Hey there, viewers! Do you dream of having a chiseled body with big muscles?
Most gym-goers are constantly trying to lift more weight to pump themselves up.
But that’s actually not enough. Your body needs an extra boost from your diet.
This is why bodybuilders recommend creatine supplements. The only problem is
it’s a little pricey. Is it worth it? In today's video, we’ll be discussing
everything you need to know about creatine! Is it just supplements I can take? Is there
a vegan source of creatine? Which meats should you eat? We’re talking all that AND more...
What exactly is creatine?
Spoiler alert, we’re throwing some super sciency stuff your way. But let me try simplifying it for
you… Creatine is an amino acid. They’re organic compounds which form proteins when mixed with
other amino acids. That’s why they’re called the “building blocks” of protein.
Creatine is one of the many amino acids essential for your body's smooth functioning.
One molecule of creatine is formed when 3 other amino acids come together.
So basically, there’s a whole lot of amino acids in creatine.
This is what gives it all the protein.
Creatine is not new to your body. Your muscles and brain already carry a ton of it. The skeletal
muscles are especially filled with creatine. They have 95% of the total creatine found in your body.
So any increase or decrease in creatine can affect your ability to build muscle.
Creatine can also be found in other organs like the liver, pancreas, and kidneys.
Men also have creatine in the testes. A very tiny bit of it is mixed in your blood as well.
What is your secret to building strong muscles? Are you into the whole creatine craze?
Sound off in the comments section, and start a conversation with our Bestie community...
So what does creatine actually do? Creatine is important to all athletes,
weightlifters, and bodybuilders. Your muscles generally tend to tear, and get tired after an
intense workout. Creatine helps those muscles recover faster. It ups your energy level.
This eventually allows you to lift even heavier weights. It will also help you perform better.
This doesn’t mean only gym-goers should have it. Using creatine on the regular
can be beneficial to everybody. This is unless your doctor says otherwise.
If you’ve been diagnosed with weaker muscles or Muscular Dystrophy,
creatine can help you restore lost strength. In fact, a study shows
it supports the quicker recovery of muscles in people who took it.
Another study supports the use of creatine in neuromuscular diseases.
Creatine increased high-intensity strength in these patients.
Creatine retains water. The more creatine in your muscles, the more water retention there is. This
can hydrate your muscles at a cellular level. Well-hydrated muscles will always look plump.
Myostatin (my-o-stat-in) is a chemical that doesn’t let new muscles grow
quickly. Creatine fights against this chemical and allows speedy muscle growth.
Some hormones like growth, insulin, estrogen, and testosterone, which
are extremely essential for building muscle mass, are also raised quickly by creatine.
The benefits of combining creatine with some form of resistance exercise will stop
protein will ensure more strength and muscle mass.
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When’s the best time to have creatine?
Weirdly enough, even experts aren’t sure about this.
You’ve probably seen your friends have creatine before a workout. Well some prefer having it
afterwards. The research in this field has given mixed results. Let's take a look at a few studies.
A study from 2013 found that bodybuilders consuming creatine after their workout
lost more fat than bodybuilders who had it before.
Just a year later, a similar study was carried out on older folks. But this time,
the results obtained from both the groups were almost similar.
Confusing, right? At the end of the day, we suggest you consume creatine as close
to your workout as possible. It doesn’t matter if you have it before or after. Just make sure
there’s a small gap between exercise and creatine. We’re not just saying this...
A study from 2006 revealed consuming creatine close to your exercise time
gives you more muscle strength than if you took it in the early morning or evening.
Before we move ahead, here’s another interesting video for
all you wannabe muscle builders. Check out 20 high-protein foods you should be eating.
So which foods have a lot of creatine?
Ah, the million dollar question. Buying boxes of creatine might not be your thing.
If you believe in natural foods, we might have something for you.
A few types of meat are typically known to improve your muscle function.
1. Beef
Beef is usually eaten in the form of roasts, short ribs or burgers. It’s
particularly popular in the form of steaks, which are usually grilled or pan-fried.
But to get the maximum benefit of creatine, you should only consume beef by boiling or stewing it.
Overcooking can rob it of its creatine.
2. Pork
Pork is the most popular meat around the world. One pound of pork consists of almost
3 grams of creatine. It should be consumed without overcooking. That doesn't mean you have it rare.
Well-cooked pork is filled with essential amino acids, including creatine. Sadly you will have
to say goodbye to bacon, pork chops, ham, sausages, and even your favorite pepperoni pizza.
3. Salmon
Salmon is probably the healthiest fatty fish you can eat. It’s filled with Omega 3 fatty acids and
Vitamin D. But don’t go ahead and deep-fry this fish. It could lose all its nutrients. Consider
oven baking to cook up the healthy fish. Salmon also tastes great in salads after steam roasting.
4. Herring
This fish is quite underestimated, but it over-delivers on creatine. One pound of herring
will give you 3 to 4.5 grams of creatine, which is way higher than any of the previous meats.
Studies have shown that eating dried herring has more amino acids than the fresh kind.
You should consider drying herring for about eight days,
and then using it in your meals to top up on your amino acids.
5. Chicken
This is one of the first meals that comes to mind when you think of exercise.
Most athletes love eating chicken with their workouts.
What they don’t realize is that there are better meat options.
If you don't consider eating rabbit meat weird, you can get all the same benefits from that.
Most physical trainers will tell you that you can’t build your muscles without meat.
If you’ve gone vegan, you don’t have this option. So how do you get your creatine?
Well unfortunately, there are no vegan foods that
are high in creatine. You’ll probably require vegan creatine supplements.
Some people think eating various seeds,
nuts and quinoa can help your body to produce creatine naturally. But this
isn’t supported by any evidence. If you’re not following a strict diet, maybe give it a try.
Before jumping on these creatine-rich foods, get a checkup done, and make sure your body
isn’t high on creatine already. A few kidney conditions can increase the amount of creatine.
Your doctor might tell you to stay away from red meat,
milk, nuts, and seeds until this level drops back down to normal.
You need to be picky when you include seeds in
your diet. They’re both beneficial as well as harmful for your body.
Watch and learn more about 6 healthy seeds you should be eating, and 6 you shouldn't.
Do you sprinkle flax seeds on all your breakfast bowls? Watch what
happens to your body when you start eating flax seeds daily.
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how to become healthier.
Which is your favorite creatine-rich food? Let us know in the comments below!