Creatine and Whey Protein: Should You Take It Together?

How does creatine work?

So let's start with creatine. What do you need to know about it, besides the fact that it is an amino acid?

Creatine is an organic compound that takes part in the energy metabolism of nerve and muscle cells. Regarding sports, the amino acid increases the body's endurance during regular training. Since it is very problematic to obtain creatine from natural products, the athlete needs an additional source that will compensate for its deficiency.

With an increase in phosphocreatine, energy is generated in the athlete’s muscle tissue, which is spent during training to work with heavy weights. Simply put, creatine allows an athlete to fully demonstrate their strength qualities with high performance. This occurs due to the fact that the body has the ability to give away the maximum number of energy units in the shortest amount of time. It obtains this unique ability under the influence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It is this organic compound that increases the physical activity of beginners and professional athletes. An equally important role is played by adenosine diphosphate (ADP), formed as a result of detachment of the phosphate group of adenosine triphosphate, which provides muscles with energy.

As a result of internal processes synthesizing the substance creatine, the following changes occur in the body:

increase in strength indicators during training;
increasing speed qualities with heavy weights;
increase in pure muscle mass;
saturation with energy and important elements of muscle tissue.

But I wonder what will happen if you take creatine and protein at the same time?

Why protein and creatine are essential for fitness

Athletes cannot do without 5-10 grams of creatine per day, and three servings of protein. Their metabolism requires large dosages and a responsible approach to nutrition. Otherwise, efforts in the gym will result not in restoration and muscle growth, but in catabolism and weight loss. What should ordinary athletes do? Often protein with creatine helps them get rid of:

Muscle pain that makes regular exercise impossible;
Fatigue and muscle weakness that do not allow you to complete the program created by the trainer;
The consequences of irregular and unbalanced nutrition in the form of increased cortisol levels, muscle loss, water retention and a drop in strength and endurance;
Disorders of the central nervous system caused by a combination of demanding work, training loads and nutrition with a calorie deficit.

Both supplements can be used both for weight loss and cutting, and for gaining muscle mass, both by men and women.

Important: for women, creatine helps get rid of hormonally caused muscle “flabbiness” and allows you to “tighten” your body faster. It does not cause fat gain, but makes the muscles full. This means that the form will come with him faster.

How does protein work?

As for protein, things are even simpler here. Protein is a food supplement that contains protein, which is especially necessary for the structure of the muscle corset.

After consuming a protein supplement, the amount of amino acids in the blood increases significantly, which after an hour and a half reaches its maximum concentration. This phenomenon also helps to preserve the energy unit in muscle tissue.

With additional protein saturation, large-scale division and restoration of muscle cells occurs after prolonged exercise. Simply put, during persistent heavy training, when a person’s muscles are used rationally, the body requires an additional source of proteins with amino acids. In addition, such organic compounds should be used for strength training and during rest for muscle regeneration.

To be more specific, protein provides the following benefits to an athlete:

increases strength data;
increases muscle size;
gives relief to the body;
allows you to control the fat layer;
supplies the body with essential amino acids.

And now, we are gradually approaching the main question: is it possible to take creatine and protein at the same time?

What will be the effect if you take creatine and protein together?

Consuming creatine with protein can help move creatine into muscle cells and allow it to be absorbed more quickly and completely within the body.

Interesting! In practice, the combination of supplements feels like this: during training, the muscles tolerate standard loads more easily, and after that, pain and fatigue from the training go away faster. If both products are mixed, the athlete gets the opportunity to do a greater number of repetitions and actively increases the additional weight of the weights.

What does simultaneous use give, and is it possible to drink creatine and protein together?

The main purpose of mixing sports supplements is to increase the benefits and effectiveness of training.

To put it even more simply, by taking creatine with protein in a common portion, you can get the following results:

protein supplies the athlete’s body with essential building material, that is, proteins for muscle growth and compensation after the training process;
creatine not only fills muscle cells with energy, but also increases their volume by launching anabolic processes, and protein will serve as a building material to increase the volume of these cells;
and no less important fact - protein is a transport system for creatine, i.e. allows it to be absorbed much better.

Now it becomes clear whether it is possible to consume creatine with protein, and what the result will be.

The only thing the athlete himself needs to do is to choose a suitable scheme for the rational combination of this pair of supplements for the body and muscle corset.

Recommendations from professionals

Daria Lobanova, sports nutrition consultant, coach

Protein is a traditional protein that has been isolated in the laboratory from natural raw materials. The whey version is the most purified form, contains many amino acids (including BCAA) and is quickly absorbed in the body. This is what you should choose as a quick snack and to restore your supply of nutrients after a strength workout. The supplement can be combined with creatine to actively replenish energy.
Such products are in addition to regular food and cannot be used as a replacement for it. Supplements can be taken on the go to supplement your regular diet and increase its nutritional value. Taking protein after training not only promotes weight gain, but also increases muscle definition.
Daria Lobanova, sports nutrition consultant, personal trainer Hardcore gym

Dmitry Smirnov, coach

Creatine is a basic source of energy during physical activity. The optimal dosage regimen is 3-5 g per day, washed down with a large portion of water to prevent dehydration.
Combination with protein helps compensate for protein deficiency. In this case, it is necessary to distinguish between the “fast” and “long” options. The first type (whey) has high bioavailability and instantly fills the body with energy. The second (casein) releases protein compounds gradually, over several hours. “Fast” protein should be consumed in the morning and after active exercise, and “long” protein should be consumed at night.
Dmitry Smirnov, sports trainer, author of the publication “Fitness for the Smart”

Joey Vaillencourt, Trainer, Supplement Specialist

Protein is an accessible material for building muscles. It is used in the body to restore and quickly compensate for damaged fibers within the muscles after strength training.
For active weight gain, it is necessary to maintain a constant process of protein entering the body in large quantities. The required portion to increase lean muscle is calculated as follows: you need to multiply your own weight by 2-2.5. The resulting value is the optimal portion of protein per day, which should be divided into several doses.
Joey Vaillencourt, Certified Personal Trainer, Sports Supplement Specialist

How to take creatine and protein at the same time?

Previously, professionals adapted to such cooperation of nutritional supplements themselves. Through trial and error, they found their own way of taking creatine with protein that was ideal for the body.

During all the time of such dubious experiments, a main scheme for combining these two types of nutritional supplements was developed, which is available to beginners and professional athletes:

Creatine. According to the standard course of admission, there are two main stages:

The first week is the loading stage. Saturation of muscle mass with creatine should occur in four measured doses. One serving is usually limited to 5 grams of powder;
The subsequent period is the support stage. Ensures that the acceptable level of creatine is maintained in the body by consuming 5-10 grams of powder per day;

Classic points for taking creatine: an hour before the start of a workout, after a workout, and on rest days it is recommended to divide the intake into equal dosages throughout the day.

Protein. It is used depending on the total body weight of the athlete. Often the dosage is limited to 25-35 grams of protein powder.

Classic protein intake points: morning, between meals, after training and before bed.

Considering that protein is the transport system for creatine, it would be correct to take them at the same time!

All that remains is to add: it is important to follow the proposed scheme, which in strength training and beyond is considered a classic option for using nutritional supplements.

Summarize

Whey protein powder and creatine are two popular sports supplements that have been shown to increase muscle mass and strength, although they work differently.
Taking these two supplements together does not provide additional benefits in terms of muscle mass and strength.
However, if you want to try both and want to increase muscle mass and physical performance in the gym or on the field, using whey protein and creatine together is safe and effective.

Tags: Creatine, Whey protein

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