supplements: Creatine monohydrate

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine Monohydrate has been shown in multiple studies to improve exercise performance and thus is a staple supplement for many athletes.  The theory behind its beneficial effects is related to rapid energy use in the cell.  The most proximate energy molecule in the cell is ATP.  However, stores of ATP on standby for use will allow about 5 to 10  seconds  of maximal work before being depleted. Once this happens, the cell looks to creatine monophosphate to transfer additional phosphate groups to adenine di phosphate (ADP) to acquire more ATP.  This translates into a few extra reps when lifting weights, or  several additional seconds of output in other exercises like running, swimming or biking.  All of us naturally have a supply of creatine phosphate to support energy when our ATP is consumed in a maximal effort.  By supplementing with extra creatine, our cells can load up with additional phosphate (bound to creatine), allowing us to push our work outs to the next level.  More vigorous workouts translates into bigger gains.  Therefore, creatine is not a supplement that works immediately.  It works over weeks and weeks of improved workouts.  Therefore, supplementing with creatine while not really pushing yourself in the gym is likely to make little to no difference in your progress or performance.

Some advocate loading for 1 week with 15 to 20 G of creatine a day.  This will bring your cells to saturation more quickly, however, it is reasonable to take a maintenance dose (between 5 to 10 G per day) to start, and slowly after 20 to 28 days, your body will be saturated to the same degree as loading the first week.  There is some evidence that getting creatine inside the cells requires insulin.  Therefore, many advocate taking a high glycemic carbohydrate in conjunction with creatine to ensure maximal cellular uptake.  A good example of a high glycemic carb (one that induces a very intense insulin spike) is a potato.  Table sugar, glucose and dextrose are also examples.  Fructose, the sugar in fruits like apples (also part of sucrose or table sugar) has a very low glycemic index of only 19 and would NOT  be a good choice if the goal is to stimulate the uptake of creatine into the cells via an insulin surge.

Many also advocate cycling creatine, i.e. supplementing for 1 and half to 3 months and then going off creatine for a month.  There is no research to advocate either for or against this practice.  However, creatine does pull water into the cells along with it via an osmotic gradient.  Therefore, careful attention to hydration is important and it is reported that not maintaining hydration may be the cause of muscle cramps.

I prefer at this point the product from Transparent labs.  As usual, their product contains clearly labeled packaging so that you know exactly what you are getting.  In addition to Creatine monohydrate, they also include HMB (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate), 2 G.  On their website, there is a link to a study that showed a small improvement in lower body strength in resistance trained men after 9 weeks when supplementing with HMB 3 G per day.  Other studies have also shown a small increase in fat-free mass (i.e. lean muscle mass) with supplementation with HMB. What is still not clear is whether this improvement would occur in men already supplementing with creatine monohydrate.  Another study in college aged participants showed that 3 G per day of HMB supplementation improved maximal oxygen consumption (a measure of aerobic capacity) by a small amount.

The Transparent Labs creatine also contains Bioperine, which is a black pepper fruit extract.  It purports to have clinical studies that verify that it can significantly enhance the intestinal absorption of supplements such as creatine monohydrate.  No studies were listed on the web site of Transparent labs for this claim however.

Supplements: The Pre work out supplement

The pre work out complex-What you need to know

The goal of consuming a pre workout supplement is to optimize your internal natural physiology for a vigorous workout.  This entails gearing up the nervous system as well as readying the cardiovascular system for high intensity training.

I have spend a reasonable amount of time researching out the best pre workout.  Currently, my pre work out of choice is by Transparent Labs and is name preserves bulk.  Transparent labs actually has three main pre work out formulas that vary slightly.  The other two are pre series stim free (which contains no stimulants) and pre series lean (contains other ingredients to aid in fat burning).

I'm going to focus on what you need in a pre work out and how the pre series bulk from Transparent lab meets that need.

I'm data driven, and so if the ingredient hasn't been studied in human trials and shown to have benefit, there is little reason to spend your money on it.  The following ingredients have been show to have positive effects in human trials to improve exercise capacity or performance.

1.  CITRULLINE:  As one of the most common pre workout ingredients, citrulline, an amino acid (often interchangeable with L-arginine), is effective in stimulating nitric oxide production and improving muscular endurance.

As it relates to muscular endurance, one citrulline malate study states, “…Citrulline malate might be useful to increase athletic performance in high-intensity anaerobic exercises with short rest times and to relieve post exercise muscle soreness.” Clinically effective doses of citrulline have been shown to be between 6 and 8 grams per day.  

• Pre series Bulk-Citrullline 6 G per serving 

2. BETA ALANINE: As a naturally occurring amino acid, research shows that pre workout supplements with beta-alanine provide a trove of benefits.One beta-alanine study states that, “Chronic BA (beta-alanine) supplementation may further enhance HIIT (high intensity interval training), improving endurance performance and lean body mass”.Further studies support that beta-alanine supplementation can help to minimize workout-induced fatigue and even increase lean mass.A collaboration of 23 exercise tests including supplementation with beta-alanine found clinical dosages to range between 2.6 and 6.4 grams per day.
From bodybuilding.com-several benefits supported by actual scientific studies include:

1. Boosts explosive muscular strength and power output.
2. Increases muscle mass.
3. Boosts muscular anaerobic endurance.
4. Increases aerobic endurance.
5. Increases exercise capacity so you can train harder and longer.

It's important to understand that beta alanine is naturally found in protein rich foods such as chicken, beef, pork, etc.  It comes part of a dipeptide found in meat such as carnosine.  In fact, the goal of supplementation with Beta Alanine is to boost intracellular carnosine levels in order to decrease the acidic environment resulting from a vigorous workout.  It has become evident that currently a great way to boost intracellular carnosine levels is with beta alanine supplementation. 

• Pre series Bulk-Beta Alanine 4 G per serving.

3. Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA): 

• Improving performance-There has been several studies that indicate that indeed exercise performance is improved in those consuming supplemental BCAA (Valine, Leucine, and Isoleucine).  However, other studies have not been able to demonstrate this.  In all likelihood the performance enhancement benefit from BCAAs is probably small taking all of the studies together.

• Reducing muscle breakdown/Enhanced recovery-Several studies have demonstrated that individuals supplementing with BCAAs do indeed suffer less delayed muscle soreness after heavy weightlifting compared to those who are not.  A 2006 study concluded that the intake of BCAA may promote an anabolic hormone profile (causing muscle repair after workouts) while also decreasing the likelihood of training-induced muscle damage.

BCAAs are obtained naturally through meat, dairy and legumes. In fact, a balanced diet  likely contain enough BCAAs that supplementation may not be necessary even in an individual with an intense exercise regimen.  BCAA were consumed as a 5 G load prior to squats in the trial that showed that BCAA decrease muscle soreness after exercise. This could serve as an indicator as a reasonable amount to supplement.  Certainly no more than this is required in someone with a balanced diet.

• Preseries Bulk-BCAAs 4 G per serving 

4. BETAINE (TMG):  A compound typically found in plants (like beets) has been confirmed by multiple studies to support benefits like increased strength, improved muscle endurance, and increases in the human growth hormone IGF-1.  One betaine study specifically states that, “…Betaine supplementation results in a moderate increase in total repetitions and volume load in the bench press exercise, without favorably impacting other performance measures.”    These same studies also indicate clinically effective dosages to be between 1.25 and 2.5 grams per day.  It has also been used as a supplement in animal feeds for decades, in order to make pigs, chickens, and salmon healthier and more resilient. It has also been used as a supplement in animal feeds for decades, in order to make pigs, chickens, and salmon healthier and more resilient.  One of the first studies to look into betaine's performance-supporting effects was done in my old lab at the University of Connecticut in 2010. The UCONN researchers found that weight-trained athletes taking 1.25 grams of betaine twice per day increased their muscle strength by 25 percent, and their muscle power by 20 percent. They also determined that betaine significantly increased markers for muscle protein synthesis following a workout as compared to the placebo.  The best natural way to obtain betaine in the diet is spinach (I guess the old popeye cartoon was on to something) and quinoa.  It is estimated that normally we get 1 to 2 G of betaine in a normal healthy diet.  But supplementation can be important since we tend to lose betaine in our sweat.  

• Preseries Bulk-Betaine 2.5 G per serving

I've focused on the ket ingredients that you want to have in a pre workout.  Here are the additional ingredients in Preseries Bulk pre workout formula:

1. Taurine
2. N-acetyl L-taurosin
3. Choline bitartrate
4. L-theanine
5. Caffeine anhydrous (180mg)
6. Mucuna Pruriens
7. L-norvaline
8. Synephrine
9. Hordenine
10. Bioperine
11. Vit D3 (3000 IU)
12. Zinc (30mg)
13. Boron (5mg)

One supplement that is not contained in Pre series Bulk is creatine.  I'll devote another article on creatine and how to optimize your supplementation with it.

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