|
Article Directory
|
+ Authors
+ Articles
|
|
|
|
Gain Muscle With Creatine
Copyright (c) 2008-2012 Masszymes (Matt Gallant)
What Is Creatine?
Creatine monohydrate is a compound made by the human body and is also a component of our everyday diets to gain muscle. The main sources are fish, meat and poultry. Creatine is found in any foods containing animal muscle.
The typical western diet contains about 1 gram of creatine per day, other then vegetarians who consume next to none. Our body doesn't receive sufficient amounts of creatine just from the food we eat. Creatine is produced in the liver, pancreas and kidneys, and is transported to the body's muscles through the bloodstream. About 95% of our body's stores are found in the skeletal muscle, and our daily turnover adds up to around 2grams.
When Creatine is transferred to the muscle it is transformed into creatine phosphate with amounts varying from person to person. This high-powered metabolite is used to regenerate the muscles main energy source, ATP. When you do heavy exercise your levels of ATP drop rapidly and creatine is responsible for restoring the levels of ATP.
Why Take It?
Creatine is one of the most researched supplements of all. It all began in 1992 Barcelona Olympics when numerous British athletes supplementing creatine said it was what made them so successful. Word of mouth is not enough to prove that creatine improves performance. A lot of research was then conducted on creatine. The studies showed the intake of high doses of creatine over a number of days, increased the levels of creatine and creatine phosphate found in muscles. Since then much more research has been completed, with the agreement being that creatine supplements increase muscle creatine, hence improving exercise captivity and performance.
What Does Creatine Supplementation Do?
Creatine is one of the more popular supplements amongst bodybuilders. When it comes to building muscle creatine is your best mate.
1. Provides Energy For Your Muscles
ATP is the body's source of explosive energy. Your body also obtains energy from carbohydrates, but it takes a much longer period of time to become a usable energy source. So when the body is in need of energy fast it turns to it's sources of ATP. ATP can provide a huge burst of energy to your muscles fast but can last as little as 15 seconds; this is where the creatine kicks in. When ATP sources are depleted you are left with ADP, which is basically useless for exercise. The Creatine phosphate reacts with the ADP to turn it into ATP. So creatine takes a useless chemical and turns it into a useable energy (ATP).
2. Enhances Protein Synthesis
Creatine allows your body to stay in a higher anabolic state for longer, therefore allowing more rapid lean muscle growth.
3. Increases Muscle Volume
Creatine increases the water retention of muscles. In some cases during the first few weeks of supplementing with creatine, users can put on kilograms of weight, called water weight. This makes your muscles appear larger.
4. Acts As A Lactic Acid Buffer
Lactic Acid builds up in the muscles being stimulated during heavy training. New studies show that creatine can act as a buffer towards lactic acid therefore delaying the build up of lactic acid.
How To Supplement With Creatine
There are two methods of supplementing with creatine to obtain muscle saturation. There is still debate to which method is best.
1) Loading/Maintenance Method
This the most common way of commencing creatine supplementation. The first 5 days are known as the loading phase. During this period you take a dosage of 20-30grams of creatine per day, this rapidly saturates the muscles with creatine. The second phase is the "maintenance" phase. Now that the muscles are saturated with creatine all you have to do is maintain it. A dosage of 3-10grams per day is efficient.
2) Gradual Intake Method
This method skips the loading phase and allows for gradual muscle saturation. Eventually this will achieve the same result, but in a longer period of time.
More research has gone into creatine over the years and a new product has emerged, Creatine Ethyl Ester. Regular Creatine monohydrate is absorbed poorly by the body and its effectiveness is dependent upon the cells ability to absorb it. The poor absorption rate of creatine monohydrate requires the user to ingest copious dosages of creatine to achieve desired effect "Loading Phase"
Creatine monohydrate is semilipopholic. This means that it uses fat as a transport system inefficiently. The esterification of substances will increase their lipopholic abilities, therefore, esterified creatine will use fat more efficiently to penetrate the cell wall and exert its effects upon cellular function. This means, simply, that not only will dosage requirements be lower, but the absorption of esterified creatine will be increased.
Many athletes have "off periods" where they stop taking creatine altogether, although it is not necessary. Normally 6 weeks on 2 weeks off, athletes believe better results are achieved in doing so. It is recommended to go by manufacturers label recommendations.
Dangers and Side Effects
Some agencies have issued health warnings regarding creatine supplementation. However others have disputed this and blamed it on a misunderstanding of animal studies. Some mild side effects have been reported like dehydration and stomach aches, but these can be prevented by drinking enough water. There is no long term side effects reported to date and there have not been enough studies into long term side effects to indicate any damage. To date there is no evidence that creatine supplementation in healthy people will pose any problems. The important point to remember is, like any supplement, only take what you need, don't abuse it. Tripling creatine dosages will not achieve triple the results!
Other Creatine Questions and Myths:
Do creatine supplements effect hormone levels? No Is creatine a type of steroid? No Does creatine make you fat? No Do I need to cycle creatine supplements? No, it's up to you. Is creatine safe for pregnant women? Consult your doctor. Is creatine a stable solution? No. Mix it up and drink immediately. Are creatine supplements ok for vegetarian use? Absolutely
|
Join and tens of thousands of dedicated natural bodybuilders on the quest to achieving freaky big gains without steroids. Go to http://bodybuilding.freakygrowth.com and you'll learn some amazing secrets about bodybuilding, muscle-building supplementation, bodybuilding and much more. Take action NOW!
|
Follow "The Phantom Writers" on Twitter
(@phantomwriters)
to be notified when new articles are made available.
VOTE ON THIS ARTICLE
Needs Work >>
0 -
1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
5
<< Excellent Article
Tell our authors what you think about their article.
|
Top-Level Category: Health and Wellness Articles
10 Most Recent Articles Written by Masszymes (Matt Gallant)
Build Muscle by Producing More Blood Cells
Written by: Masszymes (Matt Gallant) |
Distributed: 2008-05-13 |
Word Count: 1079 |
Page Views: 1081
| Votes: 2 |
Rating: 4.50
It is logical to think that to build muscle you must workout, but
you can also have a situation where you work hard and your muscle
mass stays the same. If this happens to you, no need to be
alarmed. This article will show you how to overcome this. You
will learn that if you have been following the same workout
regime for months, rested well and ate right without results, it
might be because you are not having the compounds the body needs
for building muscle. This specific compound is called blood.
Indeed, muscle blood cells build muscle.
All of Author's Articles on this site: Masszymes (Matt Gallant) Articles
Most Recent "Health And Wellness" Articles
The Powerful Antioxidant You Cannot Eat Or Drink
Written by: Nate Rifkin |
Distributed: 2011-07-20 |
Word Count: 499 |
Page Views: 592
There's no need to eat or drink anything to activate your
body's powerful antioxidant to prevent free radical damage.
You'll end up healthier inside and looking better on the outside
as well.
3 Bacterial Vaginosis Remedies You Can Start Using Today
Written by: Louise Endago |
Distributed: 2011-07-20 |
Word Count: 867 |
Page Views: 650
Very few women are successful at treating bacterial
vaginosis using one treatment alone. The secret lies in
using a combination of treatments that complement one
another. In this article you will discover 3 such remedies
that give excellent results.
Encouraging Healthy Children with Outdoor Play Sets and Activities
Written by: Giana Briggs |
Distributed: 2011-03-17 |
Word Count: 410 |
Page Views: 869
Having a play set in your backyard can be a great way to get
your child off the couch and out into the fresh air. With
childhood obesity on the rise, we need to do what we can as
parents to get our children active and enjoying playing and
interacting with each other children again. Being able to go
out in the yard and have something to do is just one small
step in the right direction.
How to Recognize Anxiety in Children and Adolescents
Written by: Dr Jeannette Kavanagh |
Distributed: 2010-12-28 |
Word Count: 836 |
Page Views: 920
Problems with a too-high level anxiety can start in
childhood with children and adolescents worrying to a
greater extent than their peers about all sorts of things.
Some behaviors are an indication of a fussy and over tidy
child. When we go just a little bit over fussiness and we
have entered the realm of an anxiety disorder.
How to Tell if You Have Anxiety Disorder
Written by: Dr Jeannette Kavanagh |
Distributed: 2010-12-23 |
Word Count: 1093 |
Page Views: 914
If you're someone who can never earn enough or have enough
money to relax about it, and to enjoy spending it, you may
have underlying anxiety problems that you haven't had to
face, or you haven't wanted to face.
How to Tell the Difference Between Anxiety and Normal Worry
Written by: Dr Jeannette Kavanagh |
Distributed: 2010-12-21 |
Word Count: 979 |
Page Views: 777
Anxiety is a normal feeling people experience when faced
with threat, danger or stress. Feeling anxious can sometimes
be a good thing. Occasional anxiety is part of normal life.
However, for some people anxiety is a constant factor in
their lives. When a person has anxiety problems, it
interferes with their ability to function normally on a
daily basis. Anxiety disorder can cause people to feel
intense, long-lasting fear or worry, in addition to other
symptoms.
How to Treat Your Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Written by: Dr Jeannette Kavanagh |
Distributed: 2010-12-16 |
Word Count: 742 |
Page Views: 897
| Votes: 2 |
Rating: 2.50
Next to Depression, one of the most common disorders which
affects an estimated 2.4 million people in America alone, is
anxiety disorder. Anxiety can manifest as a generalized
anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety and agoraphobia.
Anxiety disorder can be mild or so totally disabling that
the person is confined to her or his home. All forms of
anxiety can be extremely frightening to those who experience
it frequently, but many individuals have found comfort in
the fact that anxiety disorders can be treated.
Anxiety Disorder and Panic Attacks: How Cognitive Behavior Therapy Can Help You
Written by: Dr Jeannette Kavanagh |
Distributed: 2010-12-09 |
Word Count: 748 |
Page Views: 873
In your journey to conquer anxiety and to eliminate panic
attacks from your day-to-day life, no one approach will be
totally right, but Cognitive Behavior Therapy can be a very
powerful part of your recovery. In this short article, I
want to explore what's involved in Cognitive Behavior
Therapy, so that you can make a decision whether or not
you'd like to explore it with your therapist.
Losing Weight - The Addiction of Comfort Food
Written by: Larry Tobin |
Distributed: 2010-11-04 |
Word Count: 863 |
Page Views: 1291
| Votes: 1 |
Rating: 0.00
Its very name is appealing - comfort food. What could be
more wonderful than a food that helps us feel better? Almost
everyone can name something that they eat when they're just
feeling sour or sad. Of course, we know that food can't be
the solution to our problems, especially the problem of
trying to lose weight and keep it off. So why do we find
ourselves trapped in the eat/feel better/feel worse/eat some
more cycle?
Understanding the Roles of Respite Caregivers for Seniors
Written by: Bob Fischer |
Distributed: 2010-11-02 |
Word Count: 582 |
Page Views: 975
Caregivers for seniors are typically paid providers but they
may also be volunteers from a government or nonprofit
organization. Where care is being provided in the home there
is often a mix of formal and informal care provided. And the
trend is towards using more formal care since, unlike the
past, more informal respite caregivers are employed. Read
on.
Most Viewed "Health And Wellness" Articles
Bone Density and Your Well Being
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2006-06-15 |
Word Count: 685 |
Page Views: 47776
| Votes: 39 |
Rating: 2.69
We spend a lot of time and energy thinking of ways to reduce our
weight but we need to think about the bones that form the basic
structure of the very same body. Bone density is an important
factor in helping us stay young and on our toes. Bone density
needs to be checked as we age and if found low, adequate measures
need to be taken to improve it.
Losing Weight Without Gaining Stretch Marks
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2006-12-11 |
Word Count: 579 |
Page Views: 15088
| Votes: 37 |
Rating: 2.78
Few things can make us as elated as seeing the pounds melt way
through our efforts of eating less and exercising more. We gain
new confidence and vitality as we watch our waistlines reappear
and become reacquainted with the tops of our feet. But as the
weight falls away we can be plagued by a new assault - one we did
not see coming - stretch marks.
President Given the Cure for Herpes and Cold Sores ?
Written by: James Kaylon McIntyre |
Distributed: 2006-11-09 |
Word Count: 404 |
Page Views: 13180
| Votes: 14 |
Rating: 2.57
Viraway was founded by a man who is in his 70s today. As a Young
man he suffered from acute cold sores. The discomfort was so
severe that he thought they would never go away. A native
American Indian gave him a tribal mixture of herbs and told him
that this mixture would eliminate the cold sores with in two
weeks...
Oyster Extract Improves Men's Sexual Health
Written by: Stephen Kavanagh |
Distributed: 2008-06-26 |
Word Count: 851 |
Page Views: 12438
| Votes: 38 |
Rating: 3.45
Description of the benefits of taking oyster extract powder for
good sexual health in men and women. Details of the features and
benefits, the different brands, the alternatives and advice on
choosing the right oyster extract product.
Is Retinol Good for Your Skin?
Written by: Craig Elliott |
Distributed: 2007-10-04 |
Word Count: 576 |
Page Views: 11141
| Votes: 26 |
Rating: 2.62
These days, whether you have wrinkles or you are certain that you
will get them in the near future, it is hard to ignore the
hundreds of new anti aging products on the market. With retinol
and AHAs, BHAs and vitamins, it's hard to tell which products
are actually going to work and which ones are will not. While a
lot of the success rate depends on the unique qualities of your
skin, there are scientific studies that have shed light some of
the more popular skin treatments.
Two years after 60 Minutes - Is Authentic Hoodia Available?
Written by: Dan Nessel |
Distributed: 2006-10-25 |
Word Count: 733 |
Page Views: 11012
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 3.22
In November of 2004, 60 Minutes praised Hoodia Gordonii for its
ability to suppress appetite. Within days of the segement,
everyone and their mother were claiming to have "real" hoodia
for sale. The question remains - is any authenic Hoodia
available?
Causes for Yellow or Dark Brown Poop - Symptoms of Healthy Poop - Dr Oz's Tips to Diagnosis Yourself and Self Help
Written by: John Khu |
Distributed: 2009-12-29 |
Word Count: 545 |
Page Views: 9069
| Votes: 15 |
Rating: 2.27
Now the question arises how to detox your body? Body toxins
are accumulated due to improper food consumption; sedentary
lifestyle also causes digestion problem and heavy metal
toxins to accumulate in our body. Therefore, in order to
avoid bowel problem, your body needs to heavy metal detox.
Flax Oil And Gynecomastia
Written by: Will Brink |
Distributed: 2006-06-06 |
Word Count: 678 |
Page Views: 8682
| Votes: 19 |
Rating: 2.53
Q: Dear Will, I remember in your book "Priming the Anabolic
Environment" you recommended flax oil as a possible way to treat
gynecomastia or "bitch tits" in men and I know you recommend flax
oil losing fat and general health also. Would flax have equal
benefits for athletic women like me who lift weights and do you
still think it helps with gyno?
14 Causes of Constipation
Written by: Howard Richman |
Distributed: 2008-12-02 |
Word Count: 1642 |
Page Views: 8547
| Votes: 9 |
Rating: 3.00
For people who know all about drinking liquids and eating fiber
but still have never been able to break free of their curse of
constipation, this article offers many other considerations that
will help the reader find solutions to lifelong constipation.
How to Force Your Body To Melt Fat Like Butter In A Microwave
Written by: Robert Kokoska |
Distributed: 2008-04-08 |
Word Count: 613 |
Page Views: 7428
| Votes: 22 |
Rating: 2.77
There are a couple of very simple changes you can make to the way
you eat that will force your body to become a fat burning furnace
and cause you to easily drop your unwanted pounds day after day.
Highest Ranked "Health And Wellness" Articles
The Role of Antioxidants in Good Health And Healthy Living
Written by: Cheryll Rice |
Distributed: 2008-01-24 |
Word Count: 718 |
Page Views: 1344
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 4.20
Everyone has heard about the importance of a balanced diet for
maintaining good health. Similarly, everyone knows that they
should be getting exercise - or at the very least adding more
activity into their days. Getting a good night's sleep is
essential - without it, you'll find that your immune system
starts to slack off a bit and you put yourself at a greater risk
for catching a cold or coming down with the flu. We all know what
we should be doing, but let's be honest: we don't do it...
What Makes Tea So Effective At Preventing Heart Disease?
Written by: Jon M. Stout |
Distributed: 2007-02-02 |
Word Count: 812 |
Page Views: 1544
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 4.00
Many bodies of research have shown that tea is effective at
preventing heart disease in several ways. Tea prevents the
oxidation of LDL cholesterol into plaque, the hard substance that
clogs our arteries, making us more susceptible to heart attacks
and strokes. Tea is also thought to have an anti-inflammatory
effect, which helps the heart in its overall function.
Which Full Face CPAP Mask is Best for You?
Written by: Chris Vasta |
Distributed: 2009-09-01 |
Word Count: 690 |
Page Views: 3646
| Votes: 10 |
Rating: 4.00
If you've been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, you are
undoubtedly trying to narrow the choice of masks. If your
mouth opens during sleep, one option would be full face CPAP
masks. The full face CPAP mask is used to deliver pressure
through both the nose and mouth. Trying to decide which full
face CPAP mask to use can be complex and expensive. The
number of mask options available is confounding. Based upon
comfort, fit, good seal, and durability, we recommend the
following three full face CPAP masks.
Neurotransmitter Testing: How It Help Depression, Anxiety and More
Written by: Anne Arthur |
Distributed: 2006-08-03 |
Word Count: 663 |
Page Views: 2213
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 3.86
Millions of people suffer from bipolar disorder, anxiety, panic
attacks, depression and ADD/ADHD without a known cause. If you or
someone you know suffers from anxiety, bipolar disorder,
depression, mania, ADD/ADHD or even panic attacks, you owe it to
you to find the real cause of your problem. There are many
natural treatments available that effectively combat these
diseases.
Concocting the Perfect Body Detox Plan
Written by: John Khu |
Distributed: 2009-04-21 |
Word Count: 588 |
Page Views: 1238
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 3.86
If you have recently made a committed resolve to stick to a body
detox program, then it is best to get very well prepared for it.
Otherwise, you might catch yourself doing some last-minute
enjoyment and drowning yourself in your favorite food and drinks.
Want To Try Body Detox?
Written by: John Khu |
Distributed: 2009-08-25 |
Word Count: 595 |
Page Views: 978
| Votes: 7 |
Rating: 3.86
Ever since more and more people became aware of the harmful
effects of improper diet and toxins to the body, body
detoxification also became very popular. Although it is a
fact that the body can detoxify by itself, it is also a fact
that without the initiative of a person's mind to reinforce
more action aside from the organs' functions, then the
detoxification process will take a long time, or worse, not
work at all.
Heavier Weight Sometimes Equals Smaller Jeans
Written by: Kamau Austin |
Distributed: 2007-02-07 |
Word Count: 1005 |
Page Views: 1592
| Votes: 6 |
Rating: 3.83
A concept many women sometimes have difficulty understanding is
that a smaller weight does not always indicate a fitter body.
Muscle mass is more dense than fat tissue. This means two women
of the same height, weight, skeletal structure and body type may
look drastically different.
Get a Great Night's Sleep
Written by: George Esser |
Distributed: 2007-05-15 |
Word Count: 597 |
Page Views: 1312
| Votes: 6 |
Rating: 3.83
Reasons why we need magnesium supplements to get a great night's
sleep. Research points to reduced restless leg syndrome and other
sleep disorders.
Colon Cancer: Risks and Prevention
Written by: Abel Travers |
Distributed: 2007-12-13 |
Word Count: 785 |
Page Views: 1097
| Votes: 5 |
Rating: 3.80
Cancer: it's not a word that anyone really wants to hear. While
not necessarily a death sentence, cancer is an illness that does
have a high mortality rate depending on where in the body it
strikes. Read on as we examine what can be done to head-off Colon
Cancer, the third most common cancer.
A Comparison of Tattoo Removal Methods: Tattoo Removal Skin Peels Vs Tattoo Removal Creams Vs Tattoo Removal Using DermaBrasion
Written by: Abe Granberry |
Distributed: 2009-09-30 |
Word Count: 1821 |
Page Views: 2410
| Votes: 14 |
Rating: 3.79
A friend and I, along with 3 other buddies, decided to try
an experiment to remove tattoos that we have all had for
many years. Over time we just decided we no longer liked
what we saw on our arms, shoulders and chest so we decided
to test all the varieties of tattoo removal except Laser
because none of us could afford the price, plus we wanted to
see for ourselves if the other products actually worked or
were just marketing hype.
|
|
|
Article Reprint Rights
|

This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons License
You are not required to show the creative commons license notice when you reprint this work.
|
|
Article Statistics
|
Word Count: 1003
Total Views: 1058
Views This Month: 21
Views Last Month: 25
Article Rating: 2.33 of 5
Votes Cast: 3
Author Overall Stats:
Times Viewed Overall: 2139
Author Rating: 3.20 of 5
Votes Cast Overall: 5
More Articles By Author:
Articles On This Website
Article Title Search:
Widow Search
Right Blinker
Google
Yahoo!
Zuula
Bing
Cuil
Last Distribution Date:
2008-06-10 11:24:00
|
|
|