Why take creatine supplements?
Creatine is a natural substance that the body also produces itself. Our body absorbs the amino acids glycine, arginine and methionine contained in our food and converts them into creatine. Additional creatine can also be directly absorbed through our food, especially from fish and meat. One kilogram of fish or meat contains between 3 and 7 g of creatine.
Those who do not have a balanced diet and eat little fish and meat likely have lower levels of creatine in their bodies. This is particularly true for vegetarians and vegans, who consume little or no creatine through their diet, as well as athletes, who require additional creatine for muscle growth and faster recovery times after strenuous workouts. These groups can benefit from creatine supplementation in the form dietary supplements.
Creatine loading
Some online articles suggest taking doses higher than the daily recommended amount (three to five grams of creatine) and reducing it after a few days.
However, high-doses and creatine loading strategies are unnecessary, and we do not recommend them. Studies show that after three to four weeks of taking three to five grams of creatine daily, the body’s creatine level is just as high as when higher doses are taken at the beginning.
Recommended creatine intake
Taking creatine monohydrate as a dietary supplement boosts the amount of creatine in the body. There are many proven benefits of taking moderate amounts of creatine. We recommend a daily creatine dosage of 3 to 5 g. This amount (3 g) of creatine has been judged to be safe by The European Food Safety Authority. An expert panel in the U.S. has indicated 5 g. The most common form of creatine is creatine monohydrate. Depending on the preference of the individual, this can be taken as a powder, a chewable tablet or as capsules. As with any dietary supplement, purity is particularly important with creatine. Therefore, you should only use creatine products that come from known and reliable sources.