3 ms·
I do not understand why would anyone believe that creatine can influence muscle gains. Muscle gains require an adequate protein intake, but creatine has no rel
by adrian_b 2y ago
I do not understand why would anyone believe that creatine can influence muscle gains.
Muscle gains require an adequate protein intake, but creatine has no relationship with that.
Creatine, as phosphocreatine, provides energy storage for short-time anaerobic effort. After the available phosphocreatine is exhausted, only a lower power can be sustained, at the level that can be supported by the conversion of glucose into lactic acid. For even longer times, the power that can be sustained must drop to the level supported by aerobic metabolism.
It is known that the daily capacity of creatine synthesis in humans is usually limited to less than the optimal requirement for intense exercise, so some creatine must be provided by food, for the best results.
I take a little creatine, because I eat vegan food, which does not contain creatine. For someone who eats meat, it is very unlikely that a creatine supplement can be useful, because meat should contain enough additional creatine, besides the creatine that is synthesized internally.
However, I am grateful to the sport fans who may have taken creatine without any good reasons, because that has ensured the widespread availability at modest prices of creatine supplements, which are useful for vegans like myself.
I agree with another poster, who says that while creatine cannot have a direct effect on muscle gains, it can have an indirect effect on someone who trains regularly, by allowing more exercise repetitions, which may stimulate muscle gains.
Obviously, such an indirect effect is conditioned by actually training regularly and really doing more intense trainings than when not taking the supplement.
- bluedino 2y ago> I do not understand why would anyone believe that creatine can influence muscle gains. This is the entire fitness/supplement industry.
- econ 2y agoThe effect is dramatically different for different people. I have something around 30-60% more endurance with creatine which is insane. From what little I understand it helps move fluids though muscles. I can't imagine muscle growth doesn't benefit from that specially in seemingly poorly hydrated dry muscles like mine.
- adrian_b 2y agoFor myself, after switching to vegan food, taking a creatine supplement had very noticeably improved the endurance for things like weight lifting or short sprints at maximum speed. However, that has just restored the level of performance from when eating non-vegan food. The effects of creatine should vary both between humans, because they may have different capacities for internal creatine synthesis, and depending on the kind of food that they eat, i.e. whether it is naturally rich in creatine, or not.
- globular-toast 2y agoSteroids increase muscle growth despite having no relationship with adequate protein intake.
- ff133 2y agoWhat's the source? How can you build muscle without amino acids, the building blocks of protein, which muscles need to grow?
- SuperNinKenDo 2y agoAre you seriously demanding a source for the claim that steroids lead to greater muscle gains?
- SuperNinKenDo 2y ago> I do not understand why would anyone believe that creatine can influence muscle gains. Simple. Being able to work out harder and longer, assuming proper sleep and nutrition, leads to greater muscle gain. There's no mystery.