Diet

Creatine

introduction

Creatine is an endogenous acid and is made up of amino acids Glycine, arginine and methionine together. It occurs mainly in the skeletal muscles, in the heart, in the brain and in the testes.

Creatine plays an important role in the body's energy metabolism and is therefore a very interesting substance for sport (please refer: Creatine to build muscle). In addition to carbohydrates, proteins and fats, creatine is one of the main substances when it comes to generating energy.

Effects of creatine

The skeletal muscles of the human body require ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to contract. However, these memories for a direct energy supply only last two to three seconds. Then the muscle has to switch to other sources of energy. The ATP creates ADP (adenosine diphosphate) which can be synthesized to ATP with the help of creatine. As a result, the muscle has more energy again and performance can be maintained. This process of regeneration of ATP plays an important role, especially in the case of high-intensity loads of short significance. This form of energy supply comes into play in strength training and especially in sprints. However, creatine cannot be used in all sports either. The weight gain caused by water retention can be a hindrance in certain sports, such as Taek-Won-Do, or not be of any benefit.

For sprints, interval training and game sports, creatine enables more strength to be exerted in less time. In addition, creatine delays the acidification of the muscles and the muscles tire later and you can perform longer. Creatine is particularly popular with sprinters and athletics in general. But also in multi-set training or interval training you can provoke a faster recovery through the creatine intake and thus train harder.

In strength training, creatine has a significant effect on increasing strength through training. With long-term creatine cures, with good nutrition, enough fluids and a balanced training plan, you can experience strength increase rates of up to 20 percent.

With increased strength and the ability to train harder, muscle mass will also increase due to protein synthesis. In addition to this effect, the muscle will also look larger and more defined, as water is redistributed in the muscle cells.

Taking creatine also has positive effects on the ability to regenerate. To be precise, creatine has a positive effect on muscle damage levels during exercise. Mobility and muscle pain are also positively influenced.

Creatine also seems to have a positive effect on our brains, enabling better thinking and increased cognitive activity. In studies on this subject, a math test showed less fatigue when taking creatine. Creatine also has a positive effect on reaction time and can even lead to better cognitive abilities in vegetarians.

Find out more about this topic at: The effects of creatine

In one study, antidepressant patients were given five grams of creatine daily for eight weeks.Creatine was able to significantly increase the efficiency of antidepressants. An improvement of 55 percent was even observed in depressed adolescents.

Creatine has a wide range of positive effects and effects on our body and our performance. There are, of course, some aspects to be considered, such as the additional amount of fluid creatine brings with it. You should also eat a balanced diet and combine high-quality proteins, carbohydrates and fats with vegetables, fruit, meat and fish. Sufficient sleep and recovery in combination with a good training plan are also part of this and round off the framework in which a creatine cure is most effective.

Find out more about this topic at: Creatine for muscle building

For which sports is creatine useful?

Creatine is an important supplier of energy in our muscles and is to a certain extent produced by the body itself, and we take in another part through food (e.g. highly concentrated in fish and meat). Creatine provides energy, especially for short, vigorous exertions, by providing phosphate groups for the conversion of ADP to ATP. ATP is our body's fuel.

Creatine is mainly recommended for short but intense forms of exercise such as weight training, speed training and, to a certain extent, endurance training. So there are studies that show that proper creatine supplementation in strength athletes, as well Handball players, or Football teams Improvements in strength / muscles could be measured.

Creatine causes an improved energy supply and thus strength performance of the muscles, this can enable a more intensive training, which then leads to an increase in muscle mass. Without proper training, creatine does not show any success. In addition, there is water retention in the body, which can lead to weight gain. On the one hand through the increased muscle mass, on the other hand through water retention.

Sports in which a low body weight makes sense, long endurance performances such as marathons or racing bikes are therefore less likely to be supported by creatine supplementation.

Read more about this under How useful is creatine?

Creatine as a dietary supplement

As a dietary supplement, it is said to increase performance and also play an important role in building muscle. The special thing about creatine is that, compared to ATP (adenosine triphosphate), it can be stored directly in the muscle and thus provides energy directly when stress occurs.

See

Creatine and muscle building
Creatine monohydrate

Taking creatine

Among strength and fitness athletes, creatine is an effective means of generating mass gains in a short time. Supplement manufacturers in particular really praise their white powder. However, it is not entirely clear whether creatine is really that effective and whether a high intake or dosage may even be hazardous to health.

When taking creatine, the muscles are provided with more energy so that they can then lift more weights during training. The aim of taking is to increase the storage of creatine and creatine phosphate. Just three grams of creatine a day lead to an increase in creatine concentration of 20%.

The timing of the creatine intake also plays a role. Creatine should always be taken when insulin sensitivity is highest. This is the case in the morning or immediately after training, and therefore you should start taking creatine either early in the morning or immediately after training. However, if you take creatine in the morning, you should make sure that it is a non-training day. On training days, the time immediately after training is preferred. Since creatine is not exactly cheap, the powder form is ideal. As an alternative, there are creatine capsules that are dosed to a gram and thus facilitate controlled intake.

More information can be found here: Taking creatine

Side effects

Before general dosage instructions, the manufacturer's instructions should be observed in order to avoid side effects as far as possible.

Even though creatine is said to have many undesirable effects, the likelihood of proven side effects is relatively low. Usually they arise in the charging phase due to the particularly high dosage. In this context it can happen:

Stomach problems
Flatulence
diarrhea
Vomit
nausea
stomach pain

Water retention and muscle cramps are also possible. Since the daily requirement of liquid is high in a creatine diet, the user can expect a weight gain of between one and two kilograms. Creatine also has the peculiarity of emptying the magnesium stores, which is why the cure can lead to an increasing number of muscle cramps.

Completely untrained people should avoid taking creatine when starting an exercise program. The increased muscle performance can lead to "overtraining" there. This means that muscles and cardiovascular system, which are not yet used to heavy loads, are overused and this leads to health problems and damage.

Of course, great attention should also be paid to the quality of the product. Experts recommend using only food supplements with the “Made in Germany” seal, even if products made abroad are usually cheaper. However, these carry a higher risk of causing further side effects through contamination or mixing with illegal anabolic steroids.

For people who suffer from kidney problems or have a kidney disease, the intake of creatine should be avoided at all costs, otherwise complications can arise. In general, possible side effects should be discussed with a doctor beforehand and supplementation should only then be started.

More on this: Side effects of creatine

Water retention as a side effect of creatine

Often you hear of the fact that creatine can cause water retention. This cannot be generalized in this way. The fact is that you should drink more fluids during a creatine intake phase. However, this is not because the amount of fluid that is consumed is directly converted into water retention. Rather, the creatine transports the water into the muscle cells, which means that they have more volume and are fuller. This is why you can discover bigger and stronger looking muscles on your body. The training then builds up new muscles, which in turn are filled with water.

For this reason, one should expect up to three kilograms of weight gain during a creatine regimen due to the increased water requirement of the muscle cells. Creatine does not ensure water retention under the skin, which would make the muscles look smooth, but rather pumps the muscle cells with additional fluid and thus creates visually more defined and larger muscles.

This storage of water in the muscle cells by creatine is harmless and does not cause any health problems. The muscle-building anabolic effect of creatine is not hindered by the additional stored water. It is even retained when the creatine stores are broken down again and the water retention is reduced.

What should you consider when buying?

In addition to the dosage form, whether the product is already mixed with carbohydrates, whether capsules or powder are possible, the quality naturally also plays an important role. There are certain characteristics by which one can determine the quality.

One characteristic, for example, is the fine grain size - in mesh measured - the finer, i.e. the higher the mesh (the product should have approx. 200 mesh), the better. The finer grain size means that the product can be better dissolved in liquids, which makes it easier to absorb. Furthermore, it is also easier for the body to metabolize.
The price when buying creatine supplements also plays an important role. Very cheap preparations often cannot prove the same quality as higher priced ones, which of course does not mean that the most expensive product is the best.
A look at the production site can also be useful when making a decision. The guidelines for the production of nutritional supplements such as creatine are of a high standard in Germany, higher than in many other countries. "Made in Germany" should also be a quality feature here. Quality should decide before price.

dosage

In general, the dosage can be set at around 3-5g creatine per day, whereby up to 20g can be taken during a charging phase. However, the single dose of 5g should not be exceeded, as a larger amount of creatine can no longer be used by the body.
If up to 20g are administered in the loading phase, this is done in several servings over the day. Usually four single servings are recommended in the morning and especially before and after training.

Some sources also calculate the amount of supplement needed based on body weight:

Charging phase / first days of use: 0.3g / kg body weight
Maintenance dose / further days of ingestion: 0.15g / kg body weight.

Without taking body weight into account, the dosage is usually as follows:

Treatment with charging phase: 1.-5. Day 20g daily, from 6th day 3-5g daily
Cure without charging phase: 3-5g daily from day 1.

Overall, the creatine regimen should at least be interrupted after a maximum of seven to eight weeks. This is because otherwise the effects of creatine will decrease due to the habituation effect. In addition, the body could otherwise get used to the administration of synthetic creatine and reduce its own production.

In addition, three to four liters of water should be drunk daily during the creatine cure. The cure ensures that more water can be stored in the muscle, which also leads to additional growth and weight gain.

Dosage of creatine

There are different principles of creatine supplementation:

Fast Load:

Loading phase:
- 0.3 grams per kg of body mass (KM) per day
- at 70 kg: 21 g creatine per day, divided into approx. 4-5 single doses, combined with approx. 2.5 L carbohydrate-rich liquid
- Duration: 5-7 days
Maintenance phase:
- 0.03 grams per kg KM per day
- at 70 kg: approx. 2.1 g creatine as a single dose, combined with approx. 2.5 L liquid rich in carbohydrates
- Duration: approx. 6-8 weeks
Weaning phase:
- after each charge / maintenance cycle
- Duration: approx. 3-4 weeks

Fast Load modified according to pharmacological considerations according to Mesa et al .:

Loading phase:
- 20 grams, divided into 4-5 single doses, combined with 500 ml of carbohydrate drink (containing approx. 90-100 g of carbohydrates), 30 minutes after taking creatine
- Duration: 1st day
- 20 grams, divided into 4-5 individual doses, combined with 40-50 g of quickly available carbohydrates and 50 g of protein each approx. 30 minutes after creatine ingestion
- Duration: 2nd day
Maintenance phase:
- 3-5 grams per day
- Duration: approx. 6-8 weeks
Weaning phase:
- after each charge / maintenance cycle
- Duration: approx. 3-4 weeks

Slow Load:

Loading phase:
- 3 grams per day, divided into approx. 2 single doses, combined with approx. 2.5 L carbohydrate-rich liquid
- Duration: approx. 4 weeks
Maintenance phase:
- 0.03 grams per kg KM per day
- at 70 kg: approx. 2.1 g creatine as a single dose, combined with approx. 2.5 L liquid rich in carbohydrates
- Duration: approx. 4 weeks
Weaning phase:
- after each charge / maintenance cycle
- Duration: approx. 3-4 weeks

The creatine regimen

Creatine is an endogenous acid and is stored in muscles. Creatine formation takes place in the kidneys, liver and pancreas.
Its function can be briefly described as follows: During muscle activity, high-energy ATP is broken down into low-energy ADP. In order for the muscle to continue to function properly, ADP must be converted back to ATP. This function is carried out by creatine and thus recharges the muscle's "battery".

Creatine has been one of the most popular dietary supplements since the 1970s. At that time it was mainly supplemented with large amounts of meat. Creatine is probably the best researched supplement and is not listed as a doping agent by the International Olympic Committee. It can be freely marketed in Germany as a dietary supplement.

Basically, it must be noted that taking creatine alone does not build muscle. This can only be achieved through targeted, consistent training. Most athletes feel a motivating boost in strength during the creatine regimen, but this usually subsides again after the regimen. The force does not return completely to the initial level, but you can still feel a slight buckling.

The great advantages of the creatine cure are the rapid growth in strength, the higher performance, the shorter regeneration phase, the ease of use and the low purchase price. It increases the maximum strength as well as the explosive strength and the power output in repetitive training units. In addition, creatine improves protein synthesis in the muscle, so that it stores more protein and stronger muscle build-up occurs.

Read more on this topic at: Creatine cure.

Course of the cure

There are important things to consider when planning a creatine diet. The cure should be planned in cycles of several weeks with and without the active ingredient, as long-term use is not recommended. For example, six weeks of use can alternate with six weeks of abstinence. Often you hear of so-called charging phases that can last for years. However, this is not advisable, as the body is unnecessarily stressed and the body can only store a certain amount of creatine. The storage of creatine in the muscles is better even over a period of treatment.

A creatine regimen can be done with or without a recharge phase. The principle of the charging phase is based on the fact that the effects of creatine need a few days to set in. Therefore, the body's creatine stores are “charged” before the actual cure. The athletes take larger amounts three to seven days beforehand. However, this method is controversial among experts, many see it as superfluous.

For the cure, you can then use powdered creatine, dissolve one to two grams in a glass of water and drink it. You shouldn't take too much time, as creatine breaks down relatively quickly into an ineffective breakdown product called creatinine. In a creatine diet, you should have three to four such creatine drinks per day. Take the creatine drink in the morning, in the evening, as well as before and after the workout.

During the creatine diet it is extremely important to always drink enough fluids. Because of the creatine, the muscle cells need an increased amount of water. You should drink five to six liters a day during a creatine diet.

In order to ensure rapid absorption of creatine into the bloodstream and thus rapid transport into the muscle cells, it is best to take your drink with a transport matrix. A transport matrix in this case is a little glucose, which then quickly brings the creatine to its destination. Overdosing should be avoided in any case, as otherwise gas, cramps, diarrhea or kidney damage can occur. If cramps occur despite a small dose, you should increase magnesium and protein in your nutrition plan. You should also avoid coffee and alcohol during a creatine diet, as studies have shown that these two substances disrupt and slow down the processing of creatine in the body.

After a creatine diet, you will notice the effects immediately. The training becomes more difficult and the muscles no longer feel as tight. In order to take as much potential as possible from the cure during the break, you should try to keep your training intensity at the same level (possibly extend breaks) and make your diet rich in protein and carbohydrates.

In summary, a cure should last six weeks and then be followed by a six-week break. The intake of three to five grams per day should be distributed over four times of intake (morning, before training, after training and in the evening) and you should use glucose as a transport matrix. A high fluid intake of five to six liters per day is necessary.

Is Creatine a Doping Substance?

Creatine is an acid that supplies muscles with energy. It is absorbed through food (often in meat and fish) and is used in sport to improve performance. The addition of creatine in dietary supplements is very popular with many athletes because creatine is not classified as a doping agent, but the duration of an athletic performance in the anaerobic area (without oxygen) can extend.
However, studies do not always show the positive effects of creatine intake in athletes. This could be due to the fact that taking creatine only makes sense if the creatine stores are not 100 percent full. If an athlete consumes creatine even though the stores are sufficiently full, a small part can be deposited in the body because creatine is not broken down 100 percent (two percent remain).
Side effects can be muscle cramps or muscle hardening. Apart from flatulence, bad breath, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, no other side effects are known, which is why creatine intake to an appropriate level is also classified as harmless. Further side effects are not yet known, although the modes of action and effects of creatine in the body have not yet been fully researched and proven with studies. Especially with the long-term effects of constant creatine use, there are hardly any usable study results.

Creatine is not on the doping list and is therefore also taken in competitive sports in so-called creatine cures. When buying creatine, however, athletes should make sure that they only buy high-quality creatine. Cheap products, often of poor quality, can contain traces of anabolic steroids and, in the worst case, lead to a positive doping test. Studies have shown that of 24 young athletes who regularly took creatine, the hormone level in 20 of them was as high as in a doped athlete.
Many of the creatine preparations are contaminated with other substances and therefore pose an enormous health risk. Unfortunately, many athletes are not yet aware of this, especially not that they could test positive for certain doping agents.
For their own protection, athletes should pay close attention to where they buy their creatine and whether it meets a high quality standard. Many athletes rely on their doctors and nutrition experts and thus expose themselves to a high health risk.

Recommended intake

Everyone reacts differently to creatine supplementation. Above a certain amount, creatine can no longer be used in the body and is of no benefit, even if more of it is given. Therefore, athletes with a naturally low creatine level will notice more success than others who have more creatine in their muscles in a normal state. The cure is not only suitable for high-performance athletes, but also for amateur athletes. According to experts, success in strength sports such as bodybuilding or weightlifting should be particularly good. However, creatine is now used in almost all sports.

Creatine cures are mainly carried out with the dietary supplement in powder form.
But creatine is now also available as:

Capsules as well as in
Latches and
Ready drinks.

Most of the time, however, the powder is the main product of choice Creatine monohydrate used by many athletes. Whether the supplement should be taken before or after training has not yet been scientifically clarified. However, it is usually recommended both before and after exercise. It is important not to take the creatine directly after eating, as it then remains in the stomach longer and loses its effectiveness.

In the creatine cure, the powder is dissolved in 0.5-0.75l water or juice and drunk immediately afterwards. The mixed drink should by no means be stored longer, as creatine dissolved in liquids does not remain stable for long and becomes less effective.

Caffeine and alcohol should be avoided during the creatine regimen, as these inhibit the effects. In addition, of course, a healthy and balanced diet is necessary to support muscle building and regeneration. Most experts nowadays only recommend the intake of small amounts of creatine, as they put less strain on the body, save costs and still bring just as good results. In addition to the creatine cure, some athletes now also rely on the long-term intake of the dietary supplement.

In what form should creatine be taken?

Creatine is usually consumed in the form of powders or capsules. Regular intake of approx. 2-5g / day for no more than 8 weeks is recommended (longer consumption can overload the transport systems and lead to undesirable side effects). If necessary, a higher dosed loading phase can be started, which provides for an intake of about 20g / day several times a day for a few days in order to fill the memory at the beginning of the cure.

It is important that creatine can only be adequately absorbed into the body in the presence of carbohydrates. Either creatine powder should be dissolved in a sugar-containing drink and absorbed, or the corresponding carbohydrates should be absorbed immediately afterwards. This is especially true for pure creatine (creatine monohydrate). Nowadays there are a lot of corresponding preparations that have incorporated creatine into a mixed preparation that already contains kolehydrate. There are a large number of different preparations on the market, the important thing is the correct concentration and intake with carbohydrates. Creatine can also be easily taken in capsule form “on the go”, and corresponding preparations can be more expensive.

Creatine and alcohol

Everyone likes to have a beer with their friends at the weekend or a glass of wine in the evening. As is well known, alcohol has a dehydrating effect and removes water from the body. To be precise, the ethanol in beer or wine ensures that a substance called adiuretin is no longer released in the normal amount.
Adiuretin is a hormone that is released in the pituitary gland and causes water channels to be built into the cell walls and membranes in the collecting ducts of the kidney. In these channels, water is usually returned to our blood through absorption. If this effect is inhibited, less water from the urine flows back into the blood and more water is excreted than normal.
However, this alcohol-related fluid loss can be easily compensated for in everyday life. When taking creatine, the body needs more water than usual. Therefore you should increase your water consumption with a creatine diet by about two liters per day in order to be able to compensate for the increased demands on the water balance.

So if you regularly consume alcoholic beverages during a creatine diet, the dehydrating effects of the two substances add up and our body needs significantly more fluids per day. If the body is not provided with sufficient fluids in this constellation, the effect of creatine is slowed down and potential gains in strength are forgiven lightly. Any dehydration inhibits the body in certain metabolic processes and thus also lowers the performance of an athlete. The ability to regenerate, which plays an important role in training, is also reduced. All in all, a combination of creatine and alcohol ensures that performance is reduced and there is a risk of dehydration if you do not drink more fluids.

Creatine and coffee / caffeine - are they compatible?

When it comes to the question of whether creatine intake is compatible with caffeine consumption, for example in the form of coffee or energy drinks, there is much discussion. The theory behind it: "The caffeine increases fluid loss and thus counteracts the retention of water triggered by creatine". However, this only applies to people who normally do not drink coffee or do not consume caffeine. For these people it has been shown that the caffeine has a negative effect on the water balance, as the body is not used to the caffeine. People who consume caffeine regularly do not feel this negative side effect. Your body is used to the daily intake of caffeine and therefore the consumption of caffeine does not affect the effects of creatine in these people.

So if you do not want to go without your glass of wine or beer on the weekend during a creatine diet, you should make sure that your alcohol consumption remains within limits and that you always drink enough water to avoid fluid loss due to alcohol and creatine . In general, a lifestyle without alcohol is healthier, but a beer on the weekend hardly harms training and performance. With five liters of water a day, you can also handle a glass of wine without affecting your performance.

Complementary means

There are different opinions among users as to whether the creatine regimen should best be carried out with powder dissolved in water or in juice. The advantage of water is that it functions better as a transport fluid and relieves the kidneys.

However, new studies show that creatine does not cause any extraordinary risk to the kidneys, but on the contrary, in some test persons it ensured better kidney function.
The advantage of taking with grape juice or grape sugar is that at the same time the Insulin levels increases and the creatine is channeled even faster into the muscle cell. This is important when choosing the juice glycemic index. This indicates how high-carbohydrate foods have an effect on blood sugar levels. The higher the so-called "Glyx“Is, the more the blood sugar level rises.

The glycemic index is particularly high for grape sugar in grape juice and should therefore be preferred to apple juice, for example. Some athletes take before training but only water to yourself, as it is highly glycemic and carbohydrate-rich substances worsen performance during training and also inhibit the release of growth hormones and thus the build-up of muscle mass. It all depends on the focus of the training: for muscle building, the creatine regimen should be supplemented with carbohydrates, for body fat reduction carbohydrates should be avoided.

Since more protein can be used during the creatine cure, it makes sense to supplement it with a protein powder. As a guideline, approx. 2g protein per kg body weight apply. The creatine regimen can also be supplemented with glutamine, BCAA or taurine.

The chemistry behind creatine

Creatine as an intermediate product of the intermediate metabolism is formed in the liver and kidneys from the amino acids arginine and glycine with the formation of guanidinoacetic acid and methylation of methionine to creatine. The body is therefore capable of its own synthesis, so that only part of it has to be supplied from outside through nutrition.

Creatine is especially found in meat and fish. One assumes a creatine content of around 0.5 g creatine in 100 g meat or fish. Creatine ingested through food is first absorbed in the small intestine and then channeled into the bloodstream. This is how creatine gets to the muscles, the heart and other organs. Eventually it is excreted from the body via the kidneys.

The creatine stores in our body can absorb and store up to 130 grams of creatine. About 90 - 95% of this is stored in the muscle cells of the skeletal muscles. However, the memory in the muscle cells is very low, so that the energy supply can run for a maximum of five seconds via creatine during a sprint.
The body then has to switch to anaerobic energy production in order to be able to maintain performance.

A person weighing around 70 kg needs between 0.2 and 0.3 g per day per kilo. Assuming that the body can synthesize about half of it itself, the rest must be taken in through food.

In training phases, about 2/3 of the creatine increases Creatine phosphate remodeled. This creatine phosphate was created in the muscles as a link between creatine and phosphoric acid and is considered an energy-rich compound from which the so-called ATP, an energy store, can be regenerated.

This is done by transferring the phosphate group to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), which ultimately results in adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This chemical reaction is made possible by an enzyme called creatine kinase. Specifically, creatine, which is supplied to the body in around 20% higher amounts, can be stored in the muscles as creatine phosphate, which explains the possibility of an energy reserve. Creatine phosphate is therefore a quickly available chemical energy store that is gaining in importance, especially in the context of intense sporting phases.

Creatine is an important energy buffer for the body, which is available in emergencies and therefore directly when energy is needed.

Creatine monohydrate

Creatine monohydrate is always needed in the body where energy has to be made available quickly, i.e. especially in the muscles. Creatine monohydrate became known because professional bodybuilders and strength athletes have reduced their successes only to this product. However, one should be aware that other factors play at least as important a role. The effect of this substance can be different for different users. Also e.g. Meat consumption, calorie intake and genetics all play a role in how it works.
As a dietary supplement, creatine monohydrate can increase creatine stores and thus bring about an increase in strength of up to twenty percent. Studies have shown that creatine can also be an important supplement for endurance athletes. It ensures an additional storage of carbohydrates in the cells. In conjunction with strength training, the percentage of body fat can be permanently reduced and muscle mass can be built up.

The research on creatine monohydrate goes beyond the usual modes of action. The effects on the body are widely studied and studies have already discovered other positive effects. A positive effect has been demonstrated for cardiac arrhythmias after a heart attack. However, positive effects could also be discovered in the mineralization of bones and cartilage, protective effects on the brain and nerve cells, in the case of muscle sick, mental fatigue, during convalescence, before planned orthopedic interventions, in AIDS, cancer and ALS and in general to extend life. Therefore, creatine almost seems to be considered a miracle cure or panacea. However, many aspects of the effects of creatine monohydrate still need to be researched. The results so far suggest that monohydrate can be an important support in a wide variety of diseases.

In addition to the many positive aspects of creatine monohydrate, there are also side effects and health hazards that are mentioned again and again. A weight gain of one to two kilos has to be accepted due to the water retention. If you don't drink enough, you run the risk of dehydration. This can then be followed by headaches, which can, however, easily be treated. Creatine monohydrate can cause cramps to occur during what is known as the loading phase, as creatine monohydrate is known to be a magnesium thief. In addition, stomach problems can occur, but they do not have any dangerous effects.

Historical background

The word creatine (also written creatine) comes from the Greek and means something like "meat". The scientist Chevreul from France discovered the substance at the beginning of the 18th century.