It is likely that we have heard about Creatine as a very beneficial supplement for athletes.

However, it is important that we know well what is the function of this amino acid in our body , so we can decide if we should take it for a while.

Discover in this article what creatine is, what are its properties and how we should take it to get the most out of it. 

What is creatine?

Creatine is an  organic acid produced by our liver from three amino acids : arginine, glycine and methionine.

Creatine is stored in the Muscle fibers until it is released as energy by physical effort, especially if it is brief but intense.

Although the body already produces creatine, if we take it as a supplement we can enhance its positive effects on the musculature.

Health benefits

Creatine has the following benefits for our health:

• Increase muscle endurance
• We feel a greater force
• Increase muscle mass

It is, therefore, a supplement that can be  very beneficial for athletes who want to gain muscle mass and volume and also for those who want to improve their body shape, that is, define the muscles and reduce unruly fat.

Are there foods rich in creatine?

It should be noted that  you can not get creatine in foods of plant origin , so that vegetarians should also consider consuming it as a sporadic supplement.

The foods richest in creatine are the following, in order of highest to least quantity:

• Herring
• Veal
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Rabbit
• Chicken
• Cod

However, it should be noted that to obtain 5 grams of creatine (recommended daily amount) we would need to consume more than one kilo of herring.

In addition,  a large part of this nutrient is lost during cooking . For this reason we recommend taking a supplement if we want to increase the consumption of creatine.

Creatine supplement

• The general recommendation is  5 g of creatine per day divided into several doses.  However, a more precise pattern would be 1 gram per 10 kg of weight. That is, a person of 60 kg would take 6 g daily.
• After a month of supplementation we can rest two weeks and repeat.
• We can take creatine with water or mixed with our shakes . If we are going to do sport that day, we should take it sooner or later to enhance its positive effects.
• By taking creatine we increase hydration at the intracellular level, so we must also become aware of drinking more water, especially outside of meals and while we make physical efforts.

We will have to consume, at least, a liter and a half of water every dayand on hot days or if we sweat, even 2 liters.

• It is important to clarify that creatine retains fluid only at the intracellular level and that it has no negative effect on the function of the  kidneys .

Other tips to increase muscle

It is possible that we have proposed to increase or define the musculature or improve the shape of our body, or we have started a sports routine and we want an extra contribution of energy.

We can also follow these simple and effective tips that will complement the function of the supplement:

• Reduce the consumption of harmful fats : pastries, precooked, fried foods, margarine, ice cream, sweets, low quality oils, snacks, etc.
• Increase healthy fat intake: extra virgin olive and coconut oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, clarified butter or  ghee , egg yolk, blue fish, etc.
• Consume protein in each meal , combining protein of animal origin (meat, fish, eggs, dairy) and vegetable (legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains such as  quinoa  or millet).
• Eat a portion of protein before 40 minutes pass after physical exercise. At that time we should also take the corresponding dose of creatine.
• Perform toning exercises , with weights or elements that help us to force the muscle (ribbons, weight balls or our own body).

Initially we can start with two or three sessions per week, alternating different muscles every day.

After three months we can reduce the sessions to one or two per week, as a maintenance, depending on the results we obtain.

• They are highly recommended  vegan protein shakes  that are sold today in powder, based on foods such as  pea , hemp, brown rice or whey.

We can combine them with fruits and vegetable drinks.