WHAT IS CREATINE BLEND?
WHAT IS CREATINE BLEND?
WHAT IS CREATINE BLEND?
(Click on Nutritional Terms and Reference Numbers in Blue for More Info)
Creatine is a substance that is produced naturally in the body. Approximately 5% is found in the brain, kidneys and liver. The remaining 95% (120-140g) is stored in our skeletal muscle, where it forms a high-energy molecule known as phosphocreatine. It is the breakdown of phosphocreatine which produces ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to fuel the muscles during heavy lifting and high intensity exercise. ATP is depleted rapidly during strenuous activity. Therefore, using a creatine supplement to increase our stores of phosphocreatine helps the body to produce greater amounts of ATP. This enables our muscles to resist fatigue and maintain a higher level of performance for longer during intense exercise. The greater the amount of ATP a muscle has, the greater the force and number of contractions it can produce before it becomes fatigued. Consequently, athletes and bodybuilders have been using creatine supplements to enhance performance for many years.
What are the benefits of creatine supplementation?
The use of creatine supplementation is supported by numerous scientific studies which demonstrate the wide variety of performance and health benefits it can provide. These include, but are not limited to:
- Increasing muscle size, strength and power (1, 2, 3, 4)
- Increasing muscular performance (peak power) during high-intensity resistance training (1, 3, 4)
- Decreasing levels of myostatin, a molecule responsible for inhibiting muscle growth (5)
- Increasing the water content of muscle (volumization) which can quickly increase muscle size (6)
- Increasing levels of the anabolic hormone IGF-1 (7)
- Improving single and repetitive sprint performance (8, 3)
- Reducing fatigue (9)
- Enhancing glycogen synthesis (1)
- Increasing anaerobic threshold(1)
- Increasing work capacity (1, 3)
- Enhancing recovery (1)
- Increasing training tolerance (1)
- Possibly enhancing aerobic capacity via greater shuttling of ATP from mitochondria (1).
- Improving control of blood sugar levels (10, 11)
- Enhancing brain function (12, 13,)
- Providing protection for the brain and spinal cord (1)
- Preventing the loss of muscle mass, strength and bone in older individuals (1)
- Enhancing the treatment of certain neurological conditions (14)
The International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand states that creatine is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes in terms of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training. It is one of the world’s most tested supplements and has an outstanding safety profile. Not only is it safe, but has been reported to have a number of therapeutic benefits in healthy and diseased populations ranging from infants to the elderly (1).
Note: If you are a vegan or vegetarian you are likely to gain even greater benefit from creatine supplementation. As the richest natural sources of creatine are meat, fish and poultry, those eating a plant based diet tend to have reduced levels. However, when their diet is supplemented with creatine they retain greater amounts than those consuming meat and fish.
Why Time 4 Creatine Blend?
Time 4 Creatine Blend is an advanced blend of 4 types of creatine that work synergistically to give you the best results possible:
