-Creatine Monohydrate
▪️Creatine is one of the most efficient supplements that you can take. Due to the amount of research that’s been done on creatine, which constantly shows benefits in increased performance, muscle mass and even cognitive abilities.
▪️The liver naturally produces creatine (primarely) and also by the pancreas and the kidneys. Creatine can be found in animal sources of proteinsas well, but even vegan/vegetarian athletes can supplement with the synthetic version.
-Is it safe?
▪️The fact that there have been over 700 unique studies done on creatine alone, which have continuously shown its safety, we can conclude that the supplement is safe to use, assuming we make sure to drink the efficient amount of water on the daily.
-Should you cycle it ‘on’ and ‘off’ ? Should you use it when Cutting or bulking?
▪️You don’t have to cycle creatine, but if you want to reap better benefits, then you could do it. There really isn’t any difference consuming creatine long term vs short term. There’s really no point in not supplementing it regardless of whether you’re cutting to lose body fat or bulking to gain muscle. Its supplementation only gives benefits.
-What about the bloating
▪️Creatine is correlated to intracellular water retention (which occurs within the muscle): if you think you have gained fat from creatine, think twice. Yes, your weight can increase, but none of it is going to be fat gain.
-When should you consume it ?
▪️Ultimately, based on the research available, it’s not clear whether there are any differences between taking creatine before or after workouts or any other time during the day. As long as you take the recommended amount , you’re good to go.
Reference:
musclehacking.org 