Out of all the supplements out there. My favorite, hands down, is creatine. While an inexpensive, simple creatine monohydrate will work, I prefer a product that has a blend of different creatine forms in it. This way I feel I am getting a creatine that my body responds well too AND I get to avoid the bloat that is sometimes associated with creatine in the beginning. Creatine has a top-notch safety profile as it has been studied since the 1980’s in the scientific community. One of my favorite things about creatine is the fullest I see in my muscles as well as a very noticeable difference in the number of reps I can get in before fatigue starts to set in. If you didn’t know, the last reps are the ones that really count and where you get all the GAINZ from!! If you can do more work (lifting heavier or more reps) by using creatine, then you will see more gains (reps/ lbs. or size) in a shorter time.
Scientifically it assists your workouts by allowing your muscles to more efficiently receive nutrients or replenish its ATP stores much quicker. This allows you to do more (work) and get better results. If you’re getting stronger, now all of sudden you create more power output and speed, athletic performance is bound to improve. Muscles getting the nutrients they need also means quicker recovery and less soreness. If you didn’t know, recovery is the true key to growth and improving performance. So use a creatine, it just makes sense bro. I like to take it before and after my workouts but definitely before if I had to choose one. I tend to avoid it and most supplements if it is too close to bed time. Below I summarized two studies on creatine’s performance enhancing abilities and its safety profile just in case you don’t want to take my word for it LOL.
(van Loon et al…) In the present study, they assessed the effects of both creatine loading and prolonged supplementation on muscle creatine content, body composition, muscle and whole-body oxidative capacity, substrate utilization during submaximal exercise, and on repeated supramaximal sprint, as well as endurance-type time-trial performance on a cycle ergometer.
The results discovered within this study for both short- and long-term creatine supplementation. Showed improved performance during repeated supramaximal (max effort) sprints on a cycle ergometer. However, whole-body and muscle oxidative capacity (the muscle’s ability to use oxygen), substrate utilization and time-trial performance were not affected. Their findings also suggested that prolonged creatine ingestion also induced an increase in fat-free mass.
van Loon LJ, Oosterlaar AM, Hartgens F, Hesselink MK, Snow RJ, Wagenmakers AJ. Effects of creatine loading and prolonged creatine supplementation on body composition, fuel selection, sprint and endurance performance in humans. Clin Sci (Lond). 2003 Feb;104(2):153-62. doi: 10.1042/CS20020159. PMID: 12546637.
(Schlling, B, et al…) In another study, sixty-five variables were investigated, along with blood analyses and perceived side effects. The subjects in the study were all currently engaged in strength/power training and included several current and former national and international level athletes. The results of this study suggested that long term (up to 4 yrs) creatine supplementation does not cause adverse effects. This is of particular importance considering the loading dose and the relatively high average maintenance dose used by these subjects.
Schilling, B., Kreider, R. B., Melton, C. J. III, Rasmussen, C. M., Volek, J. S., & Nindl, B. C. (2000). Effects of creatine supplementation on strength, power, and body composition in college-aged men. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 7(1), 1.
So, there you have it, my favorite supplement when its in the right form. If you’re looking for more GAINZ and a better body composition. I strongly suggest you begin adding creatine to your preworkout. It’s safe, relatively inexpensive, and highly effective with a proven track record.
Update:
Since posting about supplementation, I’ve had some people ask me where do I get my supplements from? Well, in the past I’ve used different places and still do if I can find a good deal. I’ve used GNC (pricey), Bodybuilding.com, and The Vitamin Shoppe, to name a few. Currently my go to has been iherb. They run a good number of specials and have a nice variety of supplements and brands I am familiar with. Not to mention, they have a nice loyalty program that rewards you for purchases and honest reviews of supplements you try. Since I’m all about saving money, I’ll share my code ( KBL9902 ) with you. New customers get an additional 10% off and existing customers get 5%. Just remember, little gains add up to big gains over time!!! https://www.iherb.com
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