Once you set some fitness goals and decide to live healthily, you may be tempted to explore supplements such as creatine. This is one of the most common compounds among athletes and one of the most well-researched ones. So, if you are researching supplements to improve your workout performance, you should expect to come across creatine for beginners.
Nonetheless, if you decide to introduce creatine into your daily routine, you need to know how to do it properly. Beginners should have the right guidelines to enjoy the benefits of creatine while being safe. The appropriate use of creatine can in your diet and exercise plan can lead you to positive fitness outcomes.
In this blog, we have explained the basics of creatine for beginners so you can understand what to expect. If you are looking for ways to introduce a new supplement to your ordinary diet and workout program, our guide can help you get on the right track.
Table of content
What Is Creatine?
Naturally, you may be wondering how to take creatine for beginners. Creatine is a compound mainly stored in your muscles. It is a vital element for producing the energy your cells need to function, and it is key for muscle growth, power, and recovery. In short, it gives your muscles the energy to work out and helps them move and get stronger.
Most of this compound comes from our diets. You can find creatine in foods such as red meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products, but in lower amounts.
Another option is to consume it as a supplement. According to experts, taking creatine as a supplement is a better solution because it allows you to consume a greater amount. While you can get 1 or 2 grams of creatine from food, the supplement enables you to take from 3 to 5 grams. Greater amounts of creatine mean better workout performance and significant chances for enjoying other benefits of the compound.
How Does Creatine Work?
Creatine helps your muscles work harder and longer by refueling the energy within muscle cells. It combines with a phosphate molecule to create phosphocreatine, which is super important for giving your muscles the burst of energy they need for activities like lifting weights and sprinting. That is why athletes have been using it for years as part of their workout programs.
If you need a more specific definition of creatine for beginners, you need to dig deeper into the subject. In short, when you want to move your muscles or lift something, they need energy, which comes from breaking down ATP into ADP and a phosphate molecule. This process is made possible with the help of the ATPase enzyme.
However, the supply of ATP in your body is not unlimited, meaning you cannot have limitless amounts of energy. If you do not replenish ATP, your muscles will not be able to work for long hours, and they will get tired quite quickly. In other words, if you do not give your body the fuel it needs, your muscles will not be able to work out. And, without exercise, you can say goodbye to your set fitness goals.
To make more fuel or ATP, your body needs a Pi molecule, which usually comes from the creatine molecule PCr. In a reaction called creatine kinase, the Pi gets separated from PCr and given to ADP to make ATP again. It is how you boost your energy. In fact, this helps you exercise harder and longer, so you can gain more muscle without getting tired too fast.
What Is Creatine Kinase?
Creatine kinase ensures that the PCR levels are regulated and that you have enough in your system. But, again, the amounts of PCr, just like ATP, are limited. Once you start exercising, you will start losing your levels of PCr, especially during intense workout sessions.
For instance, during an extreme exercise, you will start losing your PCr amounts in about 10 seconds. During recovery in between sets, it takes at least 3 minutes for your muscles to replenish your ATP and creatine phosphate levels. If you do not have a compound that supports replenishing PCr levels quickly, you will soon give up working earlier than your maximum potential. This is where creatine for beginners shines the brightest!
In other words, if you want to boost your energy levels and exercise for a longer time, you should consider using creatine. Now that you know how to take creatine for beginners, it should be clear to you that this is a supplement that will help you achieve your fitness goals quickly. Its primary function is to give your body power, which is exactly what you need to get the results you want!
What Are The Benefits of Creatine?
Now that you know how creatine works, it is crucial to learn everything about its benefits. There is a reason why, today, creatine is among the most used supplements both by men and women. With that in mind, here are some creatine benefits that will surely come in handy.
1. It Boosts Muscle Cell Energy
As we mentioned before, the primary role of creatine for beginners is to give your body energy to perform better and longer. ATP is like the body's energy currency that fuels your muscles and movement. This energy currency is produced by creatine.
This means that if you are into high-intensity workouts like running or sprinting, creatine supplements could be useful for quick energy bursts.
2. It Supports Lean Body Mass
Many people set an increased lean body mass as a fitness goal. To achieve it, they often engage in intense workout sessions that last for long hours. However, sometimes, you may want to enhance the efforts of your training. That is when creatine can come in handy!
If you add creatine for beginners to your resistance training, it can boost your lean muscle mass. More muscle means a higher metabolism in the long run.
3. It Improves Recovery
You are probably aware that every workout session needs a proper recovery period. If you want your exercise program to provide the desired results, you need to establish a good recovery process.
Research has shown that taking creatine supplements could also aid in post-workout recovery. It boosts a type of fuel in your body for workouts. With more fuel available, you can train at a higher intensity. This same process can also improve recovery between workout sessions. Therefore, it is evident that creatine is not only a supplement used for boosting energy.
What Is The Best Creatine for Beginners?
If you start researching creatine for beginners, you will come across different options. Nowadays, there are so many creatine products, making it difficult to pick one. However, we think about rookies with supplements, so we have listed some features you should look for in a creatine supplement.
To begin with, ensure the creatine you choose does not have any artificial flavors, sweeteners, or synthetic dyes.
Moreover, choosing a gluten-free creatine for beginners is also a good idea if you want the best quality supplement for your daily routine. Also, avoid creatine with added sugar if you are concerned about gaining weight.
Once you find a supplement that ticks all these boxes, you can be confident that you have found the right option for you.
Purely Inspired Collagen + Creatine: An Awesome Beginner-Friendly Option
When we created our Creatine + Collagen product, we had beginners in mind. This is an ideal product for beginner men and women.. Moreover, it is the perfect choice for those who introduce a supplement to their routine for the first time.
Our Vitality Super Formula also contains biotin that supports hair, nails, and skin. And guess what? Our creatine for beginners comes in a delicious watermelon strawberry flavor, making it easy to take daily.
The best part of Purely Inspired Collagen + Creatine is that it is zero-sugar, gluten-free, raised without hormones/No rBGH, and contains no artificial sweeteners, flavors, or synthetic dyes.
So, this can be your perfect pick if you are looking for our best creatine product for a rookie. It has all the qualities you need to introduce a new habit and achieve your fitness and body goals efficiently.
Is It Better to Take Creatine Pre or Post Workout?
It is important to take creatine for beginners at the right time for it to work effectively. Researchers have yet to determine the perfect timing, but they have found that whether you take it before or after a workout does not make a huge difference. It appears that maximizing your muscles creatine and PCr levels through regular supplementation is more important than the timing.
When it comes to Purely Inspired Collagen + Creatine, the key is to be consistent with when you take it. Once you figure out the best time for you, stick to it! Developing a consistent creatine routine will help you get the results you are looking for.
We hope that you find our beginner guide to creatine useful. If you need something to boost your energy levels and help you get to your desired body image, then this compound is the perfect choice. Ensure you establish a proper use of creatine at the very beginning and wait to be surprised by the results!