Side effects

As many positive effects creatine may have, side effects can also occur when used incorrectly or overdosed. Health hazards are also said to emanate from creatine, but there are not yet many or no meaningful studies on this claim. One side effect may be weight gain due to water retention in the muscles.

Since the daily requirement of fluid is high for a creatine cure, the user can expect to gain between one and two kilograms in weight. Creatine also has the characteristic of emptying the magnesium stores, so that an increasing number of muscle cramps can occur during the cure. Gastrointestinal intolerances, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain can also be caused by creatine, although the quality of the creatine also plays a certain role.For people who suffer from kidney problems or have kidney disease, it is important to avoid taking creatine, otherwise complications may occur. In general, any side effects should be discussed with a doctor before starting supplementation.

Muscle building

Creatine is a substance that is responsible in the body for the energy supply in the muscle cells. So it is present in our body right from the start and we can also supply ourselves with creatine. For strength athletes, bodybuilders and also in fitness sports, creatine as a dietary supplement is said to provide for higher strength gains and allow better progress in muscle building.

It should be noted, however, that one is receptive to the supply of creatine at all. A simple test can be carried out by taking five grams of creatine with 500 to 750 milliliters of water four times a day. A five gram dose should be taken directly after exercise.

Now, after one week with the same diet and training, you should weigh no more than 1.5 kilograms more if the creatine has taken effect. The majority of people react positively to creatine supplementation, but there are about 30 percent of people who are considered “nonresponders” and feel no effect. Creatine is created in the body when energy is produced for movement, whether in sports or in everyday life.

As an intermediate product, it is also produced in the muscle cells and ensures that sugar is absorbed from the blood in these cells, so that more energy can be provided over a longer period of time. Creatine ensures that more creatine phosphate can be stored in the muscles. This improves the supply of energy via the ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and the body can perform a harder workout and regenerate better at the same time.

The combination with the right training and a balanced diet ensures an increase in muscle mass. Especially experienced strength athletes use creatine when it comes to building further muscle mass. By taking creatine as a dietary supplement, muscle regeneration is improved and more intensive training is the result.

This in turn gives the muscle a higher stimulus and thus builds up more muscle mass. Studies on creatine and a possible increase in muscle mass have shown that there is a positive effect on the cells in the muscle that are responsible for the transmission of growth stimuli. However, the increase in muscle mass could only be proven in combination with training. Anyone who simply supplements creatine in this way without adequate training will not benefit from it.