Creatine Benefits
So what makes creatine so popular?
To start off, the absolute number one benefit of creatine supplements is... it actually works! New supplements are constantly entering the market promising all kinds of things, 99% of it is just hype, however creatine is one of the few products that actually lives up to the hype.
The main benefits of creatine are:
- Increased energy during workouts. This is due to your body being able to regenerate ATP at a faster rate.
- Enchanced strength
- Lesser dependence on glycolysis - another method your body uses to generate ATP (slower and with the downside of lactic acid being a byproduct).
- Increased lean muscle gains, particularly for those new to creatine.
Pros and cons of Creatine Monohydrate
A lot of people want to know what is good about creatine monohydrate and how it outweighs it's side effects. That is the problem, I'm yet to come across a study that shows that consumption of creatine monohydrate causes any adverse side effects. Thats right, no adverse side effects. A small percentage of people may experience some slight stomach discomfort (gas or bloating, possible diarrhea), which can usually be fixed by lowering the initial dose and allowing your body to adapt to higher levels of creatine. Creatine also causes your muscles to retain more water, so drinking extra water is a must whilst supplementing creatine.
As with all supplements, some users do not seem to respond to creatine. This is most likely due to already higher than average creatine levels in your body.
As for the Pros of creatine monohydrate - it's a proven supplement that works for most people. It increases your body's ability to regenerate energy within muscles, increasing the intensity of your workouts and your gains!
