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Summary
On episode 79 of 40+ Fitness, Coach Allan answers a Facebook group question about the supplement creatine, covering what it does, how to dose it, and what to watch out for.
Creatine works by supplying a phosphorus atom that helps the body rebuild ATP, the energy source muscles use during exercise. Allan explains why he personally takes it more for brain and liver protection than for muscle, and walks through loading versus steady dosing, water retention, and which forms of creatine to buy or avoid.
He also covers who should be careful with it, the water weight it adds to the scale, and why creatine ethyl ester is a waste of money.
Links
- https://40plusfitness.com
Key Takeaways
- Creatine supplies phosphorus your cells use to rebuild ATP. ATP is the energy source muscle cells burn during work, so more available phosphorus means more energy for lifting and muscular work.
- Creatine is not a steroid. It does not change testosterone or other hormone levels; it simply keeps enough phosphorus on hand to regenerate ATP.
- Dosing comes down to patience or budget. A steady 5 grams a day eventually saturates your stores, or you can load with 20 to 25 grams a day for 5 to 7 days to reach saturation faster.
- Timing does not matter. Creatine is not absorbed fast enough for before or after workout timing to matter; your body stores it up to its saturation point over time regardless of when you take it.
- Creatine pulls water into your muscles, and that shows on the scale. Most people gain about 5 pounds of water weight, which can look like fat or muscle gain on a scale or DEXA scan even though it is just hydration.
- You still benefit even if you eat plenty of animal protein. Creatine is naturally stored in meat, organ meat, and possibly bone broth, but studies show supplementing still helps even on a diet already rich in those foods.
- Allan takes it mainly for brain and liver protection, not just muscle. He continues taking creatine most days even when he is not in a heavy lifting phase because of those non-muscular benefits.
- Monohydrate is the standard; avoid creatine ethyl ester. Creatine monohydrate is the cheapest and most studied form; water-soluble creatine citrate or micronized creatine can help if monohydrate causes stomach cramping, but creatine ethyl ester degrades in digestion before it can be absorbed.
- Drink more water when supplementing. Because creatine draws water into the muscles, increasing your water intake helps prevent the stomach cramping some people experience.
