine monohydrate is a commonly used dietary supplement. Its benefits include increased “muscle performance in short-duration, high-intensity resistance exercises,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Is it Safe?

Yes, creatine monohydrate is safe and natural. Your body already produces it as a source of energy within your liver and kidneys. When you strain your muscles, such as during a lifting session or working out, your body sends creatine monohydrate to your skeletal muscles for energy and power. We typically keep our levels up through our daily diet. However, you can also opt to buy the substance for a little extra boost both pre and post-workout. Creatine is safe when taken in the long-term, in doses of up to 10mg per day for extended use of five or more years according to WebMD.

Who It’s For

You don’t have to be a bodybuilder to incorporate creatine monohydrate into your supplement and workout regime. The supplement is popular amongst professional athletes and bodybuilders for good reason, and it’s popular amongst non-athletes and non-bodybuilders as well. It’s important to note that “creatine is not a steroid…this couldn’t be further from the truth”. Creatine works to make muscles more hydrated, which can also help muscles to “look bigger and fuller,” which is the desired effect for many.

How to Take It

Creatine monohydrate can be purchased at any sporting supplement retailer or online. It will come with a little scooper and dissolve in water. Creatine doesn't take immediate effect. It takes some time to work its way into the system and muscles. Due to this, research and studies have shown that it’s more beneficial to take it for a few weeks on end before you decide whether or not it’s for you as it may take that long for your body to assimilate and show its effectiveness.

Does Creatine Improve Athletic Performance?

Creatine can improve your athletic performance by increasing how much energy is available to your muscle cells. It is most effective with high-intensity exercises, such as those that require explosive movement.

Most notably, creatine is used by weightlifters to increase how much they can lift while cutting down on recovery time between sets. However, creatine can also enhance sprints, cycling, callisthenics, or any other movement that is focused on explosive power.

So, if you’re a long-distance marathon runner, does that mean that you should look the other way when you see a creatine supplement? Not so fast. Studies show that creatine can aid with muscle recovery, which can benefit athletes of any kind.

Many people opt to throw it in their protein shake along with their pre or post-workout supplement, shake it up, and reap the benefits. It’s entirely tasteless and odourless, you won’t even notice it’s there. But your muscles will.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
student sleep
Huffington Post

I think the hardest thing about going away to college is figuring out how to become an adult. Leaving a household where your parents took care of literally everything (thanks, Mom!) and suddenly becoming your own boss is overwhelming. I feel like I'm doing a pretty good job of being a grown-up, but once in awhile I do something that really makes me feel like I'm #adulting. Twenty-somethings know what I'm talking about.

Keep Reading...Show less
school
blogspot

I went to a small high school, like 120-people-in-my-graduating-class small. It definitely had some good and some bad, and if you also went to a small high school, I’m sure you’ll relate to the things that I went through.

1. If something happens, everyone knows about it

Who hooked up with whom at the party? Yeah, heard about that an hour after it happened. You failed a test? Sorry, saw on Twitter last period. Facebook fight or, God forbid, real fight? It was on half the class’ Snapchat story half an hour ago. No matter what you do, someone will know about it.

Keep Reading...Show less
Chandler Bing

I'm assuming that we've all heard of the hit 90's TV series, Friends, right? Who hasn't? Admittedly, I had pretty low expectations when I first started binge watching the show on Netflix, but I quickly became addicted.

Without a doubt, Chandler Bing is the most relatable character, and there isn't an episode where I don't find myself thinking, Yup, Iam definitely the Chandler of my friend group.

Keep Reading...Show less
eye roll

Working with the public can be a job, in and of itself. Some people are just plain rude for no reason. But regardless of how your day is going, always having to be in the best of moods, or at least act like it... right?

1. When a customer wants to return a product, hands you the receipt, where is printed "ALL SALES ARE FINAL" in all caps.

2. Just because you might be having a bad day, and you're in a crappy mood, doesn't make it okay for you to yell at me or be rude to me. I'm a person with feelings, just like you.

3. People refusing to be put on hold when a customer is standing right in front of you. Oh, how I wish I could just hang up on you!

Keep Reading...Show less
blair waldorf
Hercampus.com

RBF, or resting b*tch face, is a serious condition that many people suffer from worldwide. Suffers are often bombarded with daily questions such as "Are you OK?" and "Why are you so mad?" If you have RBF, you've probably had numerous people tell you to "just smile!"

While this question trend can get annoying, there are a couple of pros to having RBF.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments