Aditya Sahu ‧ CPT & Head Coach
Aditya is an ACSM certified personal trainer and exercise physiologist with more than 7 years training various people and transforming people's lives. He has written various publications for various sports and fitness magazines.
Creatine is a popular product that is used to increase lean muscle mass, increase physical strength and endurance. The benefits of the substance are invaluable, but can it be taken during the drying or weight loss period?
The Use of Creatine
Creatine monohydrate ranks second after protein in popularity among athletes. This is due to the beneficial properties of the substance and its effect on the body. First of all, sports nutrition activates the growth of muscle mass, which is the main goal of every second gym visitor. Due to fluid retention and the provision of a pumping effect, it makes the muscles bulkier and visually larger. [1]
Regular use of a sports kit increases the physical strength of an athlete, makes him more resilient and resistant to the influence of stress hormones, in particular, cortisol. Another important function of creatine is to increase the energy potential. [2] Thanks to this, the athlete is able to make the training more intense, prolonged and effective.
Creatine and Cutting
Cutting diet is a special diet and training regime that allows you to burn subcutaneous fat, relieve the body relief and improve the drawing of muscles. It involves following a diet with a restriction of carbohydrates and an increased intake of proteins. Cardio and strength training are used as physical exercises, which accelerate the process of cutting and help to maintain muscle mass.
The main advantage is an increase in energy potential, which has a positive effect on performance in the gym. By increasing the intensity and duration of the training process, the athlete consumes more calories and accelerates the fat burning process.
The use of creatine during cutting gives strength and endurance, which is extremely important in conditions of limited nutrition. When losing weight, the sportpit will have an invaluable benefit for athletes – it will help to maintain muscle mass during active weight loss. [3, 4]
According to experts, creatine is acceptable for use during the cutting period. However, it is important to follow the rules of its use and remember about possible harm and contraindications.
When taking a sports supplement, remember about the need for sufficient fluid intake into the body. Do not exceed the recommended dosage of the drug. The trainer recommends taking 3-5 g per day. [5] The daily dosage is usually divided into 3-4 doses, which should be consumed at equal time intervals.
Creatine retains fluid in the body
It is this fact that stops athletes. However, its use does not cause puffiness and does not lead to an increase in body weight. Excess fluid is excreted from the body naturally in the breaks between workouts and after the end of the course of sports nutrition. At the same time, it does not slow down the fat burning process, does not lead to the destruction of muscles and does not worsen the relief of the body. [6]
To achieve maximum results while reducing the percentage of adipose tissue, it is permissible to use other sports supplements. This can be protein, amino acids, in particular, BCAAs, energy complexes and fat burners.
Creatine during cutting has a positive effect on the body
It gives strength and energy, accelerates the fat burning process and helps to preserve the muscles. However, to achieve positive effects, remember about the basic rules of using a sports pit. We explore this in more detail in our
creatine benefits for athletes article.
References:
1. Michael E. Powers, Brent L. Arnold, Arthur L. Weltman, David H. Perrin, Dilawaar Mistry, David M. Kahler, William Kraemer, Jeff Volek, Creatine Supplementation Increases Total Body Water Without Altering Fluid Distribution, retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC155510/
2. Rudy Mawer, MSc, CISSN, How Creatine Helps You Gain Muscle and Strength, retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/creatine-for-muscle-and-strength
3. Chia-Chi Wang, Chu-Chun Fang, Ying-Hsian Lee, Ming-Ta Yang, Kuei-Hui Chan, Effects of 4-Week Creatine Supplementation Combined with Complex Training on Muscle Damage and Sport Performance, retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6265971/
4. Eric R. Helms, Alan A. Aragon, Peter J. Fitschen, Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation, retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033492/
5. Richard B. Kreider, Douglas S. Kalman, Jose Antonio, Tim N. Ziegenfuss, Robert Wildman, Rick Collins, Darren G. Candow, Susan M. Kleiner, Anthony L. Almada, Hector L. Lopez, International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine, retrieved from https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
6. Jason Cholewa, Eric Trexler, Fernanda Lima-Soares, Kassiana de Araújo Pessôa, Rayssa Sousa-Silva, Azenildo Moura Santos, Xia Zhi, Humberto Nicastro, Christian Emmanuel Torres Cabido, Marcelo Conrado de Freitas, Fabricio Rossi, Nelo Eidy Zanchi, Effects of dietary sports supplements on metabolite accumulation, vasodilation and cellular swelling in relation to muscle hypertrophy: A focus on "secondary" physiological determinants, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30682546/
