Creatine: Your Magic Fitness Pill
We get it – we’ve all got that one friend with a list of pills and potions that have changed their life, and they’ll make sure everyone knows it. But hear us out, Creatine is one supplement that’s really worth talking about.
Calling All Bodybuilders and Fitness FOMO-ers
To improve your fitness or build muscle, creatine is a performance-enhancing supplement that’s worth the hype.
If you’re a bodybuilder, chances are you already know about this go-to natural amino acid. It’s no secret that it’s an essential part of the powerlifting community’s nutritional regimen.
For those with other fitness goals (and anyone with a fear of missing out on something awesome), creatine has benefits that extend far beyond bulking. Anyone can safely incorporate creatine into their lifestyle, from gym newbies who want to lose a couple of pounds to advanced fitness enthusiasts looking to get faster and stronger while maintaining lean muscle mass.
Below, we highlight three reasons why you should start supplementing with creatine to see improvements in your wellbeing, in and outside the gym. You’re unique, so make sure to check with your doctor or healthcare provider before taking creatine.
1. Creatine improves high-intensity exercise performance
Get a high from high-intensity interval training (HIIT)? Creatine will take your muscle endurance to the next level, while boosting your resistance to fatigue and recovery. Research published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that creatine supplementation for HIIT workouts resulted in more reps per minute and reduced fatigue symptoms, especially among vegetarians. Who knew?!
Grab your goggles and lab coat while we take a look at the science. Creatine is stored primarily in your muscles and is used as energy during physical activity. Most of us get half of the necessary creatine through a carnivorous diet that includes milk, red meat, and seafood. The other half is produced in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys. These organs produce about 1 gram of creatine per day. However, if you’re vegan, vegetarian or don’t get enough protein in your diet, your creatine levels might be too low to optimally sustain your exercise expenditure. With your new favourite supplement, you’ll be HIITing it with the best of them. Test it at THE WORX small group HIIT-style training.
Looking for more nutritional tips? Get a FREE Nutrition Consult with your first personal training session. Your trainer will help set you up with supplements, a meal plan, and more to get you on the right track to reaching your goals.
2. Creatine speeds up muscle recovery after an injury
The same fitness-savvy researchers looked at how creatine influences your recovery from injury. Whether you’ve just completed an Iron Man or want to get back on track after experiencing muscle damage, creatine can help. This powerful amino acid acts as an effective antioxidant agent that facilitates calcium absorption inside the muscle cell and speeds up recovery. Essentially, you’re unstoppable.
If you’ve spent the last few weeks nursing an injury back to health, chances are you’ll experience a lot of soreness after the first couple of workouts. Thanks to creatine, your body will be able to better handle inflammation, even if you don’t do anything else to reduce soreness. However, we do encourage you to visit your nearest Fitness World club for a quick session on the hydromassage lounger, great for well-deserved relaxation and to speed up recovery even further.
3. Creatine may reduce the impact of neurological diseases
Although studies on humans are limited, scientists believe that creatine, when paired with conventional medicines, can slow the progression of neurological disorders including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ischemic stroke, and epilepsy, as well as brain or spinal cord injuries.
Patients suffering from these diseases have low levels of phosphocreatine in their brains, and creatine can help produce more of this energy-giving substance. In addition, the amino acid can prevent dopamine levels from dropping which often triggers debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s, from loss of muscle function to speech impairments and tremors.
Creatine and other supplements, when taken alongside working out and eating well, can help us stay healthy and make the most of every day.
Live Your Best Life With Fitness World
Creatine is a safe and effective way to sharpen your mental focus, amplify your fitness effort, and achieve outstanding, long-lasting mental and physical gains. Want to try out Creatine or learn more about supplements, nutrition, and exercise? Get in touch with our personal trainers who have educated and trained thousands of clients like you. Become a Fitness World member today to take charge of your fitness.
