Creatine is one of the most popular and the most researched types of fitness supplements on the market. Creatine is mainly known as a supplement that can increase strength and muscle mass and this has raised many concerns as to whether it can be used to help in losing weight. This paper will deconstruct the science behind creatine, its impact on weight, and how it can be used in your fat-loss process.
What is Creatine?
Creatine is a natural substance that is present in traces in some foods such as red meat and fish. The body also produces it in the liver, kidneys and the pancreas. Creatine is then stored in the muscles and is used as a speedy source of energy during high-intensity exercises, e.g. sprinting or weightlifting.
Forms of Creatine:
Creatine Monohydrate: The most researched and widely used one.
Creatine Ethyl Ester: It is believed to be absorbed quicker, yet there is inadequate research.
Buffered Creatine (Kre-Alkalyn): Sold to minimize side effects, but the evidence is poor.
Creatine functions by replenishing the phosphocreatine stores of your muscles, which contribute to the production of ATP, the major energy molecule during short-term bursts of activity. That is why creatine is commonly taken by an athlete and gym-goer to enhance performance.
How Creatine Affects Body Weight
Weight gain is one of the most frequent side effects that people observe when they take creatine. This gain is not, however, necessarily fat.
It usually comes from:
Water retention in muscles: Creatine draws water into the muscle cells, which may gain you 1-3 pounds within the first week of the usage.
Growth of muscles: With time, creatine enables you to pick heavier weights and do more reps, which causes you to gain more muscle mass that will slightly add to your weight.
One should realize that creatine does not cause weight gain which is fat gain. Indeed, it can provide indirect assistance in losing fat in the long run, as we will see next.
Can Creatine Help With Weight Loss?
The short answer: indirectly, yes.
While creatine does not directly burn fat, it can support your weight loss efforts in several ways:
Increased Muscle Mass
Muscle consumes more calories than fat even when resting. Being able to build more muscle mass using creatine, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) or the number of calories burned by your body at rest may increase. This will enable one to lose fat with time.
Improved Exercise Performance
Creatine enables you to do more reps, bench heavier or sprint faster. Improved exercises will increase the number of calories burned during workouts, which will help in creating a calorie deficit that is required to lose weight.
Enhanced High-Intensity Training
Some of the most effective types of fat loss are high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and resistance workouts. Creatine assists in the recovery process of your muscles to develop longer and more intense workouts, which exhausts all the fat you have.
Research on Creatine and Fat Loss
A number of studies have been done to study the impact of creatine on body composition:
A 2017 review in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition discovered that creatine supplementation together with resistance training did boost lean body mass and probably decreased fat mass with time.
Another study also showed that although creatine does enhance body weight by retaining water, the percentage of fat was reduced when participants are accompanied by regular training.
The takeaway? Creatine is not a wonder weight-loss aid, though it can help you to achieve your fat-loss objectives by improving your muscle development and exercise.
Common Myths About Creatine and Weight Loss
Myth 1: Creatine Makes You Fat
Creatine as discussed leads to a temporary water retention within the muscles and not fat gain. The gain in weight is normally lean mass and not fat.
Myth 2: Creatine Only Works for Bodybuilders
Creatine is beneficial to any person who engages in high-intensity activities, be it weightlifting, sprinting or sports. Its effects of performance enhancement are universal.
Myth 3: Creatine Causes Dehydration
It has been found that creatine can enhance muscle hydration. Although this is still a recommendation to drink water during exercising, it does not dehydrate you when taken as prescribed.
How to Use Creatine for Best Results
To maximize creatine’s benefits for muscle gain and fat loss, follow these guidelines:
Dosage
Loading Phase (optional): 20 grams per day divided into 4 doses in 5-7 days.
Maintenance Phase: 3-5 grams per day.
The loading stage assists to saturate your muscles more quickly; however, it is not necessary, and you can use 3-5 grams daily, it will take more time to achieve the results.
Timing
Creatine may be consumed at any time of the day. Others like it after exercise with carbohydrates and protein to maximize its absorption.
Combine with Resistance Training
Creatine must be combined with strength training to lose fat and build lean muscle. Alone, creatine won’t burn fat.
Stay Hydrated
Creatine attracts water into the muscles, therefore, consumes lots of fluids to aid in muscle performance and repair.
Tips for Losing Fat While Taking Creatine
Stress a Calorie Deficit: You should expend more calories than you are taking. Creatine is an indirect aid and it cannot substitute a proper diet.
Exercise on Strength: This should be 3-5 times a week and work on all major muscle groups.
Include Cardio: HIIT or moderate cardio increases fat-burning and maintains muscle acquired with creatine.
Track Progress by Body Composition, Not Just Weight: Because creatine adds weight to water and muscle, any measurements, photos, or body-fat scales should be used to measure actual fat loss.
Key Points to Remember
Therefore, is creatine effective in weight loss? The answer is nuanced.
Creatine does not directly burn fat, but can help you to achieve fat-loss objectives by:
- Building up muscle, which enhances metabolism.
- Improved performance in exercising, making the workout more vigorous.
- In Favor of high-intensity training that is more calorie burning.
Creatine is a safe and effective supplement among people who need to lose fat and retain or gain muscle in case they combine it with resistance training and proper diet. You just need to keep in mind that it might not register much change at first as a result of water retention, although changes that have been observed in your body structure and strength are the true markers of changes.