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Creatine

Anyone who is ambitiously involved in sports and has never heard of creatine is either living under a mossy rock or is only involved in fishing sports, because creatine is the best-known sports nutrition supplement alongside protein powder. Since it became popular in the early 1990s, it has revolutionized supplementation in sports: Bodybuilders, weightlifters, footballers, track and field athletes - they all use the inconspicuous white powder today. And rightfully: creatine is considered the most effective legal performance-enhancing substance. However, there are also numerous myths and half-truths about creatine. Find out here which statements about creatine are true and what you should consider if you want to buy creatine!

Anyone who is ambitiously involved in sports and has never heard of creatine is either living under a mossy rock or is only involved in fishing sports, because creatine is the best-known sports... read more »
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Creatine

Anyone who is ambitiously involved in sports and has never heard of creatine is either living under a mossy rock or is only involved in fishing sports, because creatine is the best-known sports nutrition supplement alongside protein powder. Since it became popular in the early 1990s, it has revolutionized supplementation in sports: Bodybuilders, weightlifters, footballers, track and field athletes - they all use the inconspicuous white powder today. And rightfully: creatine is considered the most effective legal performance-enhancing substance. However, there are also numerous myths and half-truths about creatine. Find out here which statements about creatine are true and what you should consider if you want to buy creatine!

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Skull Labs Creatine 300g Dose Skull Labs Creatine 300g
Content 300 Gramm (€7.65 * / 100 Gramm)
€22.95 *
Olimp Creatine 1250 Mega Caps 400 Kapseln Olimp Creatine 1250 Mega Caps
Content 120 Kapsel(n) (€0.46 * / 1 Kapsel(n))
From €54.95 *
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Olimp CREAPURE Creatine Monohydrate 500 Gramm Olimp CREAPURE Creatine Monohydrate
Content 500 Gramm (€5.99 * / 100 Gramm)
From €29.95 *
Ausverkauft
BioTech USA Creatine pH-X caps BioTech USA Creatine pH-X caps
Content 90 Kapsel(n) (€0.14 * / 1 Kapsel(n))
From €12.95 *
Scitec Nutrition Crea Bomb 660g Dose Scitec Nutrition Crea Bomb 660g
Content 660 Gramm (€3.41 * / 100 Gramm)
€22.50 * €31.90 *
Olimp Creatine Xplode 500g Dose Olimp Creatine Xplode 500g
Content 500 Gramm (€5.50 * / 100 Gramm)
€27.50 *
Scitec Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate 100% 300g Dose Scitec Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate 100%
Content 300 Gramm (€6.97 * / 100 Gramm)
From €20.90 *
FA Nutrition Ice Creatin 300g FA Nutrition Ice Creatin 300g
Content 300 Gramm (€8.32 * / 100 Gramm)
€24.95 *
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Skull Labs Creatine 300g Dose
Skull Labs Creatine 300g
Content 300 Gramm (€7.65 * / 100 Gramm)
€22.95 *
Olimp Creatine 1250 Mega Caps 400 Kapseln
Olimp Creatine 1250 Mega Caps
Content 120 Kapsel(n) (€0.46 * / 1 Kapsel(n))
From €54.95 *
Ausverkauft
Olimp CREAPURE Creatine Monohydrate 500 Gramm
Olimp CREAPURE Creatine Monohydrate
Content 500 Gramm (€5.99 * / 100 Gramm)
From €29.95 *
Ausverkauft
BioTech USA Creatine pH-X caps
BioTech USA Creatine pH-X caps
Content 90 Kapsel(n) (€0.14 * / 1 Kapsel(n))
From €12.95 *
Scitec Nutrition Crea Bomb 660g Dose
Scitec Nutrition Crea Bomb 660g
Content 660 Gramm (€3.41 * / 100 Gramm)
€22.50 * €31.90 *
Olimp Creatine Xplode 500g Dose
Olimp Creatine Xplode 500g
Content 500 Gramm (€5.50 * / 100 Gramm)
€27.50 *
Scitec Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate 100% 300g Dose
Scitec Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate 100%
Content 300 Gramm (€6.97 * / 100 Gramm)
From €20.90 *
FA Nutrition Ice Creatin 300g
FA Nutrition Ice Creatin 300g
Content 300 Gramm (€8.32 * / 100 Gramm)
€24.95 *
EFX Sports Kre-Alkalyn Powder 220g Dose
EFX Sports Kre-Alkalyn Powder 220g
Content 220 Gramm (€13.61 * / 100 Gramm)
€29.95 *
EFX Sports Kre-Alkalyn 240 Kapseln
EFX Sports Kre-Alkalyn
Content 240 Kapsel(n) (€9.56 * / 100 Kapsel(n))
From €22.95 *
Hammer Labz Crea Max 280g Dose
Hammer Labz Crea Max 280g
Content 280 Gramm (€12.48 * / 100 Gramm)
€34.95 *
Peak Createston-Professional 1575g Dose
Peak Createston-Professional 1575g
Content 1575 Gramm (€38.06 * / 1000 Gramm)
From €59.95 *
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Creatine: More strength and muscle mass in a legal way

What is Creatine? 

Creatine is a natural substance that is significantly involved in energy production. In fact, it is essential for energy production: without it, no muscle movement would be possible. Creatine is formally derived from the amino acids glycine and arginine and has the chemical name "N-aminoiminomethyl-N-methyl-glycine". The name "creatine" by which it is known worldwide is based on the Greek word "kreas", which means "meat". It comes from the fact that creatine is found exclusively in the flesh of vertebrates. 

About 120 to 150 grams of creatine are permanently stored in the muscles of an adult human being (= average value for a male adult with a body weight of 75 kg). Of this, 2-3 grams are lost daily through energy metabolism. This amount must be replaced again and again. The body can synthesize the required creatine in the liver, kidneys and pancreas, but it can also replenish its creatine stores with externally supplied creatine. (This is the only reason why creatine supplementation works at all). 

How does creatine work? 

A detailed description on how creatine works would require a detailed discussion of the biochemical processes involved in muscle contraction and would go beyond the scope of this article. Therefore, here is merely the abbreviated version: 

In order for muscles to work, they need ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This is reduced to ADP in the muscle cells, releasing energy. When the ATP supply in the muscles is used up - which is the case after a few seconds of strenuous muscle work - the resulting ADP must first be rebuilt into ATP by enriching it with a phosphate group. Creatine acts as a kind of bridging aid in this process: By supplying the muscle cells with creatine phosphate, it makes the required phosphate group available and thus enables faster ADP recycling. 

faster ADP recycling (but only as long as sufficient creatine phosphate is available). This manifests itself in the fact that peaks in strength exertion can be sustained for longer. 

However, the improved energy supply is not the only welcome effect of creatine. Creatine also has an osmotic effect, i.e. it draws water into the muscle cells. On the one hand, this increases muscle volume, and on the other, water retention reduces friction within the muscle fibers. According to studies, this leads to a slightly improved strength development and thus represents an anabolic stimulus (cf. Berneis K, Ninnis R, Haussinger D, Keller U. [1999]: Effects of hyper- and hypoosmolality on whole body protein and glucose kinetics in humans). Athletes who take creatine should therefore drink enough in any case to be able to fully benefit from the water retention. 

There is also a theory that creatine supplementation increases growth hormone levels. (A study in 2000 concluded that doses of 20 g creatine significantly raised HGH levels). 

Although creatine is now one of the most studied ergogenic substances, creatine effects are still the subject of research today. A completed analysis is not yet available.

Strength athletes benefit greatly - endurance athletes hardly at all 

What athletes can expect from creatine supplementation is the following: 

  • better strength performance during dumbbell training in the hypertrophy range (= when training with 6-12 repetitions) 
  • increased maximum strength performance 
  • generally better performance in sports characterized by anaerobic energy production, such as sprinting, long or high jumping, martial arts, weight lifting, etc.
  • a certain increase in mass (due to water storage). 

It follows from the above that creatine supplementation is primarily useful for heavy athletes and track and field athletes - and less so for endurance athletes. Creatine supplements can improve the performance of cyclists during intermediate sprints, for example, but the weight gain associated with creatine supplements (due to water) must also be taken into account, as this can partially offset this advantage. For marathon runners, triathletes, long-distance swimmers, etc., there are more effective supplements than creatine.

Types of creatine: creatine monohydrate, creatine ethyl ester, creatine AKG Kre-Alkalyn. 

Creatine is actually not new as a dietary supplement - its history began almost 200 years ago. In 1834, the French chemist Eugène Chevreul identified the substance creatine as a component of meat broth. A few years later, Justus von Liebig took up Chevreul's findings and in 1847 launched "Liebig's meat extract," the world's first creatine supplement. Creatine research did not really take off until 1992, however, with a study by Harris et al. in which the positive effects of creatine supplementation in competitive sports were demonstrated for the first time. Much has happened since then: In addition to the original substance creatine monohydrate, other forms of creatine have now become established on the market. Although they are all based on creatine monohydrate - and they also have a similar effect - they differ in terms of effectiveness, tolerability and price, among other things. 

Creatine Monohydrate 

Creatine Monohydrate is the classic - it's the best researched, used by the most athletes, and is also the most affordable. Creatine Monohydrate is sold in powder form as a white crystalline powder with no flavor of its own. It is stirred into a drink, e.g. water or fruit juice, and then the (somewhat sandy) drink is consumed. 

Creatin ethyl ester 

Creatine ethyl ester, abbreviated CEE, is a relatively new form of creatine. It consists of creatine monohydrate with an ester attached. (Esters are chemical compounds formed by the reaction of carboxylic acid and alcohol). The esterification has two functions: First, it improves the ability of creatine molecules to penetrate cell membranes in the body - i.e., it improves the absorption rate - and second, it ensures that less unused creatine reaches the intestine. Theoretical advantage over creatine monohydrate: one can work with lower doses during supplementation. However, since CEE products are more expensive compared to creatine monohydrate, the bottom line benefit is questionable. CEE is available as a powder just like creatine monohydrate, but there are also CEE products in tablet form. Unlike creatine monohydrate powder, however, CEE powder is not tasteless because the ester has a somewhat acidic taste. 

Creatin AKG 

Creatine AKG stands for "creatine with alpha ketoglutarate". Alpha Ketoglutarate is an acid that, on the one hand, is supposed to improve the creatine absorption rate just like an attached ester and, on the other hand, is supposed to have a certain performance-enhancing effect. The latter is justified by the manufacturers, among other things, that AKG combines with ammonia in the muscles to form glutamic acid, which benefits the glutamine supply of the organism. To what extent this actually increases athletic performance - and whether this effect is even measurable - is not scientifically proven. Creatine AKG is usually sold in capsule form and is more expensive than creatine monohydrate. 

Kre-Alkalyn 

"Kre-Alkalyn" is actually a brand name. It was created by the company All American EFX, which filed a patent for the corresponding product under the name "EFX Kre-Alkalyn". EFX Kre-Alkalyn is creatine monohydrate that has had an acid buffer added to it. This acid buffer makes the creatine chemically more stable. Kre-Alkalyn therefore does not decompose in the stomach as quickly as pure creatine, so more of it reaches the muscle cells. In this respect, Kre-Alkalyn does not work better than creatine monohydrate, but since it is absorbed to a greater percentage, Kre-Alkalyn already works in quite small doses. Athletes who get digestive problems with larger creatine doses (see side effects of creatine) may therefore do better with buffered creatine than with creatine monohydrate.

Intake and dosage 

Creatine should be supplemented in courses over 8 to 12 weeks, with a subsequent break of several weeks. During the break, the level of the body's creatine stores drops somewhat; when supplementation is resumed, a new performance boost is then achieved. Many athletes, however, do without the break and take creatine all year round so that their performance remains stable. Whether the long-term use of creatine is just as effective as its short-term use has not yet been clearly established. 

In terms of dosage, a daily dose of around 5 grams (equivalent to about a teaspoonful of creatine monohydrate powder) has proven to be most effective. Higher dosages do not have a stronger effect because the creatine storage capacity in the muscles is limited. The theory that a one-week "loading phase" is required at the beginning of creatine supplementation, during which 15 to 25 grams should be supplied each day, is now considered outdated: Even without a loading phase, creatine stores are as full as they can get after about a week. 

Creatine is absorbed somewhat better in combination with simple carbohydrates than with pure water, so taking it before training with a pre-workout shake is recommended. By the way, quite a few pre-workout boosters already contain creatine in an appropriate amount - so if you regularly consume training boosters before sports, you can save yourself the creatine on booster days. The time immediately after training is also a good time to take creatine; the creatine dose should then be taken with a post-workout shake. 

With Kre-Alkalyn or buffered creatine, a daily intake of only 3 grams is sufficient due to the higher absorption rate. Since Kre-Alkalyn products are usually sold in capsule form, determining this dose is quite easy because the capsules are usually configured accordingly. As a user, all you need to do is follow the manufacturer's intake recommendation on the product label. 

Creatine side effects 

The side effect spectrum of creatine is very manageable. The most obvious side effect is the storage of water in the muscles, which also causes a corresponding increase in weight. However, since the water is stored intracellularly - and not subcutaneously - creatine supplementation does not cause a spongy appearance. Instead, creatine makes the muscles look plumper and fuller. So the statement that creatine supplementation is not for the definition phase is false. (In this respect, it is actually misleading to list water retention as a side effect; rather, it is a creatine effect). However, people who suffer from hypertension should refrain from creatine supplementation in view of the water retentions. 

A somewhat more unpleasant side effect is indigestion or nausea and vomiting. These can occur in users with sensitive stomachs. There is also often a feeling of bloating associated with creatine supplementation. Those who do not tolerate creatine monohydrate well should therefore switch to Kre-Alkalyn: Since Kre-Alkalyn can be dosed lower than creatine monohydrate, intolerance symptoms occur less frequently with Kre-Alkalyn. 

Buying creatine - what should I bear in mind? 

Athletes who want to buy creatine have to decide in several respects: Which creatine form should it be - and in which dosage form (powder, tablets, capsules) do they want to consume creatine? Creatine capsules and creatine tablets are undoubtedly more practical than creatine powder, but as a rule they are also more expensive. In terms of availability, there is no difference; the established supplement manufacturers have all dosage forms in their program. From Weider, for example, there are both powders (Weider Pure Creatine, 600 g) and capsules (Weider Creatine Capsules), the same applies to the brands PEAK (Creatine Creapure, 225 g, Creatine AKG, 160 Caps) and Olimp (Creatine Xplode, 500 g, Creatine 1250 Mega Caps). If you want to buy buffered creatine, you can choose between the patented original from EFX (EFX Sports Kre-Alkalyn) and various competitor products such as Weider Maximum Krea-Genic.

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