Creatine Works If You Know How To Work It
Don't believe those that say, "Creatine does not work for me" or "Creatine causes me to retain water" or "Creatine
upsets my stomach." Creatine is still the most effective muscle building supplement ever for those that understand how and
when it is used as an energy source in the body.
How is creatine used as an energy source in the body? First, Let's talk a little about ATP (the life force
of all living matter), the first energy source burned as fuel in the body. The other five energy sources for the body: creatine,
glycogen, glucose, fatty acids and amino acids all must be converted to ATP (in that order) to be burned as fuel in the body.
Knowing when creatine is converted to APT is key in knowing how to get the best results in muscle building.
Like ATP, creatine can be stored in the muscle, which means it does not need oxygen to burn. It is a short explosive energy
burn. The ATP stored in the muscle is the most effective explosive fuel source, which burns for about four or five seconds
at 100 percent muscle contraction in an all out effort, such as weight lifting or sprinting. Creatine then is converted to
APT and burns for about six or seven seconds at nearly 100 percent muscle contraction. Knowing this tells us how we must train
to get the best results with creatine. A weight training set needs to be completed with in ten to twelve seconds, which means
heavy weight and low reps.
Another interesting fact about creatine is its ability to recycle itself to be used again as fuel. With one
minute rest creatine will recycle itself about 50 percent. Resting four minutes between sets increases recycling ability to
90 percent. Creatine will be available for about ninety minutes.
Now, let's look at how other fuels burn so you won't be tempted to go beyond twelve seconds if you want maximum
results. Glycogen and glucose burn respectively after creatine for up to two minutes at no more than 70 percent muscle contraction.
The higher the percentage of muscle contraction the stronger the muscle. After twelve seconds, muscle contraction/muscle strength
quickly falls off due to the type of fuel being burned as energy. Workouts fueled with creatine instead of glycogen and glucose
just makes good sense if maximum results are desired.
Let's sum it up. Long-lasting training sessions of over ninety minutes are not good because creatine has been
depleted and the fuel used for energy will be amino acids, which is muscle. Also, creatine will not cause water weight or
stomach upset if it is taken with a high glycemic carbohydrate drink with enough liquid to completely dissolve the powder.
By: Fred Fishburne
