If you have a healthy diet and a regular exercise program but want just a little boost to see more results, then creatine supplements might be right for you.Creatine benefits are well noted in the bodybuilding world, and in recent years, the supplements have become a staple of many regular fitness fanatics who want to give their workout regimens an added kick in the pants.
What Can Creatine Do For Me?
If you already have a healthy, well-balanced diet along with a workout routine tailored to produce the specific results you’re looking for, then you might think a supplement can’t do much for you. However, creatine benefits are even more pronounced for those individuals who have all the other bases covered.No supplement is a magic bean that will do all the work for you. Creatine is a naturally occurring substance in the human body. The brief, nontechnical explanation of how creatine benefits fitness programs is this: The body uses creatine to create more energy for the muscles to use during workouts. Simple, right?
So, what does that mean for you? That simplified explanation of a complex process in the body translates into the following results for creatine users:
- Increased energy
- Ability to achieve and maintain more intense workouts
- Ability to increase frequency of workouts
- Increased muscle mass and strength
What Should I Know About Creatine?
Like anything else you put in your body, there are can be some minor creatine side effects with proper use. These side effects include bloating, stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, muscle cramping, increased urnination (typically noted for women during menstrual period), and weight gain.There are a few things you can do to decrease creatine side effects:
- Drinking lots of water: This helps avoid dehydration and also weight gain from water retention.
- Pay close attention to the recommended dosage and try reducing your intake if you are experiencing uncomfortable side effects
- Avoid caffeine: There is some concern it could increase chances of more serious side effects, such as stroke, but there are no conclusive studies.
Don’t Use If …
Creatine use is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. While there are no studies showing harmful effects, there is simply not enough known about how it might affect the fetus or infant to make it worth the risk.While studies are ongoing to look at creatine benefits for some medical problems, such as loss of bone mass, for some medical conditions it is known to be a bad idea. If you suffer from kidney disease, creatine should be avoided as it could worsen your condition. Likewise, if you have diabetes, creatine use could cause you to develop kidney disease.
Don’t Abuse Creatine
When there is excess creatine in the body, it is excreted with the help of the kidney and liver. Extreme and extended overuse can put a strain on these organs and lead to long-term health concerns, and therefore should be avoided. Abusing its use can also increase the creatine side effects mention earlier.If you follow the recommended dosage and cycle your use of creatine, these extreme side effects can be avoided, according to the medical research currently available. While there have been no long-term studies of creatine supplements, the short-term research shows that it is a safe and beneficial supplement if taken correctly.
If you want to get started enjoying creatine benefits, visit Slacor Supplements for a wide selection of creatine and bodybuilding supplements to suit all budgets.
