Monday morning started off in the BEST way! I opened an
email from my sister which had an attachment of my Niece Caitlyn DANCING to
Rhianna (The Grammy's)! She is freaking hysterical! SOO SERIOUS! I miss her
little face sooo much! I am usually so crabby in the morning, but this video
made my day! She brought a smile to my face IMMEDIATELY!
Two weeks ago, I was reading an article about Vegan runners
and a supplement they use to help them with endurance, muscle repair, strength,
etc. CREATINE. It's been around forever, yet I NEVER used it simply because I
heard it makes you BLOATED. Um, not sure about YOU, but the last thing I want
to feel or look is BLOATED! EWWW! Anytime I ever saw someone who took it,
looked like they were just thick. I always wondered if women take it and for
what purpose.
I started to get a little curious about creatine and how it
would REALLY affect my running, so I did some further investigating. I wanted
to know what it was, how it works, and WHY people use it and for WHAT BENEFITS?
Over the next few blog posts, I will post the findings on
creatine, what brand I use and how I use it. I'm doing all the dirty work by
investigating, poking and probing around so I can bring you the latest and
greatest!
Creatine gives your muscles energy.
It's found in foods- Red meat, but the human body ALSO makes it. It's produced
in the liver, kidneys and pancreas-transported to your muscles through your
bloodstream. It's converted into creatine phosphate once it reaches the
muscles. It's used to regenerate your muscles energy source- ATP. Since working
out or doing cardio drop your ATP levels rapidly, creatine restores the ATP.
Creatine
allows you to push yourself for longer with lasting energy (This got me
thinking!).
Benefits
of creatine for good health (Found this on a website)
Because of its
popularity, creatine’s health benefits have been studied quite extensively.
Research has found that proper creatine intake is essential to good health in a
number of ways.
·
Creatine
and Alzheimer's Disease. Creatine supplementation can lower serum homocysteine
levels. High serum homocysteine levels are linked to numerous neurological and
psychiatric disorders. These conditions include depression, dementia and
Alzheimer’s Disease. In fact, a recent study revealed that high serum
homocysteine levels doubled the risk of chance of getting Alzheimer’s.
·
Creatine
as an antioxidant.
Recently, it was found that creatine is very effective as an antioxidant. In
fact, creatine is nearly as effective as glutathione in battling free radicals.
Glutathione is an extremely potent antioxidant produced naturally in the body.
Therefore, proper creation intake is essential for long term good health.
·
Creatine
use with B vitamins.
Vitamins B2, B6, B9 and B12 are essential for proper creatine synthesis.
Supplementing B vitamins along with creatine optimizes cellular methylation.
Proper methylation optimizes beneficial cell growth, in addition to muscular
growth. Sub-optimal methylation leads to higher instances of unwanted, cancerous
forms of cell growth.
·
Creatine
and heart disease.
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the Western
world. Currently in the United States, over 13 million Americans are battling
CHD. Creatine supplementation can help battle the onset of CHD. Creatine lowers
serum homocysteine levels. Without proper creatine intake, serum homocysteine
levels rise.
·
Creatine
and cognitive function. Not only does creatine battle muscle fatigue, but it also
appears that creatine empowers proper brain functioning. A recent study
revealed that creatine supplementation directly lead to an improved ability to
solve problems, and improved short term memory. Individuals supplementing with
creatine also had better IQ scores.
Creatine
supplementation also boosts muscle growth and repair by:
1.
Working
as an antioxidant, creatine works to remove harmful free radicals,
strengthening muscle cell membranes, and allowing muscle cells to repair and
grow more efficiently.
2.
Creatine
works to buffer muscle acidity. Without proper PH balance, a muscle will
fatigue more easily.
3.
Creatine
assists in regulating proper calcium levels within muscle tissue, which allows
for proper contractions. Low levels of creatine can cause calcium imbalance,
and a resulting decrease in performance.
Brief history of creatine
supplementation
In 1912,
Harvard researchers discovered that ingested creatine could boost the creatine
content of a muscle. Over a decade later, scientists discovered that creatine
impacted metabolism of muscle.
Creatine
supplementation first caught the public eye following the 1992 Olympics in
Barcelona. Later that year, The Times (a British newspaper), wrote an article
detailing creatine supplementation by several athletes. These athletes included
the 100m dash winner, Linford Christie, and several members of the British
rowing team.
It wasn’t
until a year later that creatine supplements became commercially available. In
1993, EAS (Experimental and Applied Sciences) released a product called
Phosphagen. In 2004, Creatine Ethyl Ester first hit the market.
Then
after reading this informative stuff on what could POSSIBLY be
a great way for me to get faster, stronger and to be able to run longer....I
had to figure out what brand I should use, and how I should take it- This
required some more investigating! Hmmmmm...
WHOAH! There are so many forms of
creatine! I decided to go with
*Creatine
ethyl ester:
A VERY
popular form of creatine. Scientists attach an ester to creatine, allowing it
to pass through cell membranes much easier. Because of this, creatine ethyl
ester absorbs more rapidly into muscle cells. Creatine ethyl ester also DOES
NOT cause bloating!
PHEW! That's all I need..To feel like a
big bouncy BLOB, I would CRY!
I wanted to make sure I
did NOT gain weight or look thick and bloated. I
believe I chose the right brand. Scott form Tommy K's in Mamaroneck is my Go TO
GUY for supps. I TRUST Scott and KNOW he will only give me the best
supplements.
Different
people use creatine for different reasons:
Check
this out....
PS. Keep
in mind that I am a VEGAN so I don't get creatine form red meat, tuna, etc.,
all the more reason I am MORE drawn to it!
Bodybuilders. Bodybuilders use
creatine to increase lean muscle mass, and for extra energy and strength.
Powerlifters. Powerlifters use
creatine to help endure intense workouts, and for the strength gains that it
provides.
Endurance Athletes. Runners, bikers, and
other endurance athletes use creatine to amplify their training sessions, and
for its ability to help them dig deep when they need a quick burst of energy.
Team Sports. Athletes involved in
team sports rely on creatine for extra strength, and for energy when the game
is on the line.
Body Transformation. Creatine isn’t just
for hardcore athletes. It is a staple supplement, used by many individuals who
are turning their lives around, and getting back into shape. Creatine helps
them get stronger, and perform better.
Also, the
added muscle mass from creatine allows them to burn more fat.
Vegetarians. Vegetarians
supplement with creatine for good health. Creatine deficiency can lead to
numerous health problems.
The last two weeks:
I decided on February 2nd- I would start (C'MON! I was chomping
at the bit to get started!) On a Thursday, I know- A weird day of teh week to
try something new....but Hey, call me wild and crazy! LOL!
Here is how I started and how I felt:
WEEK ONE:
* Thursday 2/2: ....2.5 grams 1 hour before I ran 4.5
miles.... Um, let's just say I had a SICK ASS RUN!
* Friday 2/3:.... 5 grams 1 hour before my
workout...AWESOME!
* Saturday 2/4:... 5 grams right before my 7.45 mile run
outside... INCREDIBLE!
(IS THIS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE??)
*Sunday I decided NOT to take it since I was not working
out.....
WEEK TWO:
* Monday 2/6:... 5mg an hour before run & workout (
let me just say....usually after I run, it's HARD to continue with a workout
without feeling WEAK. Not only did I run 4.5 miles in 40 minutes, but I also
did an awesome workout. I am starting to feel really good. I also noticed that
I didn't gain weight, and the scale did NOT go up...
*Tuesday 2/7:....5 mg before workout- The scale DROPPED
two pounds!!! I ran 3 miles and followed that by an awesome upper body workout!
I noticed an enormous pump in my forearms and shoulders! This is INSANE! LOVE
THIS CREATINE! WHY DIDN'T I use this sooner!!!! At one point I was doing
shoulder presses with 17.5 pound kettle bells like they were 3's!
* Wednesday 2/8:... 5mg before workout and run. Felt like
CRAP! I have very bad allergies! My 4.5 mile run was fast strong and fierce,
however once I stopped running, I had an attack. sneezing weezing, the whole
nine yards! I had to cut my workout and get home!
*Thursday 2/9:....I didn't take it because I wasn't going
to the gym. I figured I didn't need it. I hear about "STACKING"
creatine in the beginning, but I was UNSURE of how, so I just didn't.
* Friday 2/10:... 5mg. HOLY *8* MILE RUN! I felt the
strength and endurance in my legs. The hills were easy, the flats were a piece
of cake. I KNEW on this run, that the creatine was very helpful to me. I remember
doing these runs last year and almost wanting to stop. On this *8* mile run, my
legs could have kept on going! Only problem..towards the end, I started getting
BAD STITCHES in my ribs. I mean REALLY BAD! I was PISSED! Was it because I
drank too much water? Not enough water? Was it the CREATINE? I read that you
MUST drink TONS of water because cramps are a side effect... (MORE
INVESTIGATING!)
* Saturday 2/11:... I didn't take it- again because I
wasn't going to the gym or outside for a run.
*Sunday 2/12:... Ok, a few things! one was the stitch in
my ribs, then, over the last week, the scale went from 111-114! Oh! you KNOW I
am furious!!! Although when I look in the mirror, I notice my arms look tighter
and more defined. My abs are still there and the biggest thing for me to know
if I;m gaining BAD WEIGHT is if I can't see the cuts above my hip bones! Oh
they were there!!!
SO what was it!?!?!I didn't know what else to do, so I
packed my gym back and decided to HAUL ASS IN THE GYM! Let's just say I had one
of the BEST workouts...strength and endurance were ON- 150%!!!!
****Every Sunday I usually map out my week. I decided that
this week I would lower the dosage and see what happens. I figured I would cut
it in half. So in a 10 oz water bottle would be cold water and 2.5mg instead of
5mg.
WEEK THREE:
*Monday 2/13:....2.5mg WTF!!!! 114! I have NOT been this
high in a VERY long time!!! Something is up! Maybe sodium in the restaurant
food last night??? Maybe too much creatine? All I know is that I was furious,
but NOT quite ready to turn my back on creatine JUST YET! I am feeling super
strong and my runs are rockin.... I did legs and decided I was going to do
90lbs on the leg press- UM, it's been well over three years since I pressed
over 50lb!!! I just haven't been lifting or pressing heavy! Today that 90lbs
felt like 25lbs! I was just laughing to myself throughout the workout!
*Tuesday 2/14:...2.5 mg. Happy Valentine's Day! I woke up
to my (*) and also to the scale dropping down 2 lbs! ahhhh...SO MAYBE it
was a combination of my monthly friend, the creatine and a high sodium meal!
All I know is that I am happy. I had to run 5 miles, but at mile 4.33, the
stitch was back! I walked for a few seconds, took a few belly breaths and got
right back to my run. This happened one more time before I was done. Had I NOT
had the stitch, I would have finished 5 miles in 44 minutes, but it took me 47
minutes instead. STILL A GREAT RUN!
What I have learned SO FAR:
· It DOES
WORK!
· You DO get
stronger
· You
recover quicker
· You are
able to withstand longer sessions of cardio
· You get a
PUMP!
· You look
dry and tight( instead of lose and bloated)
· YOU DO
have to drink triple the amount of water you already do
· YOU WILL
get cramps or stitches if not loaded properly
· Vegans
WILL ABSOLUTELY benefit form CREATINE!
This leads
me to the NEXT blog...HOW to LOAD Creatine and HOW to properly take it!
XO *Tina.
How you prepare it: coat a microwaveable bowl with coconut oil- NOT TOO MUCH. add the eggs and protein and mix well. Add the blackberries and truvia and mix again. Nuke for 1 minute. Take out and stir the mixture. Nuke 1 more minute and take out. Check to see if the mixture looks runny or stiff. If runny, nuke for a few more seconds.
