One of the most common nutritional supplements for athletes is creatine. Which is better to choose, the athletes themselves decide. In this area, you can give preference to both expensive and cheaper brands - a matter of taste.
However, there are some criteria that may be decisive in choosing a supplement. There is a leadership race among sports nutrition suppliers, so everyone wants to bring something special to their product.
The best creatine in 2011 was released by Nutrition (Optimum, SciFit, Ultimate). This is monohydrate creatine with an ideal balance of the necessary substances for the growth and development of muscle mass, as well as for energy recovery after exercise.
Historical reference
They first learned about creatine in 1835. One French scientist determined its high content in red meat. He found that the substance is produced in the kidneys, liver, pancreas from the amino acids glycine, methionine, arginine.
Creatine phosphate is the creatinine deposition fraction, and about 40% of the substance is in a free state in the body. A man spends about 2 g of amino acid per day, the loss of which is made up for with food.
Beginners are interested in the question: "How to drink creatine?" In order to properly take this drug, you need to understand what happens to it when it is ingested. It is believed that the most optimal option for the absorption of creatine is its associated form or monohydrate.
It should be noted that today there is no reliable data on the effectiveness of various forms of creatine. For some time it was believed that the "effervescent" or its instant form is better absorbed by the body. However, new data indicate that the maximum absorption of amino acids occurs as part of the chelate complex with magnesium.
How to drink creatine and what is the optimal dosage?
If you are just starting exercise, then you need to consume 20 g of creatine for 7 days. This is the so-called “loading” period. Next comes the maintenance phase when it is necessary to consume 5 g of amino acid per day. It should be noted that it is not recommended to interrupt the course of consumption of the supplement, because the effectiveness is reduced at times.
There is also the so-called individual approach in prescribing the dosage of the drug. In this case, the athlete's body weight is taken into account. For each kilogram of the body, 0.3 g of creatine is taken during the first 7 days, and then 0.03 per kilogram - for the remainder of the training complex. Such a program is optimal for people who are constantly training and building muscle.
When they ask the question: "How to drink creatine?" professionals, they answer that they do not use the formula for calculating the amount of additive by body weight. Everything is really simple. The amount of body fat in a novice athlete and professional athlete is different, and body weight can be the same. And, as you know, creatine accumulates and acts exclusively in muscle tissue, respectively, and the need will be different.
Thus, the above calculations are not entirely true if we take the total weight. But in the case of using "lean muscle mass" they will be just perfect. For example, in a person of average physique weighing 90 kg, the average body fat content is 20% (or 18 kg), respectively, dry muscle mass will be 72 kg. It is to this figure that you need to apply the formula for calculating creatine.
You can use creatine without periods of loading and support. For this, you also need to know how to drink creatine, so that the mass grows gradually. It is necessary for 6 months to take 3-5 grams of creatine, then 1 month to take a break. Admission condition: constant physical activity, otherwise the drug will accumulate and cause toxic reactions in the body.
Creatine is a powder, so it must be dissolved in a liquid before use. Some athletes add it to a dissolved protein shake (this is not entirely correct). The best solution for dissolution is to take juice or sweet still water. Carbohydrates help the amino acid dissolve faster and transport to the muscles.