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1. What is creatine? What role does it play in the human body?
The movement of human muscles relies on the decomposition of a substance called "adenosine triphosphate" (ATP) to provide energy. This process requires the participation of oxygen, and most physical activities of low intensity are called "aerobic metabolism" exercises. When the human body During short-term, high-intensity activities, such as sprinting and weightlifting, the ATP stored in the muscles is used up in a short period of time, and the intake of oxygen cannot keep up with the need for continuous ATP synthesis, so another type of energy is provided. This is the so-called "anaerobic metabolism". Creatine, a substance synthesized in the liver and usually stored in muscles, begins to intervene in energy metabolism. It combines with phosphoric acid to form creatine phosphate (CP). Quickly replenish the content of ATP in the blood to meet the needs of exercise. Theoretically, the more creatine is stored, the more C P is synthesized, the supply of ATP can be maintained for a long time, and the muscles can persist during high-intensity exercise.
Creatine is found in fish, meat and other foods, but in small amounts. Half a kilogram of meat provides only one gram of creatine. To achieve the daily intake of 5 to 20 grams that is helpful for growing muscles, you must eat 2.5 to 10 kilograms of meat, which is impossible. This is why creatine supplements are so popular.
2. What are the effects and functions of creatine
In order to verify the effect of creatine, Dr. Creed of the Department of Human Kinesiology at the University of Memphis in the United States conducted a five-week experiment on 63 athletes. Under the same premise of strength training, one group of athletes took protein, carbohydrate, and nutritional supplements mixed with creatine. The other group took supplements without creatine. As a result, the creatine group gained 2 to 3 kilograms of body weight (body weight). The weight of the bench press increased by 30%: the other group's bench press increased by 20%, and the weight gain was much less than that of the creatine group.
3. Who is creatine suitable for?
If you have just started bodybuilding training, there is no need to take creatine. Because only by training with a large amount of exercise can the special effects of creatine be revealed. Beginners only need to ensure normal nutrition and train regularly. You will make rapid progress if you take any supplement. On the other hand, if your training level is limited, it will be useless if you take any supplement.
For athletes in other sports, the effects of creatine are different. Experimental results show that short-distance swimmers and sprinters can benefit from the rapid energy supply of creatine, while the opposite is true for long-distance runners, whose performance declines. Researchers believe that increased muscle mass may increase the burden on long-distance runners and that aerobic exercise does not require the help of creatine.
As for the possible side effects of long-term use of creatine, they have not yet been discovered. But a trouble that is often caught is that although the body weight promoted by creatine is not fat, it is very watery. If the training cannot keep up, will these "watery flesh" disappear quickly? Or will the fat content increase? One thing is for sure, that is, bodybuilders never want to gain "weakness" before competition. So when to eat, what The time to stop is very particular, and it is appropriate for each person.
4. How to take creatine
I believe that each creatine product will have detailed instructions. But a more common way of taking it is to start the "basic period" for five days, and take 20 grams of creatine three times a day (preferably taken with juice to facilitate absorption). From now on, you only need to take 5 grams a day. Finally, bodybuilding enthusiasts are reminded to pay attention to the content of creatine. 99% purity is more ideal, some brands have 60% content, and the effect is naturally less effective.